IndianaOpenWheel.com Sprint Car & Midget Racing Forum





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backitin
  #1 5/23/11 3:05 PM
Today was a true milestone for me. 5 years ago I had a severe head injury, to the point I passed away twice on the life flight, so life has been pretty tuff at times. (no pity needed) Thing was at the time I was hurt I was about to start my Sprintcar racing. Instead I lost everything and I've adaped (being poor is quite liberating). Anyhow my wive bought me a minisprinter and till today I wasnt sure if we got something competitive or not. So today I finally got to my buddy whom is one of the finest fabricators anywhere and there was a time his cars held more then one track record on the east coast. He took a walk around the car and was impressed, his exact words were that car looks light and was built by someone ingenious and had some unique but well thought out construction. I was guessing the car to weigh maybe 850 lbs, it scaled 708 lbs and put out 217 hp. . To say today was a good day would be a huge understatement. He also can get me on Hamlin down here in PA, so were going to take it out soon. Hamlins a super nice banked track and I cvant wait. Now I've been running my mouth for 12 years to this guy about how I know I can tear it up in a sprinter and I cant wait to show em I aint bull:21ing: , which he already knows. He's also going to wrench for me at my first two races coming up in Oct. which are no rule races cept for safety items. That means my confidence level is soaring and now I can finally set my goals for my first taste of sprintcar racing. I've been fortunate enough to win a couple NY state championships on two wheels and any good racer knows you need to set realistic goals. I'm figuring top 10 on my first night and hopefully win the second five nights later, stranger things have happened. Of course I could just be heres to wings
6 Likes: dirtnonwingfan, mod4s, PJ Wright, racegal, SCOTT M
racegal (Offline)
  #2 5/23/11 6:43 PM
Wow!! Good luck!! And I'm glad you're (still) in the land of the living!

DD FAN-atic!! Susan St. Catherine
God bless America and our troops
c47 (Offline)
  #3 5/23/11 6:49 PM
keep us posted. we will try to get up there when you run.
backitin
  #4 5/23/11 7:25 PM
I will, and thanks. I swear I have days I'm worthless and cant get out of bed but then I'll have a couple days in a row where I can take on the world. I just never know which is coming. I honestly believe that I came back was because at the time I was a single dad of two and I couldnt die. If anyone is wondering I fell 37 ft freefall landing mostly on my head. It took exactly 5 seconds of stupidity on my part, too completely change my life. Man be careful. most all falls from that height kill you but speedwaymotorcycle racing probley saved me. I was running and working out and was strong, the Dr. said thats prob. what saved me. Besides the closed head injury and the neck fracture I also cracked three back vertebre, almost severed three fingers and perforated my kidney. I have a July 11 appointment with a good orthopedic surgeon who might change my fall plans, I'm ready for something surgically to hopefully be done., once my neck goes I get migraines and flashes of like I dont know it's hard to say, kinda like wires touching but I can see it, lol. If my surgury gets scheduled before the Oct. races here I might try to squeeze a trip in to Indiana this summer, before surgury, my tuner offered to help. Thanks for the interest, and thanks again Mr. Gardner for having this site, otherwise I'd be a nonwinger lost in a sea of wings, lol
cu
c47 (Offline)
  #5 5/23/11 7:47 PM
mine was 27 feet onto concrete....but i landed on my feet and rolled. only broke a wrist but had serious nightmares about landing head first. could have been a lot worse....
good luck...you will get thru it!
racing is a tremendous motivator.
backitin
  #6 5/23/11 8:14 PM
Originally Posted by c47:
mine was 27 feet onto concrete....but i landed on my feet and rolled. only broke a wrist but had serious nightmares about landing head first. could have been a lot worse....
good luck...you will get thru it!
racing is a tremendous motivator.
Glad your good. Yes it's a tremendous motivator. Besides my kids and Flyfishing for monster Steelhead it's all I think about. Thats why I love going to my buddies shop, it's unbelievable the treasures he has, I walk around his shop just fondling stuff. Grant king modifieds and sprinters, and thousands of just stuff, I'll loose focus wander away and he'll find me 15 minites later hugging a hilborn injector or something.
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