On Thanksgiving day, 1977, Preston Humphries was killed on lap 33 of the Turkey 100…it was a bitingly cold, windy day, I was only 30 at the time and attending the race by myself to get some good photos. Little did I realize that I would witness a tragic drama unfold just before my eyes that led to the death of popular race car driver Preston Humphries from the Kings Mountain area. He was killed in a 13 car pile up that began innocently enough with one car spinning into another. My understanding is that Mr. Humpries neck was broken by the seat belt as the car was t-boned at a high rate of speed. He was a big loss to race fans in the Carolinas.

Bruce Kepley, Monroe, NC

	The field before the start of the Turkey 100 at Metrolina in 1977.
	The remains of one of the 13 cars involved in the wreck that claimed the life of Preston Humphries.
	I think this was a Nova before the race started. 13 cars were involved in a front stretch crash.
	I can't rember the driver of this Camaro or what is left of it. The damage tells the story of the severity of the crash.
	Crews try to cut Preston out of his car.
	The crowd gathered on the front stretch trying to help. It appears to be a young Dale Earnhardt in the lower left corner with the denim jacket on. And that may be Rick Hendrick to his left in the dark blue jacket.
	Earlier in a heat race, Dale was driving the #81a Falcon when he the Camaro spun in front on him.
	It looks like Dale with his back to the camera looking over the damage to the other car.
My friend and dirt track fan Jim Mullis sent some photos with his memories of the tragic weekend at Metrolina
	Freddy Smith from Kings Mountain, NC on the backstretch
	Stick Elliott on the inside in #3 Mustang. Heyward Plyler's Camaro pulling into the pits on the open trailer.
	Dale Earnhardt in an asphalt Nova on the outside in turn 4.
	Stick Elliott in #3, Earnhardt's Nova in the pits.
	#5 Mike Duvall on the inside, #57 Carl Smart on the outside. A better shot of Earnhardt's Nova in the pits.
	#57 a little later after the big wreck.
	Phil Hall's Nova or what was left of it.
	#01 - Ray Ogle; #20 - David Perry;
	#22 - Billy Thomas from Phenix City,AL #27 - Haskell Willingham from Saluda,SC
	#43 - Benny Clontz