Ted Musgrave battled cancer earlier this year

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Musgrave has battled cancer this season, team owner says
By DAVE KALLMANN
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

AVONDALE, Ariz. - Truck series championship contender Ted Musgrave battled cancer early this season, his team owner revealed Saturday.
"We were winning races while he was going to the doctor on Monday getting chemotherapy," Jim Smith, owner of Ultra Motorsports, said in an interview with a publicist for Dodge.

Musgrave, 48, formerly of Franklin, Wis., was not available a day after finishing second at Phoenix International Raceway in the series' second-last race of the season.

His wife, Debi, was stricken with leukemia years ago.

Musgrave has won three times this season and ranks second in the standings, 26 points behind Brendan Gaughan, and has scored 13 victories since coming to the series three years ago.

"I think if anybody's deserving of (a championship), it's Ted Musgrave," Smith said.
 
I have seen first hand what Chemo. can do to a person. So that reason alone hope he wins the championship. :D
 
Originally posted by park30fan@Nov 1 2003, 08:42 PM
Musgrave has battled cancer this season, team owner says
By DAVE KALLMANN
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

AVONDALE, Ariz. - Truck series championship contender Ted Musgrave battled cancer early this season, his team owner revealed Saturday.
"We were winning races while he was going to the doctor on Monday getting chemotherapy," Jim Smith, owner of Ultra Motorsports, said in an interview with a publicist for Dodge.

Musgrave, 48, formerly of Franklin, Wis., was not available a day after finishing second at Phoenix International Raceway in the series' second-last race of the season.

His wife, Debi, was stricken with leukemia years ago.

Musgrave has won three times this season and ranks second in the standings, 26 points behind Brendan Gaughan, and has scored 13 victories since coming to the series three years ago.

"I think if anybody's deserving of (a championship), it's Ted Musgrave," Smith said.
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He's gone through a lot, and I hope he can get the championship as well ! :)
 
Is it really Jim Smith's business telling everyone that Ted was battling cancer? If I were Ted I would have felt more comfortable talking about it on my own terms. Hope that all is well and I wish him luck with the Truck championship.
 
If Ted wanted the fans and media to know he was battling cancer, I would think it would be up to Ted, and no one else, to make that fact known.

The fans and media have reached a point of complete and utter disregard for peoples personal privacy. They need to take a step or two back and put themselves into the shoes of their favorite sports figure; how would they like every aspect of their personal lives examined and discussed publicly by complete strangers who have no need nor right to know or discuss these things.

Oh yeah, the fans are concerned for "their driver". I beg your pardon people, but you do not "own" any other person and even though these sports professionals are famous because they are sports professionals, the fans and media still have no "right" to personal information.

The whole situation has gone beyond the point of belief; I've actually seen middle aged women try to follow some of the younger drivers (no names mentioned) into the men's room at the track. They were quite upset when security personal stopped them; in one case it took two of the security people to literally drag the fan out of the restroom.
The language and abuse from this "lady" would have shocked the most profane sailor I've ever met. She honestly felt that because she was a fan of this particular driver that she had every "right" to accompany him into the men's room.

In other words, folks, you do not "own" these drivers; if you have any human decency left in your bodies, let them have at least a small amount of privacy, some little bit of a personal life, that you as fans have no need to be told about.

In other words, there are some things that are simply none of your business!
 
Uh.... how do we know that Ted didn't already approve the release of that info through the team owner.

Maybe Ted didn't feel comfortable about bringing up the subject but told Smith that it was OK for him to mention it.

I think that maybe we are making too many assumptions here.

Just my opinion........ much ado about nothing.
 
Originally posted by Guido@Nov 2 2003, 10:07 AM
Uh.... how do we know that Ted didn't already approve the release of that info through the team owner.

Maybe Ted didn't feel comfortable about bringing up the subject but told Smith that it was OK for him to mention it.

I think that maybe we are making too many assumptions here.

Just my opinion........ much ado about nothing.
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Or it could have been his owner Jim Smith shooting his mouth off too. Either way, I agree with both you & Bob. Ted got out of racing a few years ago when Debi was sick w/o a lot of fanfare.
 
Originally posted by Guido@Nov 2 2003, 10:07 AM
Uh.... how do we know that Ted didn't already approve the release of that info through the team owner.

Maybe Ted didn't feel comfortable about bringing up the subject but told Smith that it was OK for him to mention it.
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You, I, and just about every person out there would not care for another person disclosing something as horrible as cancer. If Ted told Jim to talk to the media about it I would question as to why? Very strange circumstances if you ask me.
 
Originally posted by N2racin88@Nov 2 2003, 12:33 PM
/QUOTE]
You, I, and just about every person out there would not care for another person disclosing something as horrible as cancer.
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Again, that is YOUR opinion and how You feel.
You know nothing about me!

Since I HAVE had cancer, if I had desired to have that information released by certain individuals (and I did), that would be my decision.

What I tried to say in my post and what 17Fan has somewhat indirectly acknowledged by agreeing with both Bob and me, we don't really know what Ted and his team owner discussed.

