For former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver J.J. Yeley, being forced to sit idle and watch races as opposed to driving in them has been one of the toughest things he’s had to endure since he first began racing 16 years ago. Everything changed the night of Aug. 22 for the Phoenix native when the Sprint Bandit car he was driving at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., quickly turned Yeley into a passenger on a wild, hair-raising ride. The race had just restarted for the third time when the 2003 USAC Triple Crown champion, who was running third at the time, took off into turn one. As he went into the corner, his car caught the track, flipped and barrel-rolled at least eight times. Although Yeley thought he had nothing more than a sore neck following the crash, he soon learned that he had fractured three vertebrae. Since that night, Yeley has worn a neck collar and undergone neck surgery, where doctors fused two vertebrae with screws and a metal plate. And now, just a month after the outpatient surgery, the 33-year-old is working out daily to rebuild the muscles in his neck and shoulders. So far, his healing process has been speedy, above average according to the specialists and doctors Yeley has spoken with in the last two months. With one more test to pass, he hopes to be cleared by doctors in December, which he says is just in time for the 2010 racing season. With that in mind, Yeley, who has 95 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts and 118 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts, has been working the phones, talking to prospective teams and sponsors about a return to the sport that he loves. Being a spectator has refueled Yeley’s passion, and he is ready to race again.
Will you have an announcement soon about your plans for 2010? “That’s been the major hurdle. Obviously, the economy has hurt every form of racing there is. We’re getting closer and closer to getting something 100 percent signed. Hopefully, in the next two to three weeks, things will go like they are looking and we’ll be able to make an announcement and let everyone know what’s going on with J.J. Yeley and the future for 2010.”
See interview including Yeley’s comments about the accident, rehab, recovery, the Chili Bowl, on my MISC Drivers page – JJ Yeley or at True Speed Communication)(11-11-2009)
