# Blaise Alexander

Blaise Robert Alexander Jr. also known as BR Alexander (March 26, 1976 – October 4, 2001) was an American professional stock car racer from Montoursville, Pennsylvania. He began racing at the age of 12 in go-karts, winning the coveted World Karting Association East Regional championship in 1992. In 1995, he moved south to Mooresville, North Carolina, and drove in the ARCA Racing Series. Named ARCA's rookie of the year in 1996, Alexander was a regular driver in that series while also driving in both the NASCAR Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series.
On October 4, 2001, during the ARCA EasyCare 100 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Alexander's car crashed into the outside retaining wall nearly head-on. He died from a basilar skull fracture, the fifth driver death from rapid-deceleration head-and-neck movements in 17 months, convincing NASCAR to mandate the HANS or Hutchens devices for all drivers, despite the accident happening in ARCA.

## Early life

Alexander was born on March 26, 1976, in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. He began his stock car career at age 12 in the World Karting Association and was the champion of the East Series in 1992. From that point, Alexander moved onto the Micro-Sprint racing series at tracks in different states including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York, posting a total of 48 wins in the series. In 1995, Alexander moved from Montoursville to Mooresville, North Carolina, to pursue a racing career.

## Racing career
### ARCA

Alexander drove a few races in the ARCA Re-Max Series in 1995. With a full season in 1996, Alexander won ARCA's Rookie of the Year Award. During his 1996 rookie season, Alexander pulled off a second-place finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Alexander achieved two more second-place finishes in 1997. Alexander won his first ARCA race in 1998 at Toledo Speedway and won a second race the same year at Pocono Raceway. He led in 18 ARCA races for a total of 490 laps led. Alexander's final win came in July 2001, at Michigan International Speedway. Alexander earned a total of four career pole awards, in races at Michigan, Watkins Glen, Toledo and Winchester.

### NASCAR

In 1997, still running fifteen races in ARCA, Alexander began driving in NASCAR in the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. He only raced twice in the truck series, and had modest success in Busch. Alexander signed to run for Team SABCO during the 2000 Busch season, posting two top-ten finishes and finishing 25th in points. After that year, he decided to return to the ARCA series in 2001.

## Death

At the EasyCare 100 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 4, 2001, Alexander was involved in a 2-car accident during lap 63 of the race. He was fighting for the lead position with Kerry Earnhardt for most of the race. During the lap, Earnhardt had to dodge a lapped car by hitting his brakes, which caused Alexander's No. 75 to catch up to Earnhardt's No. 2. Alexander began to inch into the lead when Earnhardt's car made contact with Alexander's, sending Alexander's car head-on into the wall and then back into Earnhardt's car, causing Earnhardt to flip over onto his roof and slide into the grass. After the wreck, Earnhardt got away unharmed, while Alexander was knocked unconscious. The ARCA race officials quickly threw out the red flag to send rescue workers onto the track to check on Alexander. Earnhardt had already gotten out of his car and wanted to go check on Alexander, a friend of his. Officials would not allow Earnhardt to see him and was taken to the infield care center. Alexander was pronounced dead at the infield care center at 10:20 PM. He was 25 years old. Alexander was interred at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in his hometown of Montoursville, Pennsylvania.

### Aftermath

Alexander's death, caused by a basilar skull fracture sustained in the impact, was the sixth in two years. Other high-profile drivers killed in this period included Dale Earnhardt (Kerry Earnhardt's father, who was killed in February that same year), Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr. and Tony Roper. As a result of Alexander's crash, NASCAR announced that the use of head and neck restraint devices would be required to keep drivers safe from these types of injuries, caused by rapid deceleration in wrecks. The use of such devices had been optional up until Alexander's death, though 41 out of 43 drivers in NASCAR's top series were already using them; only Tony Stewart and Jimmy Spencer had not worn them yet.
In response to these deaths, NASCAR eventually installed SAFER barriers on all NASCAR oval tracks. As of 2015, most tracks have the exterior walls covered with the barriers.

#### Legacy

After his 1995 move to North Carolina, Alexander enjoyed a close friendship with fellow Busch rookie driver and eventual NASCAR superstar, Jimmie Johnson, as they competed against each other on the track, while supporting each other off it. Other close relations included Spencer, who served as his mentor, and IndyCar driver P. J. Jones.
Alexander's memory has been honored by Johnson in several public and private ways. He dedicated his first Cup win to Alexander during a televised interview in Victory Lane, sent condolences in a Victory Lane interview after the death of Alexander's mother, and supported various charity causes and events that Alexander initiated in his hometown area of Central Pennsylvania. Shortly after Alexander's death, one of Johnson's crewmen drew a flame pattern with Alexander's initials on his driver's front left bumper; the tribute was continued in the form of a decal on Johnson's Cup cars. There are quite a few Blaise Alexander automotive dealerships in Central Pennsylvania originally created from his family.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | NWCC | Pts | Ref |
| 2000 | LJ Racing | 91 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | MAR | TAL | CAL | RCH | CLT | DOV | MCH | POC | SON | DAY | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | NHA | DOV | MAR | CLT | TAL DNQ | CAR | PHO | HOM | ATL DNQ | NA | - | |

