Source: Photo Courtesy of Indiana State Police
JACKSON COUNTY, Ind.–Funeral arrangements have been made for a race car driver who was killed in a crash on I-65 in Jackson County this past Friday.
The visitation of Ashlea Albertson will be Sunday, August 27 from 2 to 6 pm at New Palestine United Methodist Church. Her family says that will be followed immediately by a celebration of life.
Her obituary says guests are asked to wear racing shirts and cheery clothing because they believe “Ashlea would prefer a casual atmosphere.”
Donations can be made in Albertson’s name to the Tony Stewart Foundation at the following address:
438 Southpoint Circle
Brownsburg, IN 46112
Officers think 22-year-old Austin Cooper and 31-year-old Jacob Kelly were both driving northbound near Seymour. They say the two were speeding alongside each other, and neither driver would allow the other to pass.
Eventually, Cooper apparently tried to change lanes, and the two crashed after Kelly lost control of his car. Albertson was a passenger in Kelly’s car. As Kelly’s car rolled, Albertson was thrown from the car.
Albertson was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital, but she did not survive.
Albertson raced for Tony Stewart Racing.
“Today, I lost a teammate… She was a great race car driver that was involved in a road rage accident and lost her life,” said Stewart after the crash on social media.
He described Albertson as having an “infectious personality.”
“I hope that we can honor Ashlea by controlling what we can control on the highway,” said Stewart.
Her father, Todd, posted an emotional video on the Ashlea Albertson Facebook page about her death.
“This is one of the hardest posts that I could possibly make, but I have no words to put it out other than making a video to share with everybody who loved her and who she loved in return,” Todd said. “I want to thank you, from my family, from myself, for making her feel like she was the best racer out there each and every time that she took the track. She was a good kid, a better person. She just loved racing, she loved the community and you all have done so much for her. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Please keep my family, her fiancé, and everybody who is going through this time in your thoughts and prayers,” said Todd Albertson.