Therefore, I stand by my statement "much ado about nothing" until we find out the truth.......... if ever.
 
Originally posted by Guido@Nov 2 2003, 12:25 PM
Again, that is YOUR opinion and how You feel. 
You know nothing about me!

Since I HAVE had cancer, if I had desired to have that information released by certain individuals (and I did), that would be my decision.



Therefore, I stand by my statement "much ado about nothing" until we find out the truth.......... if ever.
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I am sorry for you to have to go through cancer. I hope that all is well. I also apologize for lumping you into a group. I still stand by that fact that IMO it is very odd for another person not related disclosing something very personal as cancer to the media. If Ted told Jim to tell the media then I guess that is how he wanted to handle it. I just find it hard to believe that others in that situation would choose to handle that way.
 
Originally posted by N2racin88+Nov 2 2003, 01:45 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (N2racin88 @ Nov 2 2003, 01:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--Guido@Nov 2 2003, 12:25 PM
Again, that is YOUR opinion and how You feel. 
You know nothing about me!

Since I HAVE had cancer, if I had desired to have that information released by certain individuals (and I did), that would be my decision.



Therefore, I stand by my statement "much ado about nothing" until we find out the truth.......... if ever.
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I am sorry for you to have to go through cancer. I hope that all is well. I also apologize for lumping you into a group. I still stand by that fact that IMO it is very odd for another person not related disclosing something very personal as cancer to the media. If Ted told Jim to tell the media then I guess that is how he wanted to handle it. I just find it hard to believe that others in that situation would choose to handle that way. [/b][/quote]
N2....all is well with me.
Thank you for your concern.

It was almost 3 years ago......... prostate cancer. I did give my team owner at the race shop the go-ahead to tell anyone that inquired about me and to tell anyone he wished.

Why? For one thing, I immediately went for an operation so that I could be cancer free. Did not have time to tell very many people about it until I got back to work. And my team owner was not only an employer but a good friend and a decent person that I knew would treat this information in a sensible way and help spread the word to other men that may not believe in going for check-ups.

But mainly because I have felt (and still do) that it is important to encourage other men to get an annual exam. It has been a personal crusade for me. The exam saved my life....... at 57, I hope to be around for a few more years.

Maybe I am different in my approach to this disease. I believe in talking about it. Ted may feel differently. I don't have a clue as to what type of cancer he has. With chemo involved, it might be somewhat more serious than my personal experience.
I hope that Smith didn't take it upon himself to relese that info with out Ted's approval. We may never know for sure.

No need to apologize...... no offense was taken. :)
 
Ted speaks about his cancer


Musgrave fights for title while fighting cancer
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive November 3, 2003
5:14 PM EST (2214 GMT)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Ted Musgrave has fought all season for a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship while at the same time battling cancer.

Ultra Motorsports owner Jim Smith revealed his driver's struggle this season over the weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, where Musgrave finished second in Friday's Chevy Silverado 150.

Smith made his statement in praising Musgrave, who has won 13 truck races since joining Smith's team for the 2001 season.

Now, with one race -- the Nov. 14 Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- remaining in the season, Musgrave stands a better-than-average chance of winning both wars.

"At no time has this illness interfered with my duties as the driver of the No. 1 Mopar Dodge," Musgrave said Monday. "It has not dampened my desire to capture the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship for Ultra Motorsports."

After his second place finish at PIR, Musgrave trails championship leader and fellow Dodge driver Brendan Gaughan by 26 points heading to Homestead. Musgrave has won three races this season, in May, June and September.

"We were winning races while he was going to the doctor on Monday getting chemotherapy," Smith said. "I think if anybody's deserving of (this championship), it's Ted Musgrave. They said I'm deserving of it. I think he's equally if not more deserving."

When Smith made his statements, Musgrave had already left Phoenix and was unavailable. Monday, he spoke out.

"I want to take the time to thank everyone for their concern and support that they've exhibited over the past few days," Musgrave said. "It's true that I've been diagnosed with cancer and have received treatment for it over the course of the 2003 Craftsman Truck Series season.

"The important thing for everyone to know is that I have a very treatable form of cancer and by all indications the treatment that I have received has done what it was designed to do. At this point my cancer seems to be in complete remission."

The Musgrave family has faced the specter of cancer previously. In the recent past Musgrave's wife, Debi has battled leukemia and her cancer, as well, is in remission.

"I want to thank my team owner Jim Smith, all the employees at Ultra Motorsports and especially all the fans for their continued support," Musgrave said. "My family and I will continue to deal with this issue in a private manner, but I want to assure everyone that at this point my health is in good shape."

Smith said he saw no reason that Musgrave would not continue in the No. 1 Mopar truck.

"My plans are to continue as the driver of the Ultra Motorsports No. 1 Mopar Dodge for next year and beyond," Musgrave said. "My focus now is on going to Homestead-Miami Speedway next week and doing everything I can do to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship."
 
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