Post by CFF on May 2, 2003 23:13:12 GMT -5
from www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/5774731.htm
Nadeau seriously injured; doctors reportedly will induce coma[/u]
BY NORM WOOD
Daily Press
RICHMOND, Va. - (KRT) - Jerry Nadeau was seriously injured when he crashed during Friday afternoon's Winston Cup practice session in preparation for tonight's Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
Nadeau, 32, was transported in a helicopter to the Medical College of Virginia hospital in downtown Richmond. Jim Hunter, a NASCAR spokesman, said Nadeau was in critical condition about four hours after the accident, but wouldn't provide any more details. A source close to the family said Nadeau sustained a concussion and broken ribs in the accident. The source said the doctors were going to induce a coma so that they could better treat Nadeau's injuries. Officials at the hospital refused to comment.
"The doctors have told us there is some potential for some serious injury, and that's all we know," Hunter said.
It took track rescue personnel 10 minutes to cut the roof off Nadeau's car so they could pull him out. He was fitted with a neck brace and positioned on a backboard before rescue personnel placed him in an ambulance.
About 10 minutes into the practice session, Nadeau appeared to lose traction in the rear of his car as he entered the first turn. His car spun around 180 degrees and the driver's side of the car slammed into wall along the first turn. The car bumped down the wall about 60 yards before coming to rest backward on the track in turn two.
In seven years in the Winston Cup Series, Nadeau has nine top five and 19 top-10 finishes. His only victory came in the 2000 season finale at Atlanta.
Nadeau, a native of Danbury, Conn., and his wife, Jada, had their first child on Feb. 17. Jada was not present at Friday's practice session because she was attending a funeral in South Carolina. However, she was flown into Richmond late Friday night.
Jason Keller, a nine-year Busch Series veteran, stepped into Nadeau's back-up car to finish the practice session.
About an hour following the practice session the Hardee's 250 Busch Series race was run at the raceway. Tony Raines, who finished third in the Busch race, tried to keep Nadeau's crash out of his thoughts during the event.
"Those of us that sit behind the wheel kind of know there's an assumed risk," Raines said. "You can't think about it out there during a race because you might hurt yourself or somebody else."
Nadeau seriously injured; doctors reportedly will induce coma[/u]
BY NORM WOOD
Daily Press
RICHMOND, Va. - (KRT) - Jerry Nadeau was seriously injured when he crashed during Friday afternoon's Winston Cup practice session in preparation for tonight's Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
Nadeau, 32, was transported in a helicopter to the Medical College of Virginia hospital in downtown Richmond. Jim Hunter, a NASCAR spokesman, said Nadeau was in critical condition about four hours after the accident, but wouldn't provide any more details. A source close to the family said Nadeau sustained a concussion and broken ribs in the accident. The source said the doctors were going to induce a coma so that they could better treat Nadeau's injuries. Officials at the hospital refused to comment.
"The doctors have told us there is some potential for some serious injury, and that's all we know," Hunter said.
It took track rescue personnel 10 minutes to cut the roof off Nadeau's car so they could pull him out. He was fitted with a neck brace and positioned on a backboard before rescue personnel placed him in an ambulance.
About 10 minutes into the practice session, Nadeau appeared to lose traction in the rear of his car as he entered the first turn. His car spun around 180 degrees and the driver's side of the car slammed into wall along the first turn. The car bumped down the wall about 60 yards before coming to rest backward on the track in turn two.
In seven years in the Winston Cup Series, Nadeau has nine top five and 19 top-10 finishes. His only victory came in the 2000 season finale at Atlanta.
Nadeau, a native of Danbury, Conn., and his wife, Jada, had their first child on Feb. 17. Jada was not present at Friday's practice session because she was attending a funeral in South Carolina. However, she was flown into Richmond late Friday night.
Jason Keller, a nine-year Busch Series veteran, stepped into Nadeau's back-up car to finish the practice session.
About an hour following the practice session the Hardee's 250 Busch Series race was run at the raceway. Tony Raines, who finished third in the Busch race, tried to keep Nadeau's crash out of his thoughts during the event.
"Those of us that sit behind the wheel kind of know there's an assumed risk," Raines said. "You can't think about it out there during a race because you might hurt yourself or somebody else."