Veteran driver Chris Raschke dies after losing control at 283 mph during record attempt at Utah salt flats

The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), which hosts SpeedWeek at the Bonneville Salt Flats, released a statement confirming Raschke's death. 

SCTA noted that the cause of the incident is under investigation. The Tooele County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating Raschke's death, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

Sgt. Dane Lerdahl, a spokesman for the law enforcement agency, told The Associated Press, "We know it was an accident of some sort." 

Raschke had reportedly reached a speed of 283 mph while driving the "Speed Demon." The SCTA did not specify what record he was attempting to break, but according to Speed Demon Racing's website, Raschke's top speed in the streamliner was 391 mph. 

"At this time, we ask everyone to please respect Chris's family, friends, and the Speed Demon team. We are deeply devastated," the team wrote in a statement on Facebook. 

The American Hot Rod Foundation also released a statement following Raschke's death, adding that he was "piloting the latest iteration of the Speed Demon streamliner when the crash occurred."

"Chris was known to many as the face of ARP, but to those who knew him on the salt, he was someone who found the perfect balance of friendly and competitive. Never a usual combination and one that speaks to the quality of his character. We send our deepest sympathies to Chris' family and friends." 

The last known racing death at the flats occurred in 2016, when Sam Wheeler lost control of a high-performance bike. He crashed going 200 mph. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.