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Full Story At The Mercury News
Jerry Nadeau will be back behind the wheel in a race Saturday, but not in a 3,500-pound stock car. Nadeau, a NASCAR Winston Cup driver, will be racing a 175-pound kart at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
For Nadeau, who was critically injured in May during practice at Richmond, Va., it's an important step in his comeback. Only a few months ago, he could barely walk, still had difficulty talking and was happy to be alive.
"I used to be the wildest guy on the go-kart track," said Nadeau, 33. "But when I recently got into a kart, I was so afraid somebody would hit me. I was scared stiff of getting whacked."
Nadeau, a former World Karting Association champion, had every reason to be nervous. He had spent two weeks in a coma after his huge wreck, suffering a closed-head injury, not to mention a partially collapsed left lung, fractured shoulder blade and busted rib cage.
In the hours after the crash, Nadeau was touch and go.
"I've been battling pretty hard since the accident," said Nadeau, who drove the No. 01 U.S. Army Pontiac for MB2 Motorsports. "Thank God I've been able to do stuff with my young daughter, Natalie Kate, and my wife, Jada. You just can't put a Band-Aid over this thing and go back. It takes time to heal."
Nadeau has no intention of climbing back into a race car until he's good and ready. Veteran Joe Nemechek will drive Nadeau's Pontiac in the last two races of the season, including Sunday at Rockingham, N.C., and is contracted to run a full season in the Army entry next year.
If Nadeau feels comfortable, he might - and he stresses might - drive in an ARCA or Busch Grand National race around April or May.
"Could I drive at Daytona? Who knows?" he said. "But once my brain tells me I'm ready, I'll do it. Right now, I don't think I could. Heck, I look perfect, but it's the internal (damage) I can't help."
Nadeau still can't feel much on his left side. Doctors predict it might be two to three years before he is fully recovered.
"I'm young, I'm walking, I'm staying active," he said. "And it's only been six months since Richmond. I've got my family, and that's the most important thing."
Nadeau's brush with death has reminded him that family comes first and foremost.
"I would have been one miserable dude without my daughter," he said. "She was born the day after this year's Daytona 500. I love my race car, but it didn't visit me in the hospital."
Nadeau knows he's a lucky man. Close friend and fellow racer Tony Renna was killed Oct. 22 while testing an IRL car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Renna's death stunned and saddened Nadeau, a former top open-wheel driver.
"I visited Tony's mom and dad last week in Florida," said Nadeau, who was Renna's teammate during their Formula Opel days in Europe in the mid-`90s. "We looked over old photos. Tony was an awesome kid. I'm just sorry God took him too soon."
Nadeau's accident hasn't clouded his memory. Although he was unconscious at the scene of his accident, he remembers emerging from his coma a couple of weeks later and calling his team manager, Jay Frye, and crew chief, Ryan Pemberton. He also recalls eating breakfast with his parents in the hospital.
"I'm fortunate," said Nadeau, who grew up in Danbury, Conn., and lives in Mooresville, N.C. "I can take the garbage out, mow the lawn and do all the things the average guy does. Four months of rehabilitation has worked wonders. I finished my last speech therapy class last Friday."
In January, Nadeau visited U.S. troops stationed in Kuwait. He drove tanks, shared meals and signed autographs for the soldiers. The Army hasn't forgotten him, he said.
"Hey, I couldn't have asked for a better sponsor," Nadeau said. "The soldiers are great supporters. The Army knows I'm hurt, but they are willing to work with me. My dad was in the Army for three years. I've learned many solid values from him and the troops."
Since the wreck, Nadeau has visited his team on the Winston Cup circuit. On Sept. 5, he returned to Richmond to thank track emergency workers and medical staff at Virginia Commonwealth University medical center. Mostly, he has preferred to remain in the background, though.
"I'm not a flamboyant guy," Nadeau said. "I've spoken to Ricky Craven and Steve Park on the phone. They suffered serious head injuries, too. Ward Burton and Jimmie Johnson have also called me. But, really, I've kept to myself."
As part of his recovery, Nadeau has built a two-seat race car simulator, which he houses at his race shop.
"I practice every day," he said. "It's great for the reflexes."
Nadeau will compete Saturday with Ernie Irvan, who twice suffered life-threatening head injuries in racing, the first time at Michigan International Speedway. Nadeau will drive against young drivers, old racers and those with little or no experience. He's not expecting too much.
"Well, it's something to keep me moving," said Nadeau, whose one Winston Cup victory came in the 2000 season finale. "We'll drive rain or shine, and it should be fun. The karts are all equal, so no one will have an advantage."
Although Nadeau would like to win, he won't push it just yet.
"When I'm capable of doing what I used to do, I'm going to come back and attack every racetrack," Nadeau said. "But I can't rush. I want to make sure my head is ready to do it. I want people to see me as a recovered brain-injury patient who succeeded."
Jerry Nadeau will be back behind the wheel in a race Saturday, but not in a 3,500-pound stock car. Nadeau, a NASCAR Winston Cup driver, will be racing a 175-pound kart at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
For Nadeau, who was critically injured in May during practice at Richmond, Va., it's an important step in his comeback. Only a few months ago, he could barely walk, still had difficulty talking and was happy to be alive.
"I used to be the wildest guy on the go-kart track," said Nadeau, 33. "But when I recently got into a kart, I was so afraid somebody would hit me. I was scared stiff of getting whacked."
Nadeau, a former World Karting Association champion, had every reason to be nervous. He had spent two weeks in a coma after his huge wreck, suffering a closed-head injury, not to mention a partially collapsed left lung, fractured shoulder blade and busted rib cage.
In the hours after the crash, Nadeau was touch and go.
"I've been battling pretty hard since the accident," said Nadeau, who drove the No. 01 U.S. Army Pontiac for MB2 Motorsports. "Thank God I've been able to do stuff with my young daughter, Natalie Kate, and my wife, Jada. You just can't put a Band-Aid over this thing and go back. It takes time to heal."
Nadeau has no intention of climbing back into a race car until he's good and ready. Veteran Joe Nemechek will drive Nadeau's Pontiac in the last two races of the season, including Sunday at Rockingham, N.C., and is contracted to run a full season in the Army entry next year.
If Nadeau feels comfortable, he might - and he stresses might - drive in an ARCA or Busch Grand National race around April or May.
"Could I drive at Daytona? Who knows?" he said. "But once my brain tells me I'm ready, I'll do it. Right now, I don't think I could. Heck, I look perfect, but it's the internal (damage) I can't help."
Nadeau still can't feel much on his left side. Doctors predict it might be two to three years before he is fully recovered.
"I'm young, I'm walking, I'm staying active," he said. "And it's only been six months since Richmond. I've got my family, and that's the most important thing."
Nadeau's brush with death has reminded him that family comes first and foremost.
"I would have been one miserable dude without my daughter," he said. "She was born the day after this year's Daytona 500. I love my race car, but it didn't visit me in the hospital."
Nadeau knows he's a lucky man. Close friend and fellow racer Tony Renna was killed Oct. 22 while testing an IRL car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Renna's death stunned and saddened Nadeau, a former top open-wheel driver.
"I visited Tony's mom and dad last week in Florida," said Nadeau, who was Renna's teammate during their Formula Opel days in Europe in the mid-`90s. "We looked over old photos. Tony was an awesome kid. I'm just sorry God took him too soon."
Nadeau's accident hasn't clouded his memory. Although he was unconscious at the scene of his accident, he remembers emerging from his coma a couple of weeks later and calling his team manager, Jay Frye, and crew chief, Ryan Pemberton. He also recalls eating breakfast with his parents in the hospital.
"I'm fortunate," said Nadeau, who grew up in Danbury, Conn., and lives in Mooresville, N.C. "I can take the garbage out, mow the lawn and do all the things the average guy does. Four months of rehabilitation has worked wonders. I finished my last speech therapy class last Friday."
In January, Nadeau visited U.S. troops stationed in Kuwait. He drove tanks, shared meals and signed autographs for the soldiers. The Army hasn't forgotten him, he said.
"Hey, I couldn't have asked for a better sponsor," Nadeau said. "The soldiers are great supporters. The Army knows I'm hurt, but they are willing to work with me. My dad was in the Army for three years. I've learned many solid values from him and the troops."
Since the wreck, Nadeau has visited his team on the Winston Cup circuit. On Sept. 5, he returned to Richmond to thank track emergency workers and medical staff at Virginia Commonwealth University medical center. Mostly, he has preferred to remain in the background, though.
"I'm not a flamboyant guy," Nadeau said. "I've spoken to Ricky Craven and Steve Park on the phone. They suffered serious head injuries, too. Ward Burton and Jimmie Johnson have also called me. But, really, I've kept to myself."
As part of his recovery, Nadeau has built a two-seat race car simulator, which he houses at his race shop.
"I practice every day," he said. "It's great for the reflexes."
Nadeau will compete Saturday with Ernie Irvan, who twice suffered life-threatening head injuries in racing, the first time at Michigan International Speedway. Nadeau will drive against young drivers, old racers and those with little or no experience. He's not expecting too much.
"Well, it's something to keep me moving," said Nadeau, whose one Winston Cup victory came in the 2000 season finale. "We'll drive rain or shine, and it should be fun. The karts are all equal, so no one will have an advantage."
Although Nadeau would like to win, he won't push it just yet.
"When I'm capable of doing what I used to do, I'm going to come back and attack every racetrack," Nadeau said. "But I can't rush. I want to make sure my head is ready to do it. I want people to see me as a recovered brain-injury patient who succeeded."
