The 25th Annual National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) U.S. Nationals, held at the Indianapolis Raceway Park on Saturday, 01 September 1979, was marred by the deaths of two men and another seriously injured, in separate accidents.

The first fatality occurred at 10h15, claiming the life of Ernie Rife, the rider of a top fuel bike.

A few hours later, Joe Rooks, 28-year-old, was the victim of a freak accident at the track. A stationary videographer for Diamond P Production, a Californian independent television network, he was struck down by the supercharger of a disintegrating top fuel dragster driven by Frank Rupert, 37, of Cerritos, California.

Rupert's car lost the left front wheel after crossing the finish line, hit the guardrail, overturned and slid down the quarter-mile dragstrip. The supercharger mounted on top of its engine exploded. Joe Rooks, turning the camera to film the crash, did not see flying pieces coming and was struck in the back, just below his neck.

Joe Rooks, from Bowling Green, Ohio, died at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis about an hour after the accident. Frank Rupert was hospitalized with a broken leg and internal injuries from the 250 mi/h (402 km/h) crash of his car, possibly his leg was later amputated by surgeons.

A Canada native, Joseph M. Rooks was buried in Clay Township Cemetery in Genoa, Ottawa County, Ohio. He was married to Elizabeth Rooks. Besides his wife, he was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Rooks, and a daughter, Shannon.

R.I.P