Harold Bruce Jacobi (June 23, 1935 – February 4, 1987) was an American

race car driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including n ...

. In 1987, Jacobi, 51, died of head injuries sustained in a

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race crash at the

Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, about north of Orlando, Florida, Orlando. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race ...

in 1983. He had 37 USAC Champ Car starts between 1960 and 1970, with a best finish of fourth at Springfield in 1970. Jacobi also completed rookie refresher testing in preparation for the 1967 Indianapolis 500, but did not attempt to qualify.1967 Indianapolis 500 media guide

Personal life

Jacobi married his wife Ya Da in 1969, and had three children.

Daytona crash

Jacobi came into the 1983

Daytona Speedweeks Daytona Speedweek presented by AdventHealth is a series of racing events that take place during January and February at Daytona International Speedway. Traditionally leading up to the Daytona 500, in 2021 it concluded with the Daytona road cours ...

without a ride, but picked one up with a smaller independent team owned by Bob Meazell by the time of the UNO Twin 125 qualifiers at

.Accident footage posted on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TniaHqta91w During the first qualifying race on February 17, 1983, Jacobi lost control of his No. 05 Pontiac at the exit of turn two and flipped upon entering the grass infield, eventually coming to a stop near the inside dirt bank. He was taken from Daytona Speedway to Halifax Medical Center for treatment of a bruised brain stem and a severe injury to one of his eyes. Several days later, Jacobi was reported to be breathing with the assistance of a respirator, which by March 11, still at Halifax Medical Center, Jacobi no longer needed. He was flown from Florida to Indianapolis, and then transferred by ambulance to Hendricks County Hospital in

Danville, Indiana Danville is a town in and the county seat of Hendricks County, Indiana, United States. The population was 10,559 at the 2020 census. History Danville was founded in 1824, and its post office one year later. Danville was incorporated as a town in ...

for further treatment, on March 22.

Subsequent death

Jacobi remained in a

comatose A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. The person may ...

state for almost four years before dying at Methodist Hospital in

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References

External links

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Motor Sport Memorial
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Daytona Beach Morning Journal ''The Daytona Beach News-Journal'' is a Florida daily newspaper serving Volusia and Flagler Counties. It grew from the ''Halifax Journal'', which was started in 1883. The Davidson family purchased the newspaper in 1928 and retained control un ...

'' article o
Jacobi and his family's situation published in February 1984
*''Daytona Beach Morning Journal'' article o
Jacobi and his family's situation published in July 1984
1935 births 1987 deaths People from Salem, Indiana Sportspeople from the Louisville metropolitan area Racing drivers from Indiana NASCAR drivers People with severe brain damage Racing drivers who died while racing Sports deaths in Florida USAC Silver Crown Series drivers {{LouisvilleMSA-stub