Drag racing legend and Street Outlaws star Jeff Lutz is recovering with his family after a terrifying crash on Interstate 90 destroyed his race rig and trailer in the early hours of Thursday, August 14.
According to Idaho State Police, the accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. near Post Falls when a 62-year-old Spokane Valley man driving a Dodge Caravan entered the westbound lanes going the wrong way. The Caravan sideswiped Lutz’s semi-truck and trailer, rupturing a fuel tank and sparking a massive fire that consumed the hauler.
Inside the rig were Lutz, his wife Christine, their son Jeffrey, and the family dog. Miraculously, all four escaped with only minor injuries.
Lutz, who was traveling to Qlispe Raceway Park in Washington for the next stop on The Outlaws tour, shared an emotional video update with fans on Friday.
“We lost our phones, our wallets, everything in the fire. The toter home is a total loss, the trailer’s not much better,” Lutz said. “To lose everything to a drunk driver is devastating to me. But we’re okay, and that’s what matters.”
He described the harrowing moments after the crash, recalling the fear of not being able to rescue his family.
“I didn’t think I was going to get Jeffrey and Chris and the dog out because it was so on fire. My life flashed before my eyes. We’re in survival mode now.”
Despite the devastation, the veteran racer expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support he has received from fans and fellow racers.
“I can’t thank everybody enough. The overwhelming support and love that y’all have – we love each and every one of ya.”
Lutz confirmed he will not compete this weekend or next, instead focusing on transporting his destroyed rig back to Pennsylvania and regrouping with his family. He admitted that while insurance will likely cover much of the damage, the emotional loss is far more difficult to process.
“I worked all my life to have this – 20-some years of racing – and to see it go up in flames because of a drunk driver is insane. I just want to go home.”
Fans across the racing community have rallied around the Lutz family, flooding social media with prayers and messages of encouragement. Ellen Eschenbacher, a longtime supporter, wrote:
“Want to send all our thoughts and prayers to Jeff Lutz and his family after this horrible crash. A wrong-way drunk driver hit them on their way to Spokane in Idaho. The toter is a total loss, burned to the ground. They all escaped with the dog and no phones or wallets or anything else. Again, they are physically ok. If this doesn’t hit you in the gut, nothing will in the racing world.”
The crash remains under investigation by Idaho State Police.
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