I don't know if this is posted anywhere else in AF, but it certainly hasn't been posted here.
If any of you followed and remember the
2003 Ultimate Street Car Challenge thread, or have read Sport Compact Car's issues with that subject, or have watched Speedvision's coverage of their GT series, then you would have heard of Paul Mumford.
He was the owner/driver of the Viper that dominated all competition in the USCC of a year ago.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SPEED GT DRIVER PAUL MUMFORD KILLED IN PLANE CRASH
TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 2, 2003) – Paul Mumford, of Yorba Linda , Calif. , a rookie sensation in the SCCA Speed World Challenge GT Championship, was killed Wednesday afternoon in a private plane crash near the Chino, Calif. airport. He was 31.
1971-2003
In only his second SCCA Speed GT Championship start, Mumford drove to an impressive victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Sept. 9. He had previously raced at Road America , where he finished third after starting 22nd. Mumford was working toward running a full season in 2004 in his Dodge Viper Competition Coupe.
“We’ve lost one of our brightest young stars; one whom we’d only just met,” said Steve Johnson, SCCA, Inc. and SCCA Pro Racing President and CEO. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Paul’s family and friends.”
Mumford was the pilot of his Piper Saratoga plane. He reportedly took off from the Corona Municipal Airport , heading for Oakland , and reported a cockpit fire. He was attempting an emergency landing at Chino when the plane went down into the dry Santa Ana River .
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Here's a link to the
Viper owner's club where they were planning his funeral, which has been held, as I am late to this news.
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I of course never knew him personally, and only knew him by reputation, but I still am saddened by the loss of such a great contributor to the automotive-enthusiast's community. Let's use this thread to wish him well in his new journey, and his family in their time of grief.
- carrrnuttt