Postcrash examination of the vehicle further revealed the clutch system to be locked, maintaining engine power to the rear wheels. Witnesses and audio recordings reveal the vehicle's engine was firing throughout the shutdown portion of the racetrack, which further reinforced the fact that the vehicle's engine was still providing power for some time. Kalitta's vehicle reached the end of the paved race track and went through a sand trap at around .
After the crash, examination of the car revealed the clutch system was locked, keeping the engine running even though it was supposed to be shut down. Witnesses and recordings showed that the engine continued firing during the time the car was stopped on the track. Kalitta's vehicle reached the end of the paved track and went into a sand trap at approximately...