Death of Fernandez IRL Team Member, Cousin of Terry James
This article is regarding the recent death of John "LJ" Martin, cousin of well-known local Champion,TERRY JAMES. Sympathies to the entire family.
IRL crew member dies in Bahamas surfing accident
Nov. 1, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports
HAMPTON, Georgia -- What was supposed to be three days of fun in the sun for the IRL at its postseason awards ceremony took a tragic turn for a member of Fernandez Super Aguri Racing.
Mechanic John Martin Jr., 30, died in a surfing accident in Nassau, The Bahamas, according to a statement from the racing team. Martin was one of several thousands members of the IRL who were on a three-day cruise for its awards ceremony.
Details remain sketchy because the death came in a foreign country. According to IRL spokesman John Griffin, no autopsy has been performed because "the morgue was closed for the weekend" in Nassau.
The accident happened late Friday. Fernandez Racing issued a statement Sunday night after the cruise returned to Port Canaveral, Florida.
"Everyone involved with Super Aguri Fernandez Racing and Fernandez Racing is deeply saddened over the tragic death of teammate and friend John Martin Jr.," the statement said.
Martin was a mechanic on the team and also served as fueler on the pit crew for Kosuke Matsuura. The son of former Indy car driver and team owner John Martin was known as "Little John" or "LJ" and had the same love for racing that his dad exhibited when he raced in the Indianapolis 500 in the 1960s and 1970s.
"At this time we're working with Fernandez Racing and John's family to assist in any way we can," Griffin said. "Our hearts and prayers go out to his family. There really isn't any way we can tell what the circumstances were. It happened at the beach in the Bahamas.
"We'll know more (Monday) once we've had a chance to hear from the medical officials in the Bahamas. The morgue was closed for the weekend, so there has been no autopsy performed yet. His body is still in the Bahamas."
A native of Irvine, California who lived in Indianapolis, Martin began his career with Bill Simpson Racing as a mechanic. He worked with numerous drivers including Adrian Fernandez, Roger Yasukawa, Franck Freon, Oriol Servia, Jon Fogarty, Dave Simpson, Mike Snow, Townsend Bell and Luis Diaz during his tenures with Bradley Motorsports, John Martin Racing, Dorricott Racing and Super Aguri Fernandez Racing.
The Martin family has been an integral part of Super Aguri Fernandez Racing since its inception in 2003, when John Martin joined his son on the team as a spotter for Yasukawa last year and Matsuura this season.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to John and Linda and the entire Martin family, as well as L.J.'s girlfriend Megan and their many friends at this very difficult time," said Tom Anderson, co-owner and managing director of Super Aguri Fernandez Racing. "They are a very close family suffering a tragic sudden loss. On behalf of everyone involved with our team, our hearts are heavy as we express our deepest sympathy."
Copyright © 2004 SportsTicker Enterprises, L.P.
This article is regarding the recent death of John "LJ" Martin, cousin of well-known local Champion,TERRY JAMES. Sympathies to the entire family.
IRL crew member dies in Bahamas surfing accident
Nov. 1, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports
HAMPTON, Georgia -- What was supposed to be three days of fun in the sun for the IRL at its postseason awards ceremony took a tragic turn for a member of Fernandez Super Aguri Racing.
Mechanic John Martin Jr., 30, died in a surfing accident in Nassau, The Bahamas, according to a statement from the racing team. Martin was one of several thousands members of the IRL who were on a three-day cruise for its awards ceremony.
Details remain sketchy because the death came in a foreign country. According to IRL spokesman John Griffin, no autopsy has been performed because "the morgue was closed for the weekend" in Nassau.
The accident happened late Friday. Fernandez Racing issued a statement Sunday night after the cruise returned to Port Canaveral, Florida.
"Everyone involved with Super Aguri Fernandez Racing and Fernandez Racing is deeply saddened over the tragic death of teammate and friend John Martin Jr.," the statement said.
Martin was a mechanic on the team and also served as fueler on the pit crew for Kosuke Matsuura. The son of former Indy car driver and team owner John Martin was known as "Little John" or "LJ" and had the same love for racing that his dad exhibited when he raced in the Indianapolis 500 in the 1960s and 1970s.
"At this time we're working with Fernandez Racing and John's family to assist in any way we can," Griffin said. "Our hearts and prayers go out to his family. There really isn't any way we can tell what the circumstances were. It happened at the beach in the Bahamas.
"We'll know more (Monday) once we've had a chance to hear from the medical officials in the Bahamas. The morgue was closed for the weekend, so there has been no autopsy performed yet. His body is still in the Bahamas."
A native of Irvine, California who lived in Indianapolis, Martin began his career with Bill Simpson Racing as a mechanic. He worked with numerous drivers including Adrian Fernandez, Roger Yasukawa, Franck Freon, Oriol Servia, Jon Fogarty, Dave Simpson, Mike Snow, Townsend Bell and Luis Diaz during his tenures with Bradley Motorsports, John Martin Racing, Dorricott Racing and Super Aguri Fernandez Racing.
The Martin family has been an integral part of Super Aguri Fernandez Racing since its inception in 2003, when John Martin joined his son on the team as a spotter for Yasukawa last year and Matsuura this season.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to John and Linda and the entire Martin family, as well as L.J.'s girlfriend Megan and their many friends at this very difficult time," said Tom Anderson, co-owner and managing director of Super Aguri Fernandez Racing. "They are a very close family suffering a tragic sudden loss. On behalf of everyone involved with our team, our hearts are heavy as we express our deepest sympathy."
Copyright © 2004 SportsTicker Enterprises, L.P.
