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INDYCAR: Kanaan Hurting; Meira Out For ‘09
Written by: Robin Miller
05/25/2009 - 03:41 PM
Indianapolis, IN
Tony Kanaan suffered three broken ribs and is black and bruised all over from his massive accident in Sunday's Indianapolis 500 but the plucky veteran intends to run Milwaukee this weekend.
Tony Kanaan was lucky to walk away from his harrowing crash at Indy on Sunday, caused by a failed rear suspension piece. He'll race this weekend with broken bones and severe bruising. (LAT) » More Photos
"I'm a mess, I'm hurting all over and last night (Sunday) was the worst of my life but I am going to Milwaukee and I will be driving," said Kanaan, who crashed heavily when his suspension evidently broke on Lap 98. "I've got two and a half broken ribs, my right femur, my right knee and right foot are black, I've got big bruises on my hands, elbows and pelvis.
"But I ran Indy with a broken arm once and how can I not race when (Alex) Zanardi races without his legs and my buddies in 500 CC motorcycle racing
still ride with broken arms, legs and shoulders. They would laugh at my injuries."
It was no laughing matter when Kanaan, running third at whistling down the back straightaway at 227 mph, suddenly had his 7-11 Dallara make a right turn into the wall. That sheared off the right side of the car and then he roared into the Turn 3 wall head-on with just the bare tub taking the impact. A deflated tire trapped between the tub and the wall likely helped reduced TK's injuries.
"That was the longest five seconds of my life," said the 2004 IRL champion. "After that first impact, I had no brakes so I took my hands off the wheel, put my head against the headrest and put my hands on my seat belt and waited for the impact.
"It was 175 Gs and the telemetry said I hit the wall going 195 mph so I have to thank Tony George for the safer walls and IndyCar for that extra panel they added
to the front of our cars. "Those two things saved me. I don't think I'd be here right now without them."
The 34-year-old Brazilian broke eight ribs at Detroit in 2000 and says it will take six weeks for his latest injuries to properly heal. "I'm going to spend all week in Indy taking treatments and seeing Dr. Trammell and Dr. Scheid," he said. "You can't do anything about the ribs so I'll get some extra padding on the right side of my seat.
"I'll manage the pain and I'll be fine. It only hurts when I laugh, cough, sneeze or move."
MEIRA OUT 4-6 MONTHS
Paul Tracy could replace Vitor Meira after the Brazilian learned his recovery will likely take through the end of the year. (LAT) » More Photos
Vitor Meira's broke two vertebrae just above his waist in his nasty tangle with Raphael Matos on Lap 174 and will be out of the rest of the season.
"Vitor's recovery time will be four to six months," said Dr. Terry Trammell. "His injuries are very similar to Bruno's (Junqueira), just not as severe. It was on the borderline or whether to operate or not but we decided it was best to treat it with a back brace.
"He was up this afternoon and he'll probably be released in a day or so."
Driving for A.J. Foyt, Meria was turning into Turn 1 when Matos hit his right rear and sent the 32-year-old Brazilian smashing into the outside barrier, where his car climbed the wall and rode around it all the way to the short chute on its side before coming back down on four wheels.
Larry Foyt was talking with Paul Tracy on Monday about replacing Meira in the ABC Supply Special this weekend at Milwaukee.
Written by: Robin Miller
05/25/2009 - 03:41 PM
Indianapolis, IN
Tony Kanaan suffered three broken ribs and is black and bruised all over from his massive accident in Sunday's Indianapolis 500 but the plucky veteran intends to run Milwaukee this weekend.
"I'm a mess, I'm hurting all over and last night (Sunday) was the worst of my life but I am going to Milwaukee and I will be driving," said Kanaan, who crashed heavily when his suspension evidently broke on Lap 98. "I've got two and a half broken ribs, my right femur, my right knee and right foot are black, I've got big bruises on my hands, elbows and pelvis.
"But I ran Indy with a broken arm once and how can I not race when (Alex) Zanardi races without his legs and my buddies in 500 CC motorcycle racing
still ride with broken arms, legs and shoulders. They would laugh at my injuries."It was no laughing matter when Kanaan, running third at whistling down the back straightaway at 227 mph, suddenly had his 7-11 Dallara make a right turn into the wall. That sheared off the right side of the car and then he roared into the Turn 3 wall head-on with just the bare tub taking the impact. A deflated tire trapped between the tub and the wall likely helped reduced TK's injuries.
"That was the longest five seconds of my life," said the 2004 IRL champion. "After that first impact, I had no brakes so I took my hands off the wheel, put my head against the headrest and put my hands on my seat belt and waited for the impact.
"It was 175 Gs and the telemetry said I hit the wall going 195 mph so I have to thank Tony George for the safer walls and IndyCar for that extra panel they added
to the front of our cars. "Those two things saved me. I don't think I'd be here right now without them."
The 34-year-old Brazilian broke eight ribs at Detroit in 2000 and says it will take six weeks for his latest injuries to properly heal. "I'm going to spend all week in Indy taking treatments and seeing Dr. Trammell and Dr. Scheid," he said. "You can't do anything about the ribs so I'll get some extra padding on the right side of my seat.
"I'll manage the pain and I'll be fine. It only hurts when I laugh, cough, sneeze or move."
MEIRA OUT 4-6 MONTHS
Vitor Meira's broke two vertebrae just above his waist in his nasty tangle with Raphael Matos on Lap 174 and will be out of the rest of the season.
"Vitor's recovery time will be four to six months," said Dr. Terry Trammell. "His injuries are very similar to Bruno's (Junqueira), just not as severe. It was on the borderline or whether to operate or not but we decided it was best to treat it with a back brace.
"He was up this afternoon and he'll probably be released in a day or so."
Driving for A.J. Foyt, Meria was turning into Turn 1 when Matos hit his right rear and sent the 32-year-old Brazilian smashing into the outside barrier, where his car climbed the wall and rode around it all the way to the short chute on its side before coming back down on four wheels.
Larry Foyt was talking with Paul Tracy on Monday about replacing Meira in the ABC Supply Special this weekend at Milwaukee.
