Former IndyCar driver Ricky Treadway has died after a motorcycle accident. He was 56. Multiple reports said Treadway was involved in the crash before his death, though details about the accident were not released.
Treadway competed in the 2001 and 2002 IndyCar seasons and was the son of Fred Treadway, the owner of the 1997 Indianapolis 500-winning team. One of the defining moments of his racing career came in the 2002 Indianapolis 500, where he started the race but did not finish after a crash involving Tony Kanaan.
An Indianapolis Motor Speedway spokesperson said Treadway’s start in the Indy 500 was the highlight of his INDYCAR SERIES career. He made 11 starts across the 2001 and 2002 seasons for Treadway-Hubbard Racing and Treadway Racing, both connected to his father’s teams.
As news of his death spread on Monday, June 1, members of the racing community paid tribute. Two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk said Treadway was remembered as a “fun, crazy, humble, wild and brave” personality and sent condolences to the Treadway family. IndyCar and NASCAR driver Conor Daly also shared his sadness and said fans of his podcast would understand how much the Treadway name meant within racing history.
At the time of his death, Treadway was working in business development and also served as a commercial pilot for his own charter air service. He was additionally working as a Federal Aviation Administration-certified flight instructor, according to IndyCar.
His death adds to a difficult period for the motorsports community, which has faced several recent losses. Tributes and condolences have continued to pour in as fans, drivers and teams remember Treadway’s racing legacy and his later work in aviation.
