HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Brienne Davis, one of NASCAR's few full-time female inspectors, was killed in a car accident last night. She was 28.

Davis joined NASCAR in 2004 and traveled every weekend to inspect carburetors and manifolds. She was scheduled to work this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

"We are deeply saddened at the loss of NASCAR Sprint Cup official Brienne Davis," NASCAR said in a statement. "She was a key member of our team of inspectors and will be missed by the NASCAR community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends."

A Louisiana native, Davis relocated to North Carolina in 2002 as an engine builder for Dale Earnhardt Inc. She took the job after spending a year in Houston participating in an automotive technology training program that included six weeks of a NASCAR-approved curriculum on racing.