Dutchman Jan van Alphen was killed in the finals of the British Tractor Pulling Championships and European Challenge Cup at the Great Eccleston Showground in Lancashire, England. The event was hosted by the North West Tractor Pullers Club.
The accident happened in the "Final Pull-Off" for the 4.5t Modified Class. When van Alphen braked at the end of the timed run the box moved forward at great speed and left the sled.
Jan van Alphen died after being flown to the Royal Preston Hospital by air ambulance.
Jan van Alphen was a well known competitor in tractor-pulling events since the introduction of the sport in the Netherlands in 1979. Since then he was succesfully active in the tractor pulling sport in Europe and in the United States. Driving his famous "Popeye", built by Popeye Pulling Team of Bladel in the Netherlands, and powered by three V-12 Allison aircraft engines, he won several times both the Dutch and the European championships.
The Popeye Pulling Team rebuilt the tractor after Jan van Alphen's fatal accident and his son Johnny van Alphen finished with a great second place in the 4.5t Modified Class at the European Superpull in Ahoy, Rotterdam, in 2008.
R.I.P
