Lewisburg is grieving after a weekend crash at Duck River Raceway Park that killed 17-year-old Bentlee Potts, a rising senior who family members say was a car-obsessed kid with plans to become an auto diesel mechanic. His death has stunned friends, classmates and the tight-knit racing crowd, setting off an outpouring of grief from the pits to school hallways to social feeds.
Potts, 17, died after his car flipped during a race at Duck River Raceway Park on Saturday night, according to WSMV. He was in the car with his 17-year-old cousin, Austin, who survived the crash and is recovering at home, the station reported. Officials with the Bedford and Marshall County sheriff’s offices were contacted for more information, according to the same report.
“Our hearts are shattered beyond anything I can describe,” Ashlee Howell told WSMV, recalling Bentlee’s love of racing and his “big heart.” Howell said the family is asking for prayers for Austin and for Bentlee’s 9-year-old sister, Mayce, as they begin to process the loss. Friends and fellow racers have been posting memories and condolences online, describing Bentlee as woven into the fabric of the local track.
Track and community response
Owners at Duck River Raceway and other racers said Potts “wasn’t just another racer” and called him part of their racing family, a sentiment that has been shared widely and reflected on a fundraiser created to help his loved ones. A GoFundMe set up to cover funeral and urgent expenses has drawn donations along with messages asking for privacy and support. Duck River Raceway Park, located at 1100 Haskins Chapel Road, continues to list upcoming events on its official site and has said the track community will stand with the family in the days ahead.
School remembers a student
Santa Fe School wrote that Potts was a cherished member of its school family whose “smile, personality and enthusiasm touched the lives of many,” and counselors are being made available for students who are struggling with the news. The family has asked for privacy as they make arrangements, and neighbors along with track regulars say they plan to honor Bentlee’s memory by supporting those he left behind. Details about memorial plans and ways to help are available on the family’s fundraiser page.
