Haskovec seriously injured in Infineon AMA FX race

[The Doctor]

Posting full texts of both press releases. First describes crash, second lists conditions and card information, if anyone is interested. Sad for Vincent, he's a helluva rider. Prayers and hope he recovers fully and is back in action later on. :(

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2005/May/e/n050515a.htm

HASKOVEC INJURED AT INFINEON

Team M4 EMGO Suzuki's Vincent Haskovec suffered a serious injury from a crash at Infineon Raceway on Saturday. The 31-year old Czech-born rider was transported by helicopter to the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. The team is currently awaiting a full report from the doctors.

Vincent fell victim to a crash in a high-speed corner in the Formula Xtreme race, slid through a grassy area, and came into contact with a steel barrier fronted by a single row of tires. There were no soft barriers in the turn.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2005/May/y051505a.htm

Statement from Team M4 EMGO Suzuki Regarding The Condition of Rider Vincent Haskovec Who Was Injured in a Single-Bike Incident During the Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Feature on Saturday

Haskovec was admitted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital on Saturday. Hospital doctors have diagnosed him to have a punctured lung, broken ribs, broken clavicle and a back injury. Hospital doctors list him in stable condition; he is awake and alert. Hospital doctors plan to perform surgery on Haskovec's back within the next two days, once swelling in the region subsides. He will remain at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, at the discretion of hospital doctors. The incident took place at Turn 5, bringing out the red flag.

Further information will be released as it becomes available. The hospital has requested that interested parties please refrain from calling as they are unable to speak with anyone over the phone.

Cards should be sent to:
Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital ICU
Patient: Vincent Haskovec
1165 Montgomery Dr.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(Please, no fresh flowers. They are not allowed in the ICU.)

[Sean O'Gorman]

Yikes, hope he can make a full recovery and that his accident causes them to re-evaluate any safety flaws that may have been the case today.

[lone_groover]

Yikes, hope he can make a full recovery and that his accident causes them to re-evaluate any safety flaws that may have been the case today.


You mean like sheer cement walls and berms and embankments where runoff should be? Or the bumpy, abrupt surface changes in mid-corner?

"Checker" will live, it looks like. Let's hope he walks.

:shakehead :(

[Sean O'Gorman]

Obviously I didn't see the accident, was the problem with the track that obvious? A real shame if it was. :(

[lone_groover]

They're not gonna show the Xtreme race on SPEED 'til Tues. afternoon.

Here's the original report from AMA SOUP (http://superbikeplanet.com/2005/May/e/n050515a.htm)

Sears Point has always been the MOST un-suitable roadrace facility for motorbikes, and the "upgrades" they performed for 'NECKCAR have not done ANYTHING to ameliorate the dangers.

:thumdown:

[JoeBob]

They showed the wreck on SPEED News, but it looked like they cut the video before the crash was over. Looked to me like he bounced into the tire wall, and the bike hit him right after he hit the wall.

Hopefully he'll recover to race again.

[RichK]

They're not gonna show the Xtreme race on SPEED 'til Tues. afternoon.

Here's the original report from AMA SOUP (http