On October 13th,
2007 I crashed hard into the turn 4 wall at
Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway at the
Blythe, California fairgrounds. The crash
occurred on lap 22. A left rear tire
began going flat around lap 10. When it
became obvious that the car would not be able to
complete the event I attempted to exit the
track. This is a track with only 1 entrance/exit
located at turn 2. I couldn't get slowed
enough to exit as I approached the exit , so I
decided to make a better approach on lap 23. I picked up speed on the
backstretch and started to slow in turn 3. My
close friend J.R. Williams made contact and a violent
impact with the wall followed by 2 flips
occurred.
I was taken from the track via ambulance and
sustained multiple fractures of the right leg, a
fracture of the left wrist, a broken rib and a
mild concussion. Surgery on the leg followed on
October 24th with the insertion of 2 plates and
22 titanium screws. The doctors said to expect using a wheelchair for 6 months.
By 4 weeks I was starting to walk on crutches,
by 6 weeks I was lightly walking. Exactly 2
months later when I left for Christmas in Tulsa,
I was doing 12 miles per day on the bike, 1500
steps on the stair stepper and walking with just
the slightest of a limp.
