Sunday, 25 July 2010
BARRY ANGSTADT
Jim Garrison III, better known as Jimmie, continues to make positive steps in his recovery from injuries suffered on July 3 at the Micromania event held at Lanco's Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway.
Garrison was moved out of the ICU and into a "regular" room over the weekend, and his doctors have had him up and walking a bit. His throat was extremely sore from the breathing tube, preventing him from eating solid food. Until he's able to do that, he won't be released from the Hershey Medical Centre. Those treating Garrison, however, believed that Jimmie would be eating and at home by the time you read this.
Thanks to Micro-Sprint racer (and Quarter-Midget father) Ralph Parks for the constant updates on Garrison's condition and recovery, as well as the driver's family. And Lanco Club President Tim Bortz visited with Jimmie and his family last week, after which he filed this report...
Garrison had two metal plates installed to repair fractured vertebrae in his neck. According to the family, the plates will make his neck even stronger than it was before, so there's no danger of a permanent neck injury should Jimmie return to 600cc competition. And that is the plan, says his family, with an anticipated comeback at the beginning of the 2011 season.
Bortz related that the entire Garrison family praised the action of Lanco's EMT's and track crew, feeling that all involved handled the situation very well. They intend to bring Jimmie to Lanco for the Labor Day Shootout in early September - as a spectator, of course.
The family also expressed their sincere appreciation for all of the well-wishes extended by the Micro-Sprint community and from those in other divisions of racing.
There was an injury sustained by another driver in the Garrison crash, but we didn't have clear and detailed information on it until an email arrived during the past week.
As the lead pack blasted down the backstretch, drivers could see Garrison's car flipping and coming to rest in turn three. They slowed to a stop immediately, bunching up the cars behind them which resulted in a second turnover by Shane Penny. Penny got out of his car, under his own power, when it was placed back on its wheels. A little while later, though, Penny experienced pain in his back and crew members drove him to the hospital.
Tests revealed that Penny has a compression fracture of his spine. He is up and working through the pain, and was scheduled to see an Orthopaedic Surgeon on Tuesday of this week. The surgeon's examination and further testing will determine the severity of the fracture.
Penny wisely decided to skip last weekend's racing events.
Zack Fouse, the 270cc pilot from Elizabethtown, Pa., was also transported to the hospital by ambulance at Micromania. Fouse's No. 24 impacted the front stretch guardrail head-on, and the nose of his car was shoved into the guardrail, making its extraction and that of the driver more difficult and time consuming.
Thankfully, Fouse did not suffer any broken bones or fractures, though his knee was badly bruised and he's hobbling around on crutches. Reportedly, his belts must have been good and tight, because they left telltale bruises on his body as well - but they did their job.
Brock Zearfoss, tabbed as one of the favourites to claim the Speedweek title prior to the start of the series, most likely would have claimed the Hard Luck Award, should the tour have such an award.
Zearfoss crashed in the 600 Speedweek opener at Trail-Way, then creamed the fourth turn wall during the feature at Lincoln in race number two. He was forced to sit out at Path Valley (race #3) because the wreck at Lincoln wiped out the front of his PACE Chassis frame.
Making a return to the weeklong gauntlet of speed at Susquehanna - in the car in which he's had much success this year - the Jonestown, Pa. chauffeur qualified for the A-Main, but fell out before the green flag waved, the victim of engine problems.
On his home track at Linda's in race number five, it appeared that Zearfoss was finally going to show people that he was one of the major players in this year's edition of 600 Speedweek. He scored more points in qualifying than anyone else, earning the right to start the A-main from the inside of row one.
Zearfoss led the opening two laps before engine woes struck him down once again, relegating his No. 1z to the sidelines.
A winner at Linda's and Greenwood Valley this season, as well as a top contender in that POWRi biggie at Macon, IL near the end of June, Zearfoss had to be happy to see the PA Speedweek come to a close. If anyone has any spare Goody's Headache Powder, send it to Brock; he can use it.
We had the opportunity to chat with a group from Australia during 600 Speedweek, and those friendly folks were not here simply to watch the action.
Ben McLeod, from Warrnambool in the State of Victoria, is a two-time winner of Australia's Oval Express Series, and he was a national champion "down under" in 2007. The Oval Express Series is that country's equivalent of PA 600 Speedweek, and McLeod was anxious to try his hand at Micro-Sprint racing - American style.
