In this Aug. 2018 photo, Jed Copham, right, along with his wife Kristi and Forrest Lucas, owner and founder of Lucas Oil Products, which is the title sponsor of BIRâs Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals each year pose for a photo. Jed Copham, the owner of Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota has died in a swimming accident off the coast of Florida. Jed Copham was 46. The raceway says Copham had been swimming from his parents' boat near Fort Myers when he went missing. The Lee County Sheriff's Office says authorities recovered his body the next day. Copham had owned the raceway near Brainerd in central Minnesota since 2006. (Barry Bergeron/Brainerd International Raceway via AP)
The Associated Press
BRAINERD, Minn. (AP) - The owner of Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota has died in a swimming accident off the Florida coast. Jed Copham was 46.
Raceway officials say Copham had been swimming from his parents' boat on Sunday near Fort Myers when he went missing. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, authorities recovered his body near a boat ramp Monday morning.
His death remains under investigation, but the sheriff's office says there "appears to be no criminal aspect" to the inquiry.
Copham had owned the raceway near Brainerd in central Minnesota since 2006.
A passionate racer and champion of motorsports, Copham built a section of track that separated the road course from the drag strip. That allowed the raceway to offer drag racing and road racing simultaneously.
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In this Nov. 2018 photo, Jed Copham, and wife Kristi Copham pose for a photo in Fort Myers, Fla.. Jed Copham, the owner of Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota has died in a swimming accident off the coast of Florida. Jed Copham was 46. The raceway says Copham had been swimming from his parents' boat near Fort Myers when he went missing. The Lee County Sheriff's Office says authorities recovered his body the next day. Copham had owned the raceway near Brainerd in central Minnesota since 2006. (Barry Bergeron/Brainerd International Raceway via AP)
The Associated Press