The cause of that freakish fatal crash is under investigation. Meantime, friends are remembering 14-year-old Marcus Johnson, one of two people killed at the Marysville Raceway Park. Adding to his family's grief, his own 17-year old cousin, Chase Johnson, was the driver whose sprint car went out of control.
The family raced winged sprint cars on circuits all across Northern California and said the boys were as close as brothers. There is growing memorial at the Johnson's family muffler shop.
An investigation into the tragedy is underway, but the grandfather of the family said the steering wheel on the car may have come loose.
"There is a clip on the steering wheel and they always tug on it to make sure it is on it. We haven't analyzed the car yet, it's impounded by the sheriff's department in Marysville. We will get the car back and analyze it, but either the steering wheel either came off, or the shaft broke or something," said Bob Johnson, grandfather to the driver and victim.
Marcus would have been 15-years-old and Chase is going to be 18-years-old, but they were really, really close -- close knit family. I mean you couldn't have a better family," said Doris Johnson, grandmother to the driver and victim.
The middle school that Marcus attended will have grief counselors when students return from spring break. Chase is a student at Petaluma High School.
