Longtime NHRA racer John Lingenfelter passed away

Longtime NHRA racer John Lingenfelter passed away Thursday evening at Adams County Memorial Hospital in Decatur, Ind. He was 58.

The owner of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering for the past 30 years, Lingenfelter was a decorated drag racer who most recently competed on the Summit Sport Compact Series.

On Oct. 27, 2002, Lingenfelter was racing R.J. Simrock in the semifinals of the Mazda NHRA Sport Compact World Finals at California's Pomona Raceway when he lost control of his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Cavalier, crossed the centerline, and hit the guardwall in the opposite lane. He has been hospitalized ever since.

Over his distinguished career, Lingenfelter won 13 career national event events in Competition Eliminator and was the first driver in the class to break the six-second quarter-mile barrier. He finished second in the Pro Stock Truck standings in 1998, which was the first year of competition for the now defunct class. At a career-best E.T. of 7.08 seconds, his Cavalier was once considered the world's quickest four-cylinder drag racing veheicle.

Lingenfelter is survived by his wife, Cynthia Lingenfelter, and two daughters, Kerri Ann Page of Frisco, Texas, and Kelly Jo Kline of Decatur.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, at The Bridge Community Church in Decatur with Pastor Jerry Setser officiating. Interment will follow in the Decatur Cemetery.

Friends will be received from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, at the Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur. Preferred memorials can be made to Adams County Memorial Hospital Extended Care Unit or New Beginnings Faith Center. For more information, please visit
http://www.lingenfelter.com/jlstat2.asp