Donlavey Injured in Auto Accident: Junie Donlavey, owner of the #90 Dukes Mayo/Sauer’s Fords driven by Rick Mast, suffered cracked ribs on his left side and a cracked right kneecap in a traffic accident Thursday night after arriving in California. “We were just driving along when, all of a sudden, this car comes out of a side street running 60 or 70 mph and he nailed us,” said Donlavey, 78. “If we would have been a fraction quicker, he would have gotten us right in the door. As it was, he caught us right in front of the door. ” It was unbelievable. I’ve never been in a wreck like that. In 1939, I laid my A-model Ford over on its side, but that’s the only other wreck I’ve been in.” Donlavey and team manager Jason Hedlesky were in the car. They’d just landed at Riverside airport and were heading to their hotel in Pomona when the wreck happened. Hedlesky escaped major injuries, but he and Donlavey were both treated at a hospital in Fontana and released. Hedlesky said he called 911 after making sure Donlavey and the driver of the other car were OK, but had trouble getting help since he didn’t know exactly where they were. Mast flew out on the same plane with Donlavey and Hedlesky, but was in another car. “They were following me to Interstate 10,” Mast said. “We went through a light and then an intersection. I looked in the mirror and I didn’t see them behind me.” Mast kept going but got a call from Hedlesky and turned back. “I absolutely couldn’t believe it,” Mast said. “Those cars were absolutely torn all to pieces. I said to myself, ‘How in the world did they survive this?’ But they did.” Donlavey and Hedlesky were both wearing seat belts and the car’s air bags also deployed properly.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-26-2002) UPDATE: during FX’s coverage of Happy Hour practice, it was mentioned that Donlavey is fine and at the track for the weekend.(4-27-2002)
