Jeff Krosnoff
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey John Krosnoff was an American race car driver. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, but grew up in La Cañada, California. Krosnoff attended Flintridge Prep
, a private high school, and enrolled at University of California, San Diego in September 1982. After one year, he transferred to UCLA, where he majored in business. Throughout his college career, Krosnoff was focused on pursuing his dream of professional racecar driving.
, where he was active from 1989 to 1995. Krosnoff also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
several times, scoring 2nd in 1994
. In the 1996 season, he made 11 starts in CART
(now Indycar Series
), driving a Reynard
-Toyota for Arciero-Wells Racing.
Krosnoff was involved in a horrendous accident. Krosnoff's car made wheel-to-wheel contact with the car of Stefan Johansson
, sending it into the air, over a concrete barrier, and into the catch fencing lining the street course. The fence did not deflect the car enough to keep it from hitting a light post which was inside the fencing.
The violence of the accident left the car broken in half and sent the cockpit section back across the track. Even though the paramedics were there almost immediately, Krosnoff was already dead after striking the light post.
A track volunteer, Gary Avrin, was also killed in the accident when he was struck by the right front wheel of Krosnoff's then-airborne car.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, but grew up in La Cañada, California. Krosnoff attended Flintridge Prep
Flintridge Preparatory School
Flintridge Preparatory School, familiarly known as Flintridge Prep or simply Prep, is a day school for grades 7-12. Founded in 1933, it is located in La Cañada Flintridge, California.-Facilities:...
, a private high school, and enrolled at University of California, San Diego in September 1982. After one year, he transferred to UCLA, where he majored in business. Throughout his college career, Krosnoff was focused on pursuing his dream of professional racecar driving.
Career
Krosnoff competed in Japan in Formula 3000Formula 3000
The Formula 3000 International Championship was a motor racing series created by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile in 1985 to become the final preparatory step for drivers hoping to enter the Formula One championship...
, where he was active from 1989 to 1995. Krosnoff also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
several times, scoring 2nd in 1994
1994 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 62nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 19 and 20, 1994.-Race:The 1994 race was won by a car that had its roots in a 10 year old design...
. In the 1996 season, he made 11 starts in CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
(now Indycar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
), driving a Reynard
Reynard Motorsport
Reynard Motorsport was at one time the world's largest racing car manufacturer. Initially based at Bicester and latterly at Reynard Park, Brackley, England the company built successful cars in Formula Ford 1600, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Vauxhall Lotus, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and Indy...
-Toyota for Arciero-Wells Racing.
Death
On July 14, 1996 with 3 laps to go in the Molson Indy Toronto at Exhibition PlaceExhibition Place
Exhibition Place is a mixed-use district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, by the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just west of downtown. The 197–acre area includes expo, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments, parkland, sports facilities, and a number of civic, provincial,...
Krosnoff was involved in a horrendous accident. Krosnoff's car made wheel-to-wheel contact with the car of Stefan Johansson
Stefan Johansson
Stefan Nils Edwin Johansson is a former Formula One driver from who drove for among others both Ferrari and McLaren during his Grand Prix career. Since leaving Formula One he has raced in a number of categories, including CART, various kinds of Sports car racing, and Grand Prix Masters...
, sending it into the air, over a concrete barrier, and into the catch fencing lining the street course. The fence did not deflect the car enough to keep it from hitting a light post which was inside the fencing.
The violence of the accident left the car broken in half and sent the cockpit section back across the track. Even though the paramedics were there almost immediately, Krosnoff was already dead after striking the light post.
A track volunteer, Gary Avrin, was also killed in the accident when he was struck by the right front wheel of Krosnoff's then-airborne car.