BGN Accident Park/Foyt UPDATE 3: during the caution laps after the rain delay in the Darlington BGN race, with one lap to go, #14-Larry Foyt was driving past the lead lap cars to the front of the pack (lap down cars can restart on the inside line), as Foyt was heading towards the front, #31-Steve Park’s car suddenly veered left right into Foyt’s path. Foyt t-boned Park hard in the drivers side door area, Park also hit the inside wall hard. Foyt’s front end was pushed back quite a bit. TNT didn’t show either driver get out of the car, but Foyt’s window net was not down (an indication a driver is ok) and the safety workers took 15-20 minutes to get Park out of the car. Also a blue tarp was erected around Park’s car(which was a little scary). Park has been taken by Helicopter to a local hospital in Florence, SC. The Good News: TNT talked to a Darlington Raceway offcial Kathy Mock, who said Park was alert and conscious when removed from the car, no other word if there are any injuries. TNT has reported that Larry Foyt is ok, just a little ‘woozy’ and is getting some IV’s and is under observation. NASCAR.com reports He was moving all four extremities, Mock said, and he was alert and talking. Park’s status for the Southern 500 (or Happy Hour) is unknown at this time.(9-1-2001 – 2:40pm/et) UPDATE: TNT reported at 3:25pm/et that Steve Park has no serious injuries and will be held overnight for observation as he was unconscious when the safety workers reached the car. Kenny Wallace will drive the #1 Pennzoil Chevy in Winston Cup Happy Hour practice, no word on Park’s status for the Southern 500 on Sunday(9-1-2001 3:25pm/et) UPDATE 2: TNT reported at 4:05pm/et that Steve Park has had a CAT Scan of his head and chest which reveiled a moderate concussion and a fractured or dislocated left sternoclavicular joint, still no word on Park’s status for the Southern 500 but it looks doubtful. CNN/SI reports: Steve Park suffered a concussion, bruising to the left side of his neck and a separation of the collar bone where it meets the sternum. Park will be kept at nearby Carolinas Medical Center for observation. It was immediately reported that Kenny Wallace will drive Park’s Winston Cup car in Saturday’s Happy Hour, but no announcement was made on who might fill in for Park in Sunday’s Southern 500. AND from SpeedVision: Kenny Wallace will stand in for injured Steve Park in Saturday’s final practice and in Sunday’s Southern 500. Steve Hmiel, general manager for Dale Earnhardt Inc., said before practice Saturday that he hoped Park could start Sunday’s race, run one lap, then give way to Wallace. It is not known whether NASCAR officials would allow that. Park suffered a concussion, fracture or dislocation of the left sternoclavicular joint, and a bruised neck in a weird crash under caution in Saturday’s race.(9-1/3-2001) and…..
