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Friend of Scott Eldredge mourns following fatal crash at Stateline Speedway

Keith Van Dyne said race cars are what brought him and Scott Eldredge together, but Scott's positive outlook on life is what kept them friends for over a decade.

POST FALLS, Idaho —

Keith Van Dyne said no one will be able to fill the shoes of his friend Scott Eldredge.

“He turned out to be one of my, or if not, my best friend,” Van Dyne said.

When thinking back on their 12 to 14 year old friendship, Van Dyne said it started off a bit rocky.

"When Scott and I first met, I was the authorized parts and cars dealer for the US legend cars, which Scott participated in a lot," Van Dyne explained. "We started off on a little bit of a rocky note, because he thought I was a different guy."

Van Dyne said once the two met though, their friendship took off.

"Scott was everything that you wanted somebody to be," Van Dyne said.

Van Dyne said Eldredge would accompany him on motorcycle rides down the Oregon Coast and drive to Bakersfield to watch drag racing.

“I always needed somebody to come along to talk so that I wouldn't fall asleep," Van Dyne said. "And Scott fit that bill very well.”

Van Dyne said Eldredge was known by his friends and family for his positive energy, but his love for racing is what people could see.

"His company name that he had was 'Got to Go Racing,'" Van Dyne said." And that was his whole, 'I got to go racing. I gotta go. Gotta go. Gotta go.' He had these little hats that were GTGR with his car number on them and he never went anywhere without it.”

Eldredge's love for race cars is what kept him behind the wheel up until his final days.

In a statement from Findlay Stadium Stateline Speedway, Eldredge was involved in a car crash Saturday, that he would later die from on Sunday.

Van Dyne said learning the news was "heartbreaking."

As someone who lost his brother earlier this year, Van Dyne said losing Eldredge is like losing another mentor, person you want to be around and best friend.

Van Dyne said Eldredge was always there for him because Eldredge was the kind of person who would think of others before himself.

“Scott was everywhere, in the respects that if he was in Spokane, and you needed something here, and I'm in Vancouver, Washington, so it wasn't very long before Scott was here," Eldredge explained. "Sometimes to his fault, because he had his own agenda of things that he needed to get done, but people were more important to him.”

Van Dyne said he knows in his friend's death, people will remember Eldredge for his good heart and selfless character.

“He was genuine," Van Dyne said. "It wasn't a big cover up. That's who he was.” 

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