Track official: Area resident dies after wreck in race at Myrtle Beach Speedway

A driver competing in the SELLM Challenger Feature Event at Myrtle Beach Speedway died after being involved a two-car collision Friday night, according to a Myrtle Beach Speedway official.

Jackie Ward, a Surfside Beach resident who owned Grand Strand Towing, was transported to a hospital, where he later died, after crashing into the outside wall of Turn 1 following a two-car collision, according to Mike Neff, Director of Sales, Marketing and Announcing at the speedway.

The collision occurred around 4:45 p.m., according to a release from Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard. Ward, 56, died in the hospital at 5:32 p.m. and an autopsy is scheduled for Saturday, the release stated.

Horry County Fire Rescue assisted on scene before transporting Ward to the hospital, Neff said.

The speedway is holding the first weekend of the 25th annual Myrtle Beach 400. Practice for the SELLM series and the SELLM Challenge Feature Event were on the schedule for Friday, according to the Myrtle Beach Speedway website.

This story was originally published November 10, 2017 at 9:49 PM with the headline "Track official: Area resident dies after wreck in race at Myrtle Beach Speedway."