Woman dies driving replica IndyCar

Posted on 20/10/2010

A woman crashed a replica IndyCar into a wall at a high speed and died while taking part in the Mario Andretti Driving Experience at a Southern California motor speedway.

The San Bernardino County coroner's office reported 24-year-old Ashley Phalen of Los Angeles was killed when her vehicle slammed into a wall and overturned at the Auto Club Motor Speedway in Fontana. She died at a nearby hospital.

Phalen was participating in what is described on andrettiracing.com as the "World's Fastest Racing Experience." The website says people can drive a race car with 600 horsepower for an eight-minute session and reach speeds up to 160 mph.

An after-hours phone message for the Andretti Driving Experience wasn't immediately returned.