Nascar Fans Killed Near Talladega

[KFDM COOP]

Fans trying to put up flagpole die near Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Two NASCAR fans were electrocuted in a campground outside Talladega Superspeedway when a flagpole they were erecting touched power lines.

Donny Lynn Wright, 42, of Remlap and Keith Alan Stell, 39, of Birmingham died Monday, said track spokeswoman Kristi King. Talladega County Coroner Jerry Castleberry pronounced them dead at the scene.

The Aaron's 499 race will be run at the track on Sunday. Fans commonly use poles to fly flags touting their favorite driver.

Witnesses said Wright and Stell were attempting to anchor a flagpole when it was caught by wind and pushed into power lines running along a road outside the track.

"They were trying to pull the flagpole back off the lines,'' said James Snider, who was sitting about 30 yards away from the victims' camp site. "I heard a loud pop that sounded like a firecracker, and I went running because the power lines fell. They were both lying on the ground, and two women were trying to get to them to get them away from the wires.''