NASCAR Suffers Thanksgiving Day Tragedy

The NASCAR community suffered an unfathomable tragedy on Thanksgiving Day when Bryce Rueger, seven-year old son of Stewart Haas Racing crewman Andy Rueger, died in an ATV accident.

Andy Rueger, affectionately known as “Big Andy” in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, served as gas man for Ryan Newman’s No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet last season, and will go over the wall for Kurt Busch at Furniture Row Racing in 2013. He is a well-known and well-liked personality in the SPrint Cup garage, and across NASCAR Nation, hearts are heavy with grief for him and his young family.

What happened to the Ruegers Thursday is nothing short of a nightmare. No parent should ever outlive their child, and to lose a son so tragically, so young… there is no description for that kind of horror. Thanksgiving will never again be a day of celebration for those Bryce left behind, only a day of sadness, memory and regret.

The NASCAR community is incredibly close-knit, and its collective arms have already reached out to Andy, his wife Julie and children Grace and Brock in their time of loss. It’s not nearly enough, to be sure. But the love, prayers and support of an entire nation can only help as they attempt to make their way through the dark and painful days that are sure to come.

There will be a visitation for family and friends at Cavin Cook Funeral Home, Mooresville, on Sunday, November 25 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, and at Voss Chapel, in the family’s native Seymour, IN, on Tuesday from 4-8 PM, and from 9:30 AM until the time of service. Funeral Services will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seymour on Wednesday at 10:30 AM with Pastor Ralph Blomenberg officiating. Burial will take place at Riverview Cemetery. 

Memorials may be made to Carolina Havoc Baseball Team, Attn: Bud Clonch, 151 Nevis Lane, Mooresville, NC 28115 and/or Immanuel Lutheran Church, 605 South Walnut Street Seymour, Indiana 47274. 

Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com and www.vossfuneralservice.com.