Earnhardt plane hit by lightening

An ExpressJet charter bringing Nationwide Series crew members from JR Motorsports, Rusty Wallace Racing and other teams for the Nashville 300 today landed safely after it was struck by lightning during a rainstorm on its descent into an airport in Smyrna, Tenn., at about 8:45 a.m. EDT today.

Jeff Shoaf, the front tire carrier for the JRM car driven by Kelly Bires, said the crewmen were told that a different plane will have to bring the team back to the Charlotte area after the race today at Nashville Superspeedway.

“All of a sudden there was a loud pop, like a bang," Shoaf said. “We saw a flash and [some] thought an engine had backfired. It was about a minute before the stewardess came over the intercom and [said] we were struck by lightning."

Shoaf said some of the crewmen were shook up.

“After we maintained how we were, I knew everything was going to be fine," Shoaf said. “It’s the first time that’s ever happened to me. It definitely woke you up. It was a loud pop. It was a jolt. It definitely got everybody’s attention, that’s for sure." Scenedaily.com