#### Busch Series

NASCAR Busch Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NBSC | Pts | Ref |
| 1997 | Keystone Motorsports | 20 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | LVS | DAR | HCY | TEX | BRI | NSV | TAL | NHA | NZH | CLT | DOV | SBO | GLN | MLW | MYB | GTY | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | CAL 20 | CAR 24 | | | | | 77th | 194 | |
| 1997 | Key Motorsports | 11 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HOM DNQ | | | | | | 77th | 194 |
| 1998 | Keystone Motorsports | 20 | Chevy | DAY DNQ | CAR 23 | LVS 25 | NSV 21 | DAR 12 | BRI 35 | TEX 33 | HCY DNQ | TAL 14 | NHA 26 | NZH 38 | CLT DNQ | DOV 38 | RCH DNQ | PPR 27 | GLN 43 | MLW 27 | MYB DNQ | CAL 35 | SBO | IRP | MCH 20 | BRI 41 | DAR 37 | RCH 42 | DOV 26 | CLT 40 | GTY 33 | CAR 31 | ATL 39 | HOM 23 | | | 32nd | 1730 | |
| 1999 | Blaise Alexander Racing | 20 | Chevy | DAY DNQ | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | TEX | NSV | BRI | TAL | CAL | NHA | RCH | NZH | CLT 24 | DOV | SBO | GLN | MLW | MYB | PPR | GTY | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | | | | | | | 91st | 158 | |
| 1999 | Sterling Marlin Racing | 14 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 32 | CAR | MEM | PHO | HOM | | 91st | 158 | |
| 2000 | SABCO Racing | 81 | Chevy | DAY DNQ | CAR 30 | LVS 21 | ATL 7 | DAR 28 | BRI 23 | TEX 18 | NSV 28 | TAL 30 | CAL 38 | RCH 31 | NHA 40 | CLT 10 | DOV 31 | SBO 27 | MYB 34 | GLN 13 | MLW 18 | NZH 26 | PPR 22 | GTY 35 | IRP 16 | MCH 39 | BRI 41 | DAR 35 | RCH 18 | DOV 21 | CLT 30 | CAR 34 | MEM 31 | PHO 38 | HOM 28 | | 25th | 2540 | |
| 2001 | HighLine Performance Group | 8 | Chevy | DAY 30 | CAR 16 | LVS 43 | ATL 12 | DAR | BRI | TEX | NSH | TAL | CAL | RCH | NHA | NZH | CLT | DOV | KEN | MLW | GLN | CHI | GTY | PPR | IRP | | | | | | | | | | | | 54th | 558 | |
| 2001 | Carroll Racing | 08 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MCH 11 | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV 28 | KAN | CLT | MEM | PHO | CAR | HOM | 54th | 558 | |

#### Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | NCTC | Pts | Ref |
| 1997 | Blaise Alexander Racing | 62 | Chevy | WDW | TUS | HOM DNQ | PHO | POR | EVG | I70 | NHA | TEX | BRI 14 | NZH | MLW | LVL | CNS | HPT | IRP | FLM | NSV DNQ | GLN 9 | RCH | MAR DNQ | SON | MMR | CAL | PHO | LVS | 53rd | 373 | |

### ARCA Re/Max Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Re/Max Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | ARMC | Pts | Ref |
| 1995 | Blaise Alexander Racing | 26 | Chevy | DAY 12 | ATL | TAL 13 | FIF | KIL | FRS | MCH | I80 | MCS | FRS | POC 5 | POC 33 | KIL | FRS | SBS | LVL | ISF | DSF | SLM | WIN | ATL 8 | | | | | 33rd | 1045 | |
| 1996 | Blaise Alexander Racing | 26 | Chevy | DAY 27 | ATL 7 | SLM 9 | TAL 15 | FIF 7 | LVL 15 | CLT 2 | CLT 25 | KIL 3 | FRS 5 | POC 23 | MCH 6 | FRS 20 | TOL 11 | POC 4 | MCH 20 | INF 17 | SBS 3 | ISF 28 | DSF 27 | KIL 18 | SLM 3 | WIN 8 | CLT 35 | ATL 33 | 5th | 5325 | |
| 1997 | Blaise Alexander Racing | 26 | Chevy | DAY 37 | ATL 17 | SLM 22 | CLT 39 | CLT 24 | POC 30 | MCH 6 | SBS | TOL 2 | KIL 2 | FRS | MIN 2 | POC 3 | MCH 7 | DSF | GTW 6 | SLM 6 | WIN | CLT 34 | TAL | ISF | ATL | | | | 9th | 2655 | |
| 1998 | Keystone Motorsports | 20 | Chevy | DAY 35 | ATL | SLM | CLT | MEM | MCH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NA | 0 | |
| 1998 | Mike Brandt | 66 | Ford | | | | | | | POC 9 | SBS | TOL | PPR | POC | KIL | FRS | ISF | ATL | DSF | SLM | TEX | WIN | CLT | TAL | ATL | | | | | | NA | 0 | |
| 1999 | Baltes Racing | 18 | Chevy | DAY | ATL 3 | SLM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 2330 | |
| 1999 | Blaise Alexander Racing | 97 | Chevy | | | | AND 3 | CLT 14 | MCH 2 | POC 11 | TOL 1 | SBS 25 | BLN | POC 1* | KIL | FRS | FLM 9 | ISF | WIN 2 | DSF | SLM | CLT 4 | TAL | ATL 26 | | | | | | | | 16th | 2330 |
| 2001 | LJ Racing | 91 | Chevy | DAY 8 | NSH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 1820 | |
| 2001 | Gerhart Racing | 7 | Pontiac | | | WIN 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 1820 |
| 2001 | LJ Racing | 91 | Pontiac | | | | SLM 6 | GTY | KEN | CLT | KAN | MCH 6 | POC 9 | MEM | GLN 2 | KEN | | POC 2 | NSH | ISF | CHI | DSF | SLM | TOL | BLN | | | | | | 23rd | 1820 | |
| 2001 | Bob Schacht Motorsports | 75 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MCH 1 | | | | | | | | | CLT 2 | TAL | ATL | 23rd | 1820 | |