Drag racing community remembers 42-year-old killed in Ennis storms
Drag racing community remembers man killed in storm
Friends and family members tell FOX 4 T.J. Bailey was killed when powerful straight-line winds blew through Ellis County on Saturday morning. Bailey was working at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis when the storms blew through.
ENNIS - The 42-year-old man killed in Saturday morning's severe storms in Ennis is being remembered by those whose lives he touched.
Friends and family members tell FOX 4 T.J. Bailey was killed when powerful straight-line winds blew through Ellis County.
Drag racing community remembers T.J. Bailey
Bailey was at the Texas Motorplex when the storm came through.
He worked there as a track specialist. FOX 4 cameras saw multiple trailers flipped over at the Motorplex on Saturday.
The news of Bailey's death spread nationwide across the drag racing community.
What they're saying:
"We’re dealing with the grief, almost like it didn’t really happen. Like tomorrow, we’re going to wake up and this isn’t going to be true," said Craig Anderson of the Drag Racers Benevolent Fund. "You’re talking about a person that would stand on the starting line from daylight to way past dark."
The Drag Racers Benevolent Fund is working to raise money for the Bailey family.
"When times like this come, when we all band together, we're all one, we're all one," said Anderson. "He’s definitely going be missed, not just locally, but he had a nationwide following, just a great, great person."
The Texas Motorplex released a statement about Bailey's death on Facebook.
"The Texas Motorplex family is devastated by the loss of TJ Bailey-an incredible leader, friend, mentor, and the heart of our track prep team. TJ’s passion for the sport was unmatched, and his dedication to creating the best racing surface in the world set the standard for excellence," they wrote in part. "His impact on this track and the sport will forever be felt, and we will celebrate his life the way he would have wanted—through the sport and community he loved."
Ellis County Storm Damage
The backstory:
Storms blew through Ellis County early on Saturday.
Ennis, Waxahachie and Maypearl were all hit hard by 80+ mph winds and golf ball-sized hail.
Clean-up continued on Sunday, with several cars and homes damaged.
The Ellis County Sheriff's Office says three people were injured in addition to Bailey.
The Source: FOX 4 spoke to friends and family members of T.J. Bailey for this story. Other information comes from the National Weather Service.