Owner Of Brainerd International Raceway Dies In Florida Boating Incident

Jed Copham, the owner of the Brainerd International Raceway, has died following a boating incident in Florida. It happened yesterday on November 11^th.

Jed Copham

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Ft. Meyers, FL responded to the Sanibel Causeway in response to a man overboard. Due to the nature of the incident, multiple agencies were in the water searching. The person had not been located as of late last night.

Today, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Punta Rassa boat ramp at exactly 9:50 this morning in reference to a deceased person in the water.

The victim was identified as Copham, 46. Copham’s family has been notified.

The Brainerd International Raceway released a statement regarding Copham’s death. It reads: “It is with profound sorrow that today we learned of the passing of our friend and BIR owner, Jed Copham. Jed was boating yesterday with his family off the coast of Fort Myers, Fla., when he went overboard and tragically never surfaced. Search and rescue efforts to find his body were unsuccessful until this morning when it was recovered and identified by his family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Kristi, his two children, his parents, his extended family and the entire racing community. His passion for racing was undeniable and he worked tirelessly to make BIR a welcoming and safe place for others to enjoy all forms of motorsports. RIP Jed, we’ll miss you. ”

The investigation is ongoing. There appears to be no criminal aspect to the investigation.