I WANTED TO HEAR BORIS! 
Posted on 07/18/2004 10:54:47 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Edited on 07/18/2004 11:16:00 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
SONOMA, Calif. (AP) -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was treated for minor burns on his face and legs and hospitalized after an accident Sunday during practice for the American Le Mans Series Infineon Grand Prix of Sonoma.
Medical officials at Infineon Raceway described the injuries as ``moderate-sized burns of moderate intensity.'' Earnhardt was flown to the University of California-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for precautionary reasons.
During a 30-minute practice, Earnhardt's Chevrolet Corvette C5-R spun and hit a barrier in turn eight of the road racing track, catching fire. Earnhardt quickly got out of the car on his own before being assisted by safety crews.
Earnhardt, who regularly competes in the Nextel Cup Series, was to have driven in Sunday's ALMS race with veteran road racing driver Boris Said. The team has withdrawn the car from the race.
Earnhardt Jr. burned in Grand Am practice crash
By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive July 18, 2004
1:25 PM EDT (1725 GMT)
SONOMA, Calif. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. suffered moderate burns to his facial and lower extremities Sunday morning in an accident during American LeMans Series practice at Infineon Raceway.
Track spokesman John Cardinale said Earnhardt was transported to the University of California-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Infineon's designated hospital for burn treatment.
According to an American LeMans Series statement, Earnhardt was driving a Chevrolet Corvette C5-R in a 30-minute practice session when the accident occurred. The car spun and impacted a barrier in the Turn 8 section of the road-racing track, then caught fire. Earnhardt quickly exited the car on his own, and was then assisted by safety crews.
Earnhardt, who regularly competes in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series, was scheduled to co-drive in today's Infineon Grand Prix of Sonoma with veteran road racing driver Boris Said. The team has withdrawn the car from the race.
Press Conference from hospital:
What did Jr say? A few profanities, and that he's very disappointed. Sorry he hurt the car.
He's fine, he will be fine.....he feels bad he disappointed the fans.
When he sees a challenge he wanted to take advantage of it. (running Corvettes)
Will he be in the car next week? Long pause "knowing him yes"
Gary Claudio GM racing spokesman. Boris Said in background being interviewed now Stupid FOX bails out!!
I WANTED TO HEAR BORIS!
Yes I think Boris has been with him all day.
Speaks volumes about his character.
I just hate when the media decides how much we can hear or know!
Geez, they just showed the crash again with the onboard camera.
His head does appear to fall towards the left as though he was dazed for a moment.
They have more coming up after commercial.
FNC just showed a clip of this. From the in car camera you see some fluid spraying around the cockpit just before the fire. That was scary.
Boris and the Earnhardt's have been friends for a long time. I love Boris's foot work. They put a camera down by his feet to show it. I'm sure you know about that. :)
They have more coming up after commercial.
On Fox??
Yes! The fire circled his head real quick. Thank God he had a full face shield on. It could have been a lot worse.
Yes Fox, but we have to suffer through Peterson et al first.
I absolutely do know about Boris' footwork. Fabulous, I wish I had a video!! You could set it to music. LOL
You sure could. He has the best foot work in the business. :)
Rita Cosby keeps baiting this story before going to break.
Thank you!
Strange day here in Sonoma. High winds, lots of smoke in the air from fires, very bright sun.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. burned after crash
By Associated Press
Sunday, July 18, 2004
A fun weekend of racing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned frightening Sunday when a wreck during a warmup for an American Le Mans Series race turned his car into a fireball, leaving him hospitalized with burns on his face and legs.
Earnhardt's injuries were "moderate-sized burns of moderate intensity," according to medical officials at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. The ALMS said Earnhardt had second-degree burns on the insides of both legs and on his chin.
The NASCAR star, son of the late Dale Earnhardt, was flown to the University of California-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, where he was expected to be kept overnight for observation. He will be examined again Monday.
"I'm bummed out and disappointed I couldn't run the race," Earnhardt said through a team spokesman.
Steve Crisp, a spokesman for Dale Earnhardt Inc., said Earnhardt was not badly injured. "They've done the X-rays and there's no bones broken," Crisp said. "He'll be fine.
Still, any crash involving Earnhardt always brings up memories of the last-lap wreck at the 2001 Daytona 500 that killed his father, easily the most popular driver of his era.
Crisp said the younger Earnhardt will compete in next weekend's Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway. Earnhardt, second in the Cup standings behind Jimmie Johnson, was supposed to be enjoying a weekend off from his regular series for a rare chance to race without pressure. "These folks are tough," Crisp said. "They bounce back from all kinds of things."
The accident came at the start of the 30-minute morning practice. Earnhardt lost control of his Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, spun and slid backward into a concrete barrier in turn eight of the road racing track.
Officials said the crash broke the fuel filler neck, where the gas is poured into the car, briefly turning the Corvette into a fireball after it came to a stop in the middle of the track. Earnhardt quickly got out of the car on his own before being assisted by safety crews. The car continued to burn and was a total loss.
Earnhardt was to have driven in Sunday's ALMS race with veteran road racing driver Boris Said. The team withdrew the entry from the race after Earnhardt's crash.
Earnhardt has been hurt before in a race car. He sustained a concussion in a crash at California Speedway early in the 2002 season and hid it from NASCAR for five months, afraid it might keep him from racing.
It led to a poor season for Earnhardt and eventually to a new policy by NASCAR forcing drivers with head injuries to get medical clearance before returning to competition.
I guess it is in poor taste to note irony with f911
The 69% burn information came on air by a CBS reporter at the end of the televised portion of the race.
Wearing only the top of his fireproof suit??
Yep. That's what they said. He was not wearing the bottom portion of his fire retardant suit.
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