Juha Miettinen Confirmed Dead Following Multi-Car Accident in NLS Nurburgring 24 Qualifier

Juha Miettinen, an NLS regular for BMW, died after being involved in a seven-car crash in Saturday's NLS4 race.

In the opening hour of Saturday's Nurburgring 24 Qualifier, a seven-car crash brought out an immediate Red Flag, drivers were sent through the shortcut to get back to the pits, and the race came to a standstill without a reply to the accident as the safety crew tended to the drivers, and their conditions were not yet known.

The red flag was sudden, without race control cycling through yellow and double yellow flag sections. Something usually only seen at Nürburgring, as it's often wild and sporadic weather flies in. With blue skies and no wind, the immediate red flag indicated a large crash, with no replies provided. Indicating that the condition of the drivers involved was not yet known.

Since stills from the drivers' in-car cameras have surfaced from the crash, showing the seven cars involved.

The race was suspended until further notice more than an hour into the red flag, and by that point, the seven cars involved were reported as the No. 27 PROsport Aston Martin, No. 111 JS Competition BMW 325i, No. 121 Keeevin BMW 325i, No. 410 rent2Drive Porsche Cayman, No. 448 Porsche Cayman, No. 503 GITI TIRE BMW 330i, No. 992 Manthey. The crash occurred in the Klostertal section.

Ultimately, the worst was confirmed with Miettinen, the driver of the No. 121 Keevin BMW 325i, dying in the medical center following failed resuscitation attempts as per the NLS race control report.

"During today's first race of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers, a serious accident involving seven participants occurred during the start," ADAC officials shared in the press conference. "Following the collision of several vehicles, race control immediately stopped the race to allow for extensive recovery and rescue operations.

"Despite the immediate arrival of emergency services, paramedics were unable to save driver Juha Miettinen (BMW 325i, #121) after he was extricated from his vehicle. The driver died at the Medical Center after all resuscitation attempts failed.

"The other six drivers involved were taken to the Medical Center and nearby hospitals for precautionary examinations. None of the other injured are in life-threatening condition.

"The race will not resume on Saturday evening. The thoughts of everyone involved in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring are with the bereaved family of Juha Miettinen. A minute's silence will be held in memory of the late motorsport competitor during the grid formation for Sunday's race at 13:00."

Miettinen was 66 years old and was defending a class win in last week’s NLS3.

Victoria Beaver is a nomadic sports writer who spends her time hopping between race tracks and hippie farms. She’s covered every corner of motorsports that will let her in from 410 Sprints to NASCAR to Supercross. Her daily driver is a 2010 Subaru that she refused to do the smallest amount of preventative maintenance on. Instead, she spends her free time and money building a 42-foot Skoolie to one day travel the country full time.