On April 8, 2006, our good friend Dan Lawson was killed during an FFR Challenge Series race at Buttonwillow Raceway in Bakersfield, California.
Dan was the National Director of the Series for Factory Five and NASA. I spoke to Jerry Kunzman, who runs NASA, immediately after the accident and released information to the internet forums telling everyone that Dan was gone the next day.
Dan was a good friend, a good man and he was loved by everyone he met. Dan had been involved in competitive racing since the 1970’s and he was the quintessential racer. He was the racers' racer.
There are no platitudes to make us feel better. There are no words that can change this horrible reality. I read the posts that friends have left on the discussion forum and they say it better than I ever could. The outpouring of love is a reflection of the man himself.
2010 was the 10 year anniversary of the Factory Five Challenge Series and a great testimate to the passion and commitment that Dan had to the Factory Five community. Dan contribute tremedously to building the Challege Series. Dan and his brother Bob were also the very first entrants in the very first 25 Hours of Thunderhill, NASA's now famous world's longest endurance race. Many racers still run Dan's number on their cars in tribute.
We love you Dan. With all of our collective hearts we send out our fondest goodbyes… we will never forget you.
David Smith
Click here for a photo gallery of images of Dan Lawson.
Dan Lawson at Thunderhill Raceway
Dan with his brother Bob.
Post race celebration, Factory Five Nationals at The Las Vegas Motorspeedway in 2003.
Dan and crew after the very first 25 Hours of Thunderhill.