His team consisted of the driver, his parents, engine builder Stephen Bell, and crew members John Pearson, Michael Wise, Lee Hardess and Shane Byron. The eight visitors were very pleasant and accommodating at each of the Speedweek stops, and they repeatedly told me that they were having a great time here in the states.
Hardess and McLeod also expressed - numerous times - their gratitude to Jerry Russell of Eagle Chassis in Indianapolis. Russell, in fact, accompanied the Aussies to Pennsylvania after they had assembled a brand new 600 Micro at his shop. He even brought along his son, Steve, as they formed a two-car assault on Speedweek.
Russell, whose Eagle Sprint Car Chassis are very successful, wants to make a bigger impact in the Micro-Sprint market. The venture with the Australians was viewed as a great opportunity for a couple of his cars to compete with some of the biggest names in the 600cc ranks during PA's Speedweek. McLeod, Bell, and Hardess were extremely appreciative of Russell's expertise and guidance prior to and during the six-race series.
McLeod informed that the car he was driving would be shipped to Australia, where he will use it when his season begins in a few months. When I asked him why the Australians are so keen on driving American-built racecars - Hyper, Stallard, RTS, and other manufacturers have shipped cars over there for years - he was very candid in his reply.
"We have a few guys who build cars over there, and they're gaining on things and getting better," he noted. "But the cars from here (USA) are so much more advanced. That's because you have so many more race tracks for these cars, and so many races over here. So, with more tracks and races, it's natural that the cars and the technology advance all the time."
McLeod pointed out that, in Australia, the 600's (known down under as Formula 5000's) only race on an every-other-week basis at weekly tracks. And those tracks are pretty spread out, limiting the chances for drivers to race often. The Oval Express Series is the exception, as its schedule consists of eight events in 12 days.
"Our wings are smaller, too, but I think the bigger wings will become standard in a few years," said McLeod. "That means we won't be able to take anything that we learn here and use it at home, because of the smaller wings we use."
Ben also noted that, in Australia, the Micros run mostly on bigger tracks (quarter and three-eighths of a mile ovals).
PA 600 Speedweek produced mixed results for McLeod and his team, even though they enjoyed their stay and learned a lot. He qualified for two of the A-Mains, at Lincoln and Path Valley, and won a couple of heat races. His best feature finish was 20th at Path Valley.
It was a real pleasure to meet and get to know McLeod and his group (Hardess even invited me to come over in December to follow the Oval Express Series. Hmmm...I'll have to give that invitation some consideration), and we're glad they had a good time while they were here in the states and at PA 600 Speedweek.
One "fun fact" before I end this effort...the A-Main at Path Valley went 30-laps, with the final 28 going non-stop. The next race, at Susquehanna, was a 20-lapper, and it ran from green to checkered without a single caution. At Linda's on Friday, the 30-lap feature was also spun off without a yellow flag. Bottom line: in three straight A-Mains, the drivers ripped off 78 consecutive green flag laps! Pretty impressive stuff...
And last but not least...Trip Kone and Dan Little deserve a ton of credit for organizing another 600 Speedweek. The pair are quick to recognize that they can't do it alone, though, and wish to express their gratitude to all of the race teams, the tracks, the sponsors, and especially those individuals who give so much time and effort to support the series.
Barry Dicely handled the tech throughout the week, meaning some late nights got even later as he inspected cars after the A-Mains.
Dave Bodine did a super job of coordinating the Hinchman Racewear Manufacturer's Challenge as he persuaded the various car builders' teams to compete and gathered sponsorship to make it worthwhile.
Tim Bortz handled the point system for the Sprint Bandit qualifying format, and Bortz received kudos from the staff members at every track on the Speedweek circuit.
Mike Batz kept track of the overall Speedweek points and made sure everyone stayed informed after each race with his excellent Inside Speedweek videos that were posted on the series website and at Microracing.com.
Mike O'Brien of Motorsport Video Production captured four of the Speedweek events on video, and he also sent footage to three Harrisburg television stations to assist in getting some positive exposure for the series.
If anyone is interested in purchasing Speedweek videos from Trail-Way, Lincoln, Path Valley, and/or Susquehanna, log on to O'Brien's website at www.motorsportvideoproduction.com, or give him a call at 732-735-2177.
Thanks for reading; hope you enjoyed it.
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