Local racing star Charlie Bradberry was killed in a single-vehicle wreck near his Chelsea home early Saturday.

Authorities said the 24-year-old Bradberry was driving a pickup truck that ran off Shelby County 11 and overturned. Bradberry was transported to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead during emergency surgery.

The young racer was a rising star in the NASCAR scene. He won the 2003 Southeast Series and Snowball Derby. He had also raced in the Hooters Pro Cup Series and made starts in the NASCAR Truck and Busch Series.

This year he raced the bright red, No. 78 car in the Super Late Model series, where he had already scored six wins this season. His last win came Aug. 12 in Mobile. Bradberry started racing go-karts at the age of 12.

He previously garnered Rookie of the Year honors in three circuits – the Allison Legacy Series (1998), Birmingham&8217;s International Late Model Division (200) and the NASCAR Southeast Series (2001). He was currently lobbying for a ride in NASCAR&8217;s Busch or Craftsman Truck Series

Off the track, Bradberry recently married long-time girlfriend, Brandi, who is expecting the couple&8217;s first child in February. He is also survived by his parents Charles and Gayle Bradberry and older brother Gary Bradberry, a former NASCAR Nextel Cup driver.

He was buried Tuesday at Union United Methodist Church Cemetery in Chelsea