# My wreck at the track and lessons learned



## thermalangel (Mar 17, 2008)

Hello members,
I'm new here and found the group when searching for some information on Google.  I am in the medical device business.  Recently, I was in an accident at a race track (Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, TX), and it was quite an experience.  As a patient, I wanted to let you guys know my thoughts and say a thanks to the profession for the service you all provide.

The accident was about a month ago.  A bunch of my buddies were asking for details, so I wrote up the rambling notes below.  People seem to find it interesting, because I've heard from a lot of people who have read it, but I don't know them.  

You probably never hear it from your patients, but thanks for doing what you do!

Jay Lopez

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Ok, here are my notes and lessons learned about the MSR wreck from Sunday.

Regular video (look in the upper left corner): http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2709850543693662346


It was a street legal 911 GT3 Ruf that was driven to the track.

I rode in the car with the driver.  The video is from a driver in another 911 on the track who was coming out of Big Bend.

The car has a roll bar, racing seats, 6 point harnesses, no window nets, and we both had racing suits on.  We were using a Chatterbox mic system, going over his line during the first 2 run sessions of the day.  I had just put down my face shield because a piece of dirt got in my eye.

The track was set up in the 3.1 configuration.  We were coming up the hill from the new section of the track to the old section of the track, in the counterclockwise direction.  Because the car is so strong, we were going at least 100mph up the hill.  After we crested the hill, we started down towards the turn in point on the right side of the track.  About 20-30 feet short of the turn in cone, we had two wheels go off on the right.  The driver didn’t realize that we had two wheels off, and started turning the car left.  We then shot left across the track, and we were facing the inside edge curbing, about 30 feet short of the apex cone.  I thought to myself, “this is going to really mess up his front spoiler.  I bet these are expensive…”   The front left tire hit the curbing, then the middle of the car between the wheels, and then the right tire.  The impact was so fast and hard that I remember everything going black, and hearing heavy, crunching sounds, and the sound of our weight skipping on rocky dirt with gaps in the noise.  I had no sense of up or down, but remember getting thrown around violently.  I do remember thinking to myself, “Well, at least I have my will in order and the medical directive is all set up if this doesn’t work out well…”

I don’t remember coming to a stop, but we ended rightside up, on the trackout side of the turn, towards the lake, facing the direction of the track if we had been on it.  I remember being pulled out of the car, and later found out that the guy from the 911 behind us (you can see it in the video) was the first one to us, and he pulled me out.  The driver unbuckled my harnesses, and I was able to get up and walk away, dizzy.  I lost the sense of time, but the EMS crew was there very fast, as I was sitting down in the grass when I realized one of the EMS guys was talking to me.  I started gaining my senses back at that point, but my memory was fuzzy.

The driver was able to get out also, and we were both checking on each other and the damage.  The only physical mark on either one of us was a small cut above his nose.  I had lost the eyeport shield from my helmet, and the Chatterbox system was broken and laid about a dozen feet away.  The engine was on fire which they were putting out, and the front right tire was gone.  The front end of the car was squished into the middle of the trunk, and the left tire was jammed at about a  45 degree angle from vertical.   The passenger seat was tilted towards the door, so I’m not sure if it shifted when the bottom of the car hit the curbing, or that it shifted during one of the rollovers.   The rear spoiler and a bunch of other parts were scattered on the infield, across the track, and the trackout area of the grass.  The roof was solidly intact, and just dented down about a few inches.  The airbags had blown, and I didn’t ever see them coming or going, so I don’t know when they inflated.  The windshield frame was intact, and I can’t remember what the actual windshield looked like.

The MSR crew and EMS team did a great job getting to us, and cleaning up the mess.  I had driven my truck out there, and told the EMS that I would drive back to Dallas and go to the ER there.  I was starting to get a big headache, and knew that my neck and muscles were going to be in a lot of pain.  The driver called a friend who was coming out to pick him up.

We rode back in the MSR pickup to one of the garages, while pulling the car on a flat bed trailer.  As you can expect, there was quite a crowd by that point.   I don’t have any pictures of the car, but I don’t think it will be repaired.  One of the drivers told us he had video of the accident, and showed us his hi def camcorder with the footage.

I left Cresson and started driving back to Dallas.  Realizing that I would be in the ER waiting room for a few hours, I stopped at Burger King for some tasty chicken strips.  This was the first time that I realized that I had some injury from the chin strap of the helmet.  It cut up my throat and bruised my skin and esophagus, and I took a small chunk out of the side of my tongue when I bit it during a rollover.  While quite the finger food, it was hard to swallow the delectable bird, but I soldiered on.

When I got to Dallas, Mary and I went to Baylor ER, and waited for about an hour for the triage station.  The nurse’s eyes bugged out when I told her what happened, and she was wondering why and how I drove all the way back to Dallas.  They then put me in a neck collar to hold my head still, in the event that I had brain bleeding.  I felt ok, but the soreness was starting to really get cranked up.

They brought me into the ER bay, and threatened to cut off my favorite Spam t-shirt.  I protested enough that they left it on me, untouched by the destructive blades of a pair of scissors, and hooked up the cardio equipment to my chest to get some readings.  They then took me to the CAT scan, which strangely enough has a small enough hole for a cat, and they jammed me in there for a few minutes.  I felt like I was back in the womb, except it smelled like Pine-Sol.

Next, they did some Xrays, asked me a bunch of questions, and asked about the accident some more.  The driver called me while I was there to check in, and said he was going to go to the doctor’s office the next day.  My attending doctor said he needs to go right away to the ER because if his brain is bleeding, he won’t see it coming and it will kill him quickly.  So the driver and his wife went to the ER for their checkup (he’s ok also).

I got to see the video last night, and was shocked at the violence of the crash.  I got a much better video today with higher resolution, and it was even more surprising to see how it all happened.  I can’t believe we lived through that.

Lessons Learned:
-------------------------
Rollbars are great.  That one saved us.

I need to look into a HANS or similar head/neck restraint.

The harnesses and racing seats worked great.  I’m sore on my entire upper body from getting thrashed around against the roof, door, harnesses, and my helmet strap.  My legs, knees, etc. are surprisingly unbruised or sore.

Never underestimate the hunger of a man, even after he’s been tossed about in a car wreck at around 100 mph.

“US Weekly” has a great cover story about Jessica and it’s an exclusive “I think they’re getting married”.

After a full day of watching court tv shows, aka Judge Judy, etc, I have come to realize that our country is full of idiots, and we are all doomed.

“Hot Pockets” have a well deserved reputation as America’s best food.  While sitting in a recliner, watching the aforementioned court shows, while draped in heating pads, a warm “Hot Pocket (meatball flavor)” fits nicely in the crevice of your lap next to the Tivo remote and your Treo.

Tiger Balm is making little sticky pads now, that don’t leave your clothes stained with an orange goo.  The Chinese have finally figured out a way to take over our country.  While the first pad will be shockingly cold when first exposed to the air (prior to its nuclear fission warming countdown), you can pre-heat one with your hair dryer  (note to self: add a hair dryer to the crevice in my lap for future convenience).

My lovely Mary is great, a fantastic caring person and nurse, and my best friend.  My scalp has never seen so many massages…zzzz……

Pain=bad
Vicodin=good
Typing on your Treo while hopped up on Vicodin=funny

Neck immobilization collars do a great job.  I took mine home, and will take it on my next airplane flight to keep me from slumping over on the sweaty fat guy next to me.

I am lucky to be part of a group of great people in the area who are passionate about the sport and support each other.  Thanks to all for the kind thoughts and good wishes!


Your friend,
Jay Lopez

PS.  I wonder if my lucky streak will continue.  I have decided that I will win the lottery tonight.  Anyone want to go in halfsies?


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## paramedix (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanx for saying thanx to the medics. Although I was a couple thousand miles away...

The feedback is great (lessons learned and experience), nice to get another view point.


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## thermalangel (Mar 25, 2008)

No problem.  You guys don't hear "thanks" enough.
Jay


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## VentMedic (Mar 25, 2008)

thermalangel said:


> *The MSR crew and EMS team did a great job getting to us, and cleaning up the mess. * I had driven my truck out there, and *told the EMS that I would drive back to Dallas and go to the ER there. * I was starting to get a big headache, and knew that my neck and muscles were going to be in a lot of pain.  The driver called a friend who was coming out to pick him up.
> 
> We rode back in the MSR pickup to one of the garages, while pulling the car on a flat bed trailer.  As you can expect, there was quite a crowd by that point.   I don’t have any pictures of the car, but I don’t think it will be repaired.  One of the drivers told us he had video of the accident, and showed us his hi def camcorder with the footage.
> 
> ...



Pardon me for asking, but what exactly did EMS do for you on scene?

I think you should be thanking a higher God than a Paramedic for your survival in this accident.


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## thermalangel (Mar 25, 2008)

There is definintely plenty of "thanks" to go around.  ;-)

The EMS crew is there onsite at the track, and respond to issues within about 30 seconds.  They sit there all day long, ready to roll at a moment's notice, and take a risk of getting hit out there themselves by a car that doesn't see the red flags.  We wouldn't be able enjoy our time on the track if they didn't make the sacrifices to help improve our safety.  If I had needed much more serious attention, I would have had it immediately, and for that, I'm grateful!


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## Chimpie (Mar 25, 2008)

VentMedic said:


> Pardon me for asking, but what exactly did EMS do for you on scene?



I inquire this info also.  Just from the MOI, if I was treating, you would have been collared, backboarded, and transported.  Plain and simple.



VentMedic said:


> I think you should be thanking a higher God than a Paramedic for your survival in this accident.



I concur.


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## MedicPrincess (Mar 25, 2008)

Chimpie said:


> Just from the MOI, if I was treating, you would have been collared, backboarded, and transported. Plain and simple.


 
I've worked lots of these races.  We have dirt track here that hosts some pretty big races, that even bring some of the NASCAR drivers too.

One thing I have learned is, these "Mans Man" guys don't go to the ER unless they are unconscious and we can get them packaged and enroute before they wake up, bones are sticking out, limbs are no longer shaped the way they should be (and transport by EMS is iffy in that case), or their wife is there beratting them until they give in.

Same thing with rodeo/bull riders!

To Thermalangel.....Glad to hear your doing well.


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## thermalangel (Mar 25, 2008)

MedicPrincess said:


> I've worked lots of these races.  We have dirt track here that hosts some pretty big races, that even bring some of the NASCAR drivers too.
> 
> One thing I have learned is, these "Mans Man" guys don't go to the ER unless they are unconscious and we can get them packaged and enroute before they wake up, bones are sticking out, limbs are no longer shaped the way they should be (and transport by EMS is iffy in that case), or their wife is there beratting them until they give in.
> 
> ...



You owe me a new monitor.  I just laughed so hard I spit Coke on my screen.


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## VentMedic (Mar 25, 2008)

MedicPrincess said:


> One thing I have learned is, these "Mans Man" guys don't go to the ER unless they are unconscious and we can get them packaged and enroute before they wake up, bones are sticking out, limbs are no longer shaped the way they should be (and transport by EMS is iffy in that case), or their wife is there beratting them until they give in.
> 
> Same thing with rodeo/bull riders!
> 
> To Thermalangel.....Glad to hear your doing well.



I have a couple of those "Mans Man" on ventilators in the Subacute Vent Farm here in South Florida that were transferred from hospitals near race tracks in the central and northern part of the state.  One resident (those who permanently reside in the subacute) I know for sure didn't want to be packaged until he was out of view of bystanders.  I think he would like to retract his lack of good sense and regain use of his body.


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## reaper (Mar 26, 2008)

There are just certain ways you have to deal with them. I always get them to do what I think is needed.

Used to be one myself, so I know just what to say!!


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## indygirl14 (Mar 28, 2008)

With Motor Sports EMS being the direction I'm trying to head in...and I've been around it my whole life...

Biggest piece of advice I can give you...INVEST IN A HANS DEVICE.  I believe Simpson Race products and the other manufacturers will even assist you with financing of the device if needed.


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