MarkD

[fzrbrandon]

Hi everyone,

I posted the following up over on the Archives and hope you don't mind me putting it up over here as well...

Hey everyone, I hope Mark doesn't hate me for doing this...

I just wanted to give a public shout-out to wish him a speedy recovery after getting pretty banged up from a yucky race crash on Sunday up at Willow Springs (collarbone, 4 ribs, punctured lung...). If any of you don't know him, he's a super-cool guy and a great rider to boot so I wish him well and can't wait to see him get back out there.

Get well soon bud!
Brandon

[sweekster]

I had a feeling it was Mark. Sorry to hear this being confirmed. Get well soon Mark!!

[China_Racer_1]

Ahh willow springs . I grew up on that track back in the later 80's what corner bit him?

Get well soon MarkD. man broken ribs sucks it hurts to do everything. especially sneeze.....ohhhhhhhh.

I remember that from more than one 'broken rib' crash I had in the past.

Get well soon MarkD speedy recovery bro.

Steve

[markd]

Thanks for the good wishes, all. (Brandon, not mad at all about posting, just mad at myself for dumping it.) I am healing up pretty well. 13 screws are now holding my collarbone back together, had broken into 4 pieces. Felt way better immediately after the surgery once the bones had been put back where they were supposed to be. The harder part to deal with is that I am now out of the running for the Vintage Lightweight championship, would have been cool to have a fizzer win it. As it stands, I may have enough points to hold onto 2nd, but depends on how everybody finishes. I'm definitely out for October, and probably November, too. (Need to save up some cash to rebuild the bike and replenish the bank account)

It was turn 3. Weird crash. I was dicing with a friend, Dave, on another FZR400 for 4th. I'd had a bad start, caught up, and driven around him in turn 8, just to get passed on the front straight right before turn 1 (he weighs 60 lbs less than me, so he's got me in the starts and straights). So i figured I'd just shadow him and try to go around him in 8 again on the last lap so he wouldn't have the full length of the straight to catch me before the finish line. Did this for a couple laps and then going into 3 thought I'd try the wider line he was taking. I was way early in the turn, and just starting to tip it in, trail braking, and suddenly i was trying to get up. Went from nearly vertical to down in a split second. Don't know if I just overcooked it (not sure though, would've thought I'd get deeper in before losing the front) or if the track was dirty there or maybe a bit of oil. Anyway, it happened so fast I didn't really learn anything, which bums me out. Don't want to be going into turn 3 next season with no confidence. Brandon had a pretty good view of it, maybe he can shed some light?

As a side note, Dave went around the omega and crashed in turn 5 a few seconds later and we ended up not too far from each other in the dirt. Fortunately he's unscathed, and I look forward to some more good dices next season.

Again, thanks for the well wishes guys!

PS: Steve you're right about sneezing. Had my first sneeze last week and nearly passed out.