NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – An Elk Grove man was identified as the victim of a fatal crash that took place over the weekend at a race track near Willows.

Kenneth Ray Henry, 50, died following the crash on Sunday afternoon at Thunderhill Raceway Park, according to a report from Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones.

Jones said that shortly after 2:30 p.m. Sunday the Glenn County Sheriff's Office was contacted by Glenn Medical Center, which informed the agency that a motorcycle rider who had been transported from Thunderhill Raceway via ground ambulance had passed died.

Deputy Jon Owens arrived at the hospital and learned that Henry had been pronounced deceased by the emergency room physician, according to Jones.

Jones said that Henry had arrived in Willows last Friday, Nov. 22, along with two friends, to race at Thunderhill.

One of Henry's friends told Owens he was racing behind Henry, who was on his Yamaha motorcycle traveling at approximately 80 to 100 miles per hour, when he observed Henry abruptly let go of the handle bars, Jones said.

The witness stated Henry then came off the motorcycle backwards, landing on the track’s surface directly on his back. Jones said Henry’s bike continued upright for some distance down the track.

Raceway medics responded. Enloe Hospital ambulance medics were dispatched to the race track at 1:29 p.m. and arrived on scene at 1:37 p.m. to find CPR was in progress, according to Jones' report.

Henry was then transported to Glenn Medical Center where lifesaving efforts were continued; however, Henry did not respond and he was pronounced dead at 2:27 p.m., Jones said.

Jones said the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office has ordered an autopsy in order to determine the exact cause of death.