NHRA mourns loss of chief starter

LAS VEGAS – Mike Gittings stood between two powerful National Hot Rod Association race cars on the starting grid Sunday at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

As chief starter, Gittings had filled this role in the middle of NHRA’s fire and thunder thousands of times. Sunday, though, was different.

Gittings, formerly the starter for NHRA Division 6, replaced NHRA chief starter Mark Lyle, who died in a swimming accident March 27 while on vacation in Mexico. NHRA officials said Lyle, who had been chief starter since 2012, was trying to rescue a friend.

“It’s really an emotional weekend,” Gittings told Paste BN Sports between rounds Sunday. “Our focus is to try to put on a professional act for the weekend even though we’re still in the grieving process. Mark was an incredible gentleman. You don’t meet people like him much any more. In my eyes, he passed away as a hero.”

There was a short ceremony for Lyle before racing began Sunday and cars carried decals in his honor.

Lyle formerly was a starter in Division 6 (northwestern United States and Canada), and he trained Gittings.

“I’ve stood behind him for almost 16 years now,” Gittings said. “It’s hard not having him in front of me., but I know he would want me to do this for him.”

Gittings is the NHRA interim starter and likely will be considered for the full-time job. The NHRA travels to Charlotte, N.C., for the April 22-24 weekend.