Local man dies on race track

PUT-IN-BAY — A Put-in-Bay businessman died Saturday in Daytona Beach, Florida, in a horrific crash, according to a statement from the International GT race series and Mike Skeen, a professional race car driver based Charlotte, North Carolina. "Today was a sad day at the race track. My friend and client, Mark Mathys passed away during an incident on track during IGT practice at Daytona," Skeen posted at his social media account. "My heart goes out to his family and friends that he loved so much. He was a passionate enthusiast of the sport who will be missed in the paddock." Mathys was the owner of the Put-in-Bay Resort and Bay Lodging, which he sold last year in a multimillion-dollar deal. He was a racing enthusiast in International GT, a U.S.-based auto racing series. Racing News Co., an industry website, reported a death Saturday at the race track but did not provide the name of the person killed. The following statement was attributed to the racing series. "We confirm the death of a driver who was transported to a local hospital after an incident during International GT's practice session at Daytona International Speedway," the statement opened. "A second driver involved in the incident was also transported to a local hospital. Our deepest sympathies go to the family of the driver who has passed. We would like to give our well wishes to the second driver during their recovery." International GT did not provide any information about what the incident was that caused Mathys' death. Bu, in a social media post, a woman who identified herself as Mathys' sister shared information about the accident. "Mark had a flat tired, and he pulled to the wall," Beth Ann Mathys-Griner wrote. "Two other cars came around and hit each other, sending one into the wall, hitting Mark. They had to take to top off the car to get him out, and he died either instantly or on the way to the hospital." Mathys was a man of mystery and clouded history as a newcomer to the island in the early 2000s. He was involved with the construction and operation of the Put-in-Bay Resort Hotel & Conference Center, which was built in four phases beginning in 2006. In June 2022, Mathys told the Register the 160-room hotel was sold for $19.75 million. He called it "the largest real estate transaction in history on South Bass Island." The purchasers of the property were Steve Alexander and Dr. Brendan Bauer. The same group purchased the Bay Lodge, another hotel, from him about three years earlier, Mathys said. Bay Lodge sold for $4.6 million, he said. Mathys, in June 2022, told the Register he would continue operating the Edgewater Hotel in Put-in-Bay.