Concord, N.C. ? A driver in the minor league ARCA series crashed into a wall Wednesday and seconds later was broad-sided by another car, killing him and injuring the other driver.

Eric Martin radioed his team, “I’m all right” after he spun and rammed the wall backward coming out of the fourth turn during practice at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. But the other car, driven by Deborah Renshaw, came around the turn going at least 160 mph and plowed into Martin’s car on the driver’s side.

“The first hit, I guess he just kind of lost his breath,” veteran driver Ron Hornaday said.

“The second one, a driver is never ready for that second impact and that’s the one that got him. It’s nobody’s fault, it’s just a brutal sport sometimes.”

The 33-year-old Martin died instantly of massive internal injuries.

Renshaw, 25, was taken to University Hospital in Charlotte, where she was in fair condition and being examined for possible ankle injuries.

She has had a tumultuous racing year, beginning in July when fellow drivers plotted to ruin her Late Model Series title chances at Nashville’s Fairgrounds Speedway. They pooled their money, had a driver intentionally finish behind her during a race and paid for him to protest her finish.

She was disqualified when her car failed inspection. But the protest led to a ton of attention and caught the eye of Rick Goodwin, who planned to put Renshaw in a Busch series car next season.

Martin wrecked during practice for the EasyCare 150, the final race of the season for the Automobile Racing Club of America, a 50-year-old training series for drivers hoping to move up to NASCAR.

Qualifying was canceled and the field for Thursday night’s race was set by season points.

Martin’s team tearfully circled the back of their hauler, with crew members wiping their eyes as they talked on cell phones. Renshaw’s truck was packed up, the back door pulled shut.

A dozen drivers went to the track’s media center and stood behind ARCA president Ron Drager as a show of support.

ARCA drivers are required to wear head and neck restraints. They usually drive old Winston Cup cars and the safety requirements are not as strict.

At issue in this wreck is why Renshaw either didn’t see Martin’s disabled car or was unable to avoid him. Spotters are not required to climb onto the grandstand roof during practice to help a driver navigate the track. Instead, the spotters watch the race from the top of the haulers inside the infield, giving them several blind spots.

Car owner Bob Schacht, a three-time ARCA series champion, was spotting for Renshaw on top of the team hauler, but Drager would not speculate if he saw Martin’s car or not.

Wayne Hixson, Martin’s team owner, said: “He was learning real good with the car and he either got in some oil or blew a right front” tire, Hixson said. “He hit the wall. He came on the radio and said, ‘I’m all right.’ And then the 75 (car) just came around and broad-sided him.

“It was just a racing accident, that’s all.”