Inspiring Pennsy racer Ritchey dies
Tyler Ritchey, a 33-year-old from Woodbury, Pa., who beat the odds to become a winning Dirt Late Model driver at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway after suffering a paralyzing injury at the age of 18, died Monday night at a hospital in Johnstown, Pa., from health complications that struck him last week.
Ritchey was found unresponsive Thursday morning by his wife, Taylor, and rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with multiple blood clots in his lungs and legs. He was in the intensive care unit for several days undergoing treatment but remained unresponsive before passing away.
A life-long lover of racing, Ritchey suffered a spinal injury 15 years ago in a swimming pool accident that left him an incomplete quadriplegic. Despite being wheelchair-bound, he went racing at Bedford using hand controls in his cars, first in a pure stock and later in the Limited Late Model and Super Late Model divisions.
Ritchey drove his familiar No. 3 to a pair of Limited Late Model victories at Bedford in 2019 — including his lone win on the Mason-Dixon Shootout Series — and captured his first-ever triumph in the headline Super Late Model class at his home track in August. He entered the first two Super Late Model events of Bedford’s 2026 season, finishing 10th in April 3’s season opener and 19th in April 10’s feature after being knocked out of action in a multicar incident on the first lap.
A post Tuesday morning on Bedford Speedway’s Facebook page said the Joe Padula-promoted track was “devast ated” by Ritchey’s passing. The post called Ritchey “an inspiration for all who knew him, a tough competitor, and an all-around amazing person.”
Ritchey is survived by his wife of five years and their 2-year-old son, Wyatt.
