Moore, 24, was pronounced dead little more than an hour after he was airlifted from the California speedway to Loma Linda University Hospital for what cart medical director Steve Olvey called ``resuscitative procedures''.

``I regret to announce that the driver greg moore was pronounced dead at Loma Linda Hospital,'' Olvey said. ``He died of massive head and internal injuries.''

Cart race control informed teams that there would be no post-race ceremonies, and the US, California and cart flags at the track were lowered to half-staff.

Mexico's Adrian Fernandez went on to win the final race of the season, and Colombian rookie Juan Montoya finished fourth to claim the drivers' title.

The crash occurred on the first lap of a restart. Moore lost control of his Reynard-Honda coming off the second turn of the two-mile speedway, which produces speeds of morethan 230 miles per hour on its straightaways.

The car rocketed sideways across a grassy area before slamming head-on into the inside retaining wall on the back- stretch. The car shattered into many pieces as the driver's tub containing moore flipped over several times. As the tub rolled, Moore's arms flailed outside the protective casing. The car finally came to a stop upside down on Moore's head.

Moore won the cart season opener in Miami and was expected to contend for the drivers' title. He was considered one of the most talented drivers on the circuit.