Crawford suffered a fractured left foot, and Gordon fractured her right ankle. Crawford was treated and released. Joey Clanton, who hit the wall on Lap 88 in an unrelated incident, was given a CAT scan, which came back negative. He was released. Parker Jr. suffered a back injury and will be held overnight at the hospital. It is believed that Parker’s injury will not require surgery, and Parker could be released as early as Sunday.(NASCAR.com)(3-14-2004)
UPDATE II on Injuries: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Hank Parker Jr. was expected to be released from Atlanta Medical Center about 12:00noon/et Sunday and return to Charlotte, NC. He sustained a back injury in an accident in Saturday’s truck race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which also sent Rick Crawford and Tina Gordon to the hospital. Crawford suffered broken bones in his left foot and Gordon broke her lower-right leg. Both were released Saturday. Joey Clanton was involved in another accident and went to the hospital for a precautionary CT scan. He was also released Saturday.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-14-2004)
UPDATE III 3-15-2004: Both Alabama drivers injured in Saturday’s NASCAR trucks series race are out of the hospital and recovering. Tina Gordon marked her 35th birthday on Sunday at home in Cedar Bluff with a broken bone in her lower right leg. No cast was required, and doctors have told her to keep weight off the leg for a week. Rick Crawford of Mobile, who broke some bones in his left foot, was released from an Atlanta hospital on Saturday. The crash came in the first race for the trucks at Atlanta. Gordon’s truck was hit twice as it spun down the backstretch. Crawford clipped the rear end, then Hank Parker Jr. slammed into Gordon. Parker was the last driver discharged from Atlanta Medical Center. He was released on Sunday after treatment for a crushed vertebra.(Alabama Live)(3-15-2004)
UPDATE – Parker: Following the accident, Hank Parker, Jr. was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center and held overnight for observation. All precautionary tests came back negative and Hank was diagnosed as having a compression fracture of his L-2 vertebrae. After being released from the hospital Sunday afternoon, Hank had this to say, “It was a heck of a hit and my whole body is pretty sore, but I’ll get plenty of rest and be ready to get back on the track at Martinsville.” He continued, “My crew gave me a real hot rod, and I was looking forward to a great finish in my Sport Clips Toyota. I really appreciate Sport Clips sponsoring me for this one race deal, as well as the ongoing support of Toyota, Jenkins and Jenkins Attorneys at Law, and White House Foods. I especially want to thank all the fans for their thoughts and prayers; it means a lot to me to have their support. Parker Jr. and the #21 Toyota Tundra will make their next appearance on April 17, 2004, at the Kroger 250 when the Truck Series returns to action at Martinsville.(Catchfence)(3-16-2004)
UPDATE – Gordon: Tina Gordon is at home in Cedar Bluff, Alabama resting comfortably after a crash on lap 45 of the EasyCare Vehicle Service contracts 200 on Saturday at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Gordon suffered a concussion as well as a broken right fibula in the accident. On a positive note, these injuries were not to the same leg that was broken in a crash two years ago in Charlotte. Doctors did not cast the right leg, but did put it in a boot. Gordon will have to stay off of the leg for one to two weeks to let the fracture heal itself. While things do look positive for the next race, Gordon’s injuries will be evaluated again in a couple of weeks and a decision on her prognosis for the Martinsville race will be made at that time.
Tina would like to thank Duke and Rhonda Thorson and everyone else at ThorSport Racing as well as her sponsors, Vassarette lingerie and Microtel Inns & Suites for all of their support. Gordon and her family would also like to thank Ed Clark, Angela Revell, and the rest of the staff at Atlanta Motor Speedway for their help in getting her entourage to and from the hospital on Saturday. Tina’s thoughts are with Rick Crawford and Hank Parker, Jr., and she is hoping for a speedy recovery for them as well. She would also like to say thanks to all of the drivers and fans who have called and written with get well wishes.(Victory Lane Motorsports Management PR)(3-16-2004)
Updates: Three drivers injured during last Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway anticipate returning to competition next month at Martinsville Speedway.
The three – Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar RV & Motel Ford), Tina Gordon (No. 13 Vassarette/Microtel Chevrolet) and Hank Parker Jr. (No. 21 SportClips Toyota) – were involved in a Lap 45 incident on the 1.54-mile track’s backstretch.
Crawford sustained two fractures to the left foot; Gordon incurred a break of the fibula in her right leg. Both were treated at Atlanta Medical Center and released last Saturday (March 13) to the care of their personal physicians. Parker, hospitalized overnight for further evaluation of a compression fracture of the L-2 vertebra and released this past Sunday, continues to be evaluated by his personal physician.
Also, Joey Clanton (No. 40 Optech Chevrolet), involved in a Lap 88 incident, also was transported to Atlanta Medical Center where he underwent CAT scans. The scans were negative and Clanton was released, also last Saturday. All four competitors have stated their intentions to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ next event, the Kroger 250, on April 17 at Martinsville.(NASCAR PR)(3-18-2004)
