NASCAR driver Jason Leffler died after an accident Wednesday night at a dirt car event at Bridgeport Speedway.



The 37-year-old Leffler, a two-time winner on the Nationwide Series, was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m., New Jersey State Police said.

Bridgeport Speedway is a 5/8-mile, high-banked dirt oval.

Leffler finished last Sunday at Pocono in his first NASCAR Sprint Cup start of the year.

The Long Beach, Calif.-native started his racing career in open wheel on dirt tracks. He won three straight USAC Midget titles (1997-1999) and the 1998 Silver Crown championship and dabbled in IndyCars before fellow open wheeler Tony Stewart recruited Leffler to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 1999. He ran the full 2000 Nationwide season for JGR before he was hired to compete in the Sprint Cup Series for Chip Ganassi in 2001.

Leffler competed in NASCAR’s top three series over the last dozen years. He had two career NNS wins and one truck victory.