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Crash lands McCreadie in hospital
BROKEN VERTEBRA: Driver from Watertown suffers injury during qualifying action at Tulsa Expo Raceway
By JOHN O'DONNELL
TIMES SPORTSWRITER
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009
Watertown native Tim McCreadie is a patient at St. Mary's Hospital in Tulsa, Okla., following a spectacular accident in which he suffered a spinal injury Wednesday during the second night of competition at the 23rd annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway.
McCreadie, the 2006 Chili Bowl winner, was leading the night's first "A" Qualifier at the indoor facility when the rear axle snapped in his midget car and sent the vehicle into a violent flip over the catch fence at the fifth-of-a-mile dirt track.
The 34-year-old driver was transported to the hospital by an emergency ambulance crew that was stationed at the raceway.
According to Watertown native James Spink, who is employed by the United States Automobile Club (USAC), and is attending the Chili Bowl races this week, McCreadie is hospitalized with a fractured T3 vertebra. Spink and McCreadie have been close friends for a number of years.
Spink said that more tests were expected to be taken later Thursday.
Spink said from the hospital earlier Thursday that McCreadie was "feeling better but was extremely sore."
"Tim has been fitted for a back and neck brace," Spink said. "He is expected to be released from the Tulsa hospital within a few days and possibly be taken to Indianapolis where USAC officials have contacted a specialist (Terry Trammell, an Indianapolis orthopedic surgeon) who has helped many race-car drivers with similar injuries over the years."
Bob McCreadie, Tim's father, a legend in dirt-car modified racing with over 500 career wins in a career that spanned four decades, suffered several serious back injuries during his career.
Tim McCreadie's impressive win at the Chili Bowl and his World of Outlaws late-model Rookie of the Year honors in 2006 helped to vault the former modified dirt-car driver onto the NASCAR scene. He was a developmental driver for Richard Childress Racing in 2007, when he competed in some NASCAR sponsored divisional races, including six Nationwide Series races.
Last season, McCreadie competed in late-model races around the nation and won four features on a scaled-back schedule. He was looking forward to competing full time in the World of Outlaws late-model series tour this season.
Spink, who was named recently as USAC's Developmental Series Director, overseeing more than 100 events annually, said efforts are being made to set up a fund for McCreadie, who does not have health insurance.
USAC officials Kevin Miller, Jason Smith and Spink, with the support of Chili Bowl promoters Emmett Hahn and Larry Edwards, have offered to help manage the many offers from the racing community to assist with McCreadie's medical and recovery expenses. Donations should be made payable to: USAC c/o Tim McCreadie Support Fund, USAC, 4910 West 16th St., Speedway, Ind., 46224.
BROKEN VERTEBRA: Driver from Watertown suffers injury during qualifying action at Tulsa Expo Raceway
By JOHN O'DONNELL
TIMES SPORTSWRITER
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009
Watertown native Tim McCreadie is a patient at St. Mary's Hospital in Tulsa, Okla., following a spectacular accident in which he suffered a spinal injury Wednesday during the second night of competition at the 23rd annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway.
McCreadie, the 2006 Chili Bowl winner, was leading the night's first "A" Qualifier at the indoor facility when the rear axle snapped in his midget car and sent the vehicle into a violent flip over the catch fence at the fifth-of-a-mile dirt track.
The 34-year-old driver was transported to the hospital by an emergency ambulance crew that was stationed at the raceway.
According to Watertown native James Spink, who is employed by the United States Automobile Club (USAC), and is attending the Chili Bowl races this week, McCreadie is hospitalized with a fractured T3 vertebra. Spink and McCreadie have been close friends for a number of years.
Spink said that more tests were expected to be taken later Thursday.
Spink said from the hospital earlier Thursday that McCreadie was "feeling better but was extremely sore."
"Tim has been fitted for a back and neck brace," Spink said. "He is expected to be released from the Tulsa hospital within a few days and possibly be taken to Indianapolis where USAC officials have contacted a specialist (Terry Trammell, an Indianapolis orthopedic surgeon) who has helped many race-car drivers with similar injuries over the years."
Bob McCreadie, Tim's father, a legend in dirt-car modified racing with over 500 career wins in a career that spanned four decades, suffered several serious back injuries during his career.
Tim McCreadie's impressive win at the Chili Bowl and his World of Outlaws late-model Rookie of the Year honors in 2006 helped to vault the former modified dirt-car driver onto the NASCAR scene. He was a developmental driver for Richard Childress Racing in 2007, when he competed in some NASCAR sponsored divisional races, including six Nationwide Series races.
Last season, McCreadie competed in late-model races around the nation and won four features on a scaled-back schedule. He was looking forward to competing full time in the World of Outlaws late-model series tour this season.
Spink, who was named recently as USAC's Developmental Series Director, overseeing more than 100 events annually, said efforts are being made to set up a fund for McCreadie, who does not have health insurance.
USAC officials Kevin Miller, Jason Smith and Spink, with the support of Chili Bowl promoters Emmett Hahn and Larry Edwards, have offered to help manage the many offers from the racing community to assist with McCreadie's medical and recovery expenses. Donations should be made payable to: USAC c/o Tim McCreadie Support Fund, USAC, 4910 West 16th St., Speedway, Ind., 46224.
