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12:12 update
Toriano Wilson of Bermuda,14, has died of injuries he received Sunday at Virginia International Raceway, according to a spokesman at the University of North Carolina Medical Center. Wilson had an accident on Turn 6 of the first lap, colliding with Luciano Ribodino of Argentina and Garet Tomlinson of Texas.
12:26 a.m.
ALTON — Two 14-year-old riders at Virginia International Raceway were taken by helicopter to area hospitals following a crash during the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup race on Sunday.
Toriano Wilson, of Bermuda, wiped out on Turn 6 of Lap 1 of the race, causing Luciano Ribodino, of Argentina, and Garet Tomlinson, of Texas, to crash as well.
Tomlinson was not seriously injured, but Wilson was flown to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Ribodino was transported to Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., according to a joint release by VIR and the American Motorcyclist Association.
No further information on the riders was released by either organization and representatives at both hospitals were unable to release information about the status of the riders.
The race at VIR was the seventh round of the Red Bull series for 13-16-year-olds from North and South America and the Caribbean. It was postponed from Sunday morning until later in the day as a result of the crash.
• Staff writer Denice Thibodeau contributed to this report.
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The Red Bull Rookies Cup is a series designed to develop the talents of aspiring motorcycle road racers between the ages of 14 and 17. In addition to racing at many events on the American Motorcyclist Association pro racing circuit, they get a chance to race against their European counterparts at Indianapolis, Indiana and Valencia, Spain. They compete on identical 125cc bikes, and wear the same protective equipment as any professional motorcycle road racer.
Yes, motorcycle road racing is a dangerous sport… as are ski racing, football, ice hockey and diving. Toriano’s death is a tragic reminder of that. However, I would feel far safer with my child participating in one of these races—on a closed track, with other kids on identical bikes, and Kevin Schwanz, a former world champion, as her coach—than on some small-town football field with some knuckle-dragging coach who tells kids to walk off their injuries.
They were racing their own motorcycles.The adults or parents were probably in the pits.
No… they were racing in the Red Bull AMA Rookie Cup (as stated).... motorcycles…
No, they were riding alone. They are rookies, attempting to get into the AMA series.
I’m fairly certain that these were motorcycle racers. I think it’s disgraceful that anyone would place a child in this sort of danger for sport. The operators of VIR should be ashamed, the sponsor RED BULL should be ashamed and the parents should be as well. I’m sorry for their loss, but they should not have placed their children in this situation, no one should. It’s criminal really.
I don’t understand. Were these children driving or riding with adult race car drivers?
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