Published: Sept. 25, 2014
Late driver’s family grateful of support
Beaver Dam Raceway donates $9K
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News
HARTFORD — For the first time in days, Brian Semmelmann was
able to smile, albeit a small one.
There were also tears.
On Wednesday night, Semmelmann, the older brother of Scott
Semmelmann who died Saturday in a sprint car crash at Beaver Dam Raceway, spoke
to onlookers and radio listeners during 92.5 WBWI FM’s “The Drivers Meeting”
program at the Mineshaft. He thanked all who have supported the family in its
time of need.
“I have no idea how to respond properly to the race family,
I like to call it, for the gratitude that happened that night,” Brian
Semmelmann said. “It was the worst evening of my life.”
The interview lasted almost 15 minutes. At the end of the
segment, Beaver Dam Raceway General Manager Carolyn Mueller presented a check
to Semmelmann and the family for more than $9,000, which came from donations by
drivers, fans, crew members and others at the track Saturday and in the days
since the accident.
The moment was touching.
Mueller, with tears falling, shared a long hug with
Semmelmann.
Mueller said earlier Wednesday the events of Saturday’s
tragedy are still hard.
“I don’t know if you can move on from this,” she said.
Scott Semmelmann of Brookfield died when his winged sprint
car made contact with another car during a practice session for the Bumper to
Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Car Series. Semmelmann flipped a couple times and
crashed into the concrete wall. Police said he died instantly from his
injuries. He was 47.
Since Semmelmann’s death, a memorial fund has been
established in his honor. In just days, the fund has received more than $10,000
in donations, not counting the $9,000 Beaver Dam donated Wednesday or the
in-house donations taken Wednesday at The Mineshaft.
“There was people I don’t know who they are, who they were,
there’s somebody I know, there’s somebody I never talked to before that have
reached out,” Brian Semmelmann said.
“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing in days,” he added.
That night, Scott Semmelmann’s wife and three children were
on-hand.
Brian Semmelmann said he couldn’t have been more grateful
for the people who helped the family that evening.
“I would never ask anyone to stand by me through this,” he
said.
Brian Semmelmann drove his brother’s truck and trailer home
that night.
“It was the longest ride home I’ve ever had,” he said. “I
couldn’t have gotten that far without all these people.”
When asked about what kind of person his brother was,
Semmelmann called him a talented race car driver without a bad bone in his
body.
“I hope they’re hearing this or they’re here because it’ll
really bother me if they don’t know how grateful I am to help my family through
this.”
Scott Semmelmann’s funeral is today with visitation from
4-7:30 p.m. at Becker-Ritter Funeral Home in Brookfield, followed by a private
final rest service.
“He was my champion,” Brian Semmelmann said.
To donate to the fund, visit www.giveforward.com.
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