A man died while another was left injured when their sports car crashed into a guardrail during a racing event at the Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Florida Sunday night.
Florida Highway Patrol officers identified the victims as Gary Terry, 36 and Tavon Watson, 24, both from Florida and participants of the Richard Petty Driving Experience attraction. It is believed that during the accident, Terry, a driving instructor, was guiding Watson in handling the car.
Terry died at the scene while Watson was rushed to the Celebration Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
According to accounts, both men were riding a Lamborghini when the driver, Watson, suddenly lost control of the wheel, sending the car in a collision course with the track's guardrail.
The Richard Petty Driving Experience is one of Walt Disney World's popular attractions. It allows park-goers to drive high-performance NASCAR-type cars around the track at high speeds. The selection of cars eventually included luxury cars such as Lamborghinis, Porsches and Ferraris.
The track is operated by Petty Holdings. The company also owns similar attractions in Texas, N.J., Atlanta, Kan., N.H. and Daytona Beach.
"We offer our deepest sympathy to those involved in today's tragic accident," a Walt Disney World representative said in a statement.
Officials of Petty Holdings have also sent their condolences to the families of both passengers involved in the accident.
"On behalf of everyone in the organization, it is with a very heavy heart that we extend our deepest sympathies to those involved in today's tragic accident in Orlando," Petty Holdings said.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the accident is still under investigation.
Disney announced plans to close the Richard Petty Driving Experience track in order to renovate its parking lot in August 2014.
The tragic accident marks the first such incident in Walt Disney World. In 2008, a 60-year-old visitor suffered a fatal heart attack while at another Richard Petty Experience attraction in Daytona.
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