Local sprint car racer dies during race and is remembered

DECATUR, ILL. (WAND) - It was a passion for Terry Babb. Coming from a racing family, he never stopped doing what he loved.

"He's from Decatur, and started off here. His family and friends race here, and Terry really called this his home track because of where he lived," said Bob Sargent, track owner at Macon Speedway.

The 55 year old of Macon County passed away from a heart attack this past Saturday during a race in Missouri. Members of the racing community look back at Terry's legacy.

"Respected and very well liked by all of his peers and all of the other race car drivers and fans because of the way Terry was. Very nice, giving, honest person, a quiet person," shared Sargent.

"As little kids,Terry and I grew up hanging out in the garage with our family. It was just in our blood to you know carry on, keep that going," shared Shannon Babb, race car driver and cousin of Terry Babb.

Despite his close relationship with racing, Terry's family is his first love.

"They're the first thought and the first love, and they were the world to him. That's what attracted me to him in the first place. But definitely a family man. He's the dad who will show up to practice just because he wants to watch," said Terry's wife, Sara Babb.

It's Terry's positivity and famous sayings that keep his family going.

"Helping people out and he was a low income racer, didn't have all the big bucks like a lot of people do now. And it didn't matter you know he had that passion. A saying he always had to say was improvise, adapt, overcome. No matter what it was, that's what he told us, and right now we're trying to," said Terry's daughter, Erin Bright Babb.

The Babb family says he had a genetic heart disorder, and had open heart surgery back in 2016. But, they say he didn't have any issues leading up to his heart attack. His family is thankful for all of the love and respect the community has shown over the past few days.