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IndyCar Mechanic Dies
Newman/Haas/Lanigan crew member Davey Evans suffered a stroke and died during a reported bar fight in Indianapolis. Most recently, Evans worked on the No. 8 Dallara-Honda driven by Justin Wilson.
Davey Evans is remembered during practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Brett Kelley Photo)
NSSN Correspondent
INDIANAPOLIS — David "Davey" Evans, a longtime crewmember for the Newman/Haas/Lanigan IndyCar team, was killed from injuries suffered in a Saturday night bar fight in Indianapolis.
The 63-year-old Evans was one of the original crew members for the team and specialized in engine work. Evans along with some of his fellow crew members went to the Kazablanca bar and restaurant on Rockville Road in Indianapolis Saturday night to have dinner because it was near the hotel where the team is staying for this month’s Indianapolis 500.
According to reports, a female in the bar approached the men trying to get them to buy her a drink. While the men were involved in conversation, her boyfriend began to get angry and confronted the four men.
They went outside where a violent fight erupted, according to Indianapolis Police Department reports. When police arrived, Evans was on the ground and was unresponsive. After being taken to Wishard Hospital, Evans was pronounced dead.
According to the Marion County Indiana Coroner, Evans died of a stroke, which may have been brought on by the stress of the fight.
The man who was involved in the fight was questioned and released by police, however criminal charges may be filed after prosecutors review the investigation report.
The IndyCar team issued a statement regarding Evans, who had worked for the team for over 20 years and was originally from England but lived in the Chicago area near the team’s race shop in Lincolnshire, Illinois.
“The past two days have been difficult for the team as we mourn the tragic loss of Davey Evans,” the team statement read. “He was a part of our family and was with us for 23 of the past 26 seasons. His association with (team owner) Carl Haas goes back almost 40 years when he was with Lola Cars and later with Haas Racing in the Can Am series.
“We appreciate all of the support and kind words from the many friends Davey made in his 40-plus years in racing. Our thoughts are with Davey’s family and friends at this difficult time for us all.”
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing is one of the transition teams that joined the IndyCar Series during the “unification” with the Champ Car Series that occurred in February.
The highly successful racing operation won eight series titles in the former CART and later the Champ Car Series.