Skip Barber racer Nova Brown dies in road accident

Nova Brown, an 18-year-old competitor in Skip Barber racing series (shown above at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) who recently graduated from high school, died earlier this week in a crash of his motorcycle near his home in Ventura, Calif.

The Ventura County Star reports that Brown apparently hit a car turning left at an intersection. He was treated at the scene and then taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Brown, who graduated this year from Ventura High School, got into racing in 2008 after taking classes at Jim Hall Kart Racing School in Ventura and eventually raced other cars with his father.

According to an online biography, Brown was the team spokesman and head driver for MorningStar Racing, "an up and coming formula sports car racing team."

Brown started competing in kart races and entered the Southern California Gatorz Karting Cup. In 2010, he finished third in the Jr. Rotax class. His aunt, Jody Brown, told the Star that her nephew was a "very special young man" who was loved by many.

"He blessed so many people's lives, and there were lots of things he was looking forward to doing," she said.