Leffler’s former sister-in-law told Sporting News on Friday that the 37-year-old father did not have life insurance when he was killed in a devastating crash at a New Jersey race way last week.

But his live-in partner Julianna Patterson said today that the situation wasn’t that simple and that suggesting Leffler had left his son Charlie Dean with nothing was ‘not true and it’s evil.’

‘It’s insane that someone would bring this up, would bring up life insurance, within a day of this happening. We haven’t even had the funeral yet,’ Patterson said. ‘Jason would never have left Charlie with nothing. Never. To suggest otherwise is not true and it’s evil.’

Patterson said she and Leffler had talked a lot about the dangers of his profession, particularly as his NASCAR prospects dried up and a return to the sprint car circuit was the only way he could compete on a regular basis.

‘We’d talked a lot about these cars and the dangers involved and Jason accepted it because he said all the time, “I’d rather my son see me live a happy life then see me sitting in a job I hate being miserable,”‘ Patterson said. ‘Jason was amazing. He was ornery. His life was Charlie, racing, family and friends. In that order. But Charlie was the most important. Charlie was his entire world.’

She was joined by Leffler’s brother and representatives at Spire Sports in discussing the racer’s financial situation to clear up growing misconceptions and rumors about the estate he left behind for Charlie.

On Friday, Amy East Cook, Charlie’s aunt told Sporting World: ‘Jason did not have a life insurance policy, so he didn’t really leave anything (long-term) for Charlie. I don’t think anybody knows that. I think they would assume he would have that.’

Some believe the claim was a deliberate attempt to solicit donations to an account that had been established for both Charlie and Leffler’s ex-wife Alison East.

The reality is that disability and life insurance for race car drivers are expensive and difficult to get – usually issued only by Lloyds of London – and the premiums are substantial. Leffler’s last full Nationwide season was in 2011, and he’d run just 12 NASCAR races in 2012.

He didn’t have deep resources to buy insurance anymore; the night he was killed, the winner was guaranteed just $7,000. So perhaps Leffler didn’t think life insurance was the best investment for Charlie Dean’s future.

But Leffler still invested specifically with his son in mind, his loved ones say, and took steps to ensure his son would be cared for before his death and in the event of his death. He had disability insurance and other policies, and funds established for Charlie.

‘He absolutely bent over backward to do whatever was best for Charlie,’ said Chris Leffler, executor of the drivers’ will.