Retired firefighter dies responding to Kennedale Speedway Track racecar accident

Friends and the racing community remember longtime safety worker after Kennedale Speedway crash.

Like many racing fans, Billy Hurt lived for the thrill of the track.

"He always loved sprint cars," Travis Gregory, one of Hurt's close friends, said.

On Saturday, that love brought Hurt to the racetrack like any other day. But the day took an unexpected turn.

Gregory said Hurt was doing what he loved until the very end.

"That's the first thing I said," Gregory said, fighting back tears.

Police said the incident happened Saturday at a racetrack in North Texas. Investigators said Hurt and another track official collided on the Kennedale Speedway track while responding to a race car crash.

Kennedale police told NBC 5 officers were initially responding to a racecar accident at the speedway.

The racing series group World of Outlaws said safety official Jerry Myers was the other person involved in the collision. The organization said Myers is in stable condition and recovering from his injuries.

Hurt's loved ones are now grieving the loss. Spectators who witnessed the incident said they were stunned by what they described as an unusual accident involving emergency response vehicles.

"This is a freak accident," Tommy Williams Jr., an avid race fan, said. "I took a little bit for it to realize what really happened...I've never seen anything like that in the infield. It was all a shock."

Members of the racing community are mourning Hurt and honoring his decades of service.

"Of those who dedicate their lives to safety efforts at dirt tracks across the country, there were few as committed as Billy Hurt," the World of Outlaws racing series said. "Hurt was involved in the safety and rescue of Sprint Car drivers for over 23 years, helping to lead safety efforts."

Hurt also served as a firefighter for the Columbia Fire Department in Missouri, where colleagues said he mentored many in the fire service.

"[He] mentored and taught countless members of the fire service and had limitless knowledge of heavy rescue and vehicle extrication techniques," the Columbia Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1055 said in a social media post. "His unexpected and sudden passing is a tragedy, and we place our love and thoughts with his family."

Gregory said Hurt was known for his sense of humor and generosity, recalling how they became close friends when they first joined the Columbia Fire Department years ago.

"He taught me how to cook large meals at the fire station," Gregory said with a laugh. "He was like the unofficial cook for all of us, so he'd feed [about]12 of us at a time...I still struggle with trying to cook a small meal today."

Kennedale police said the accident remains under investigation by the department and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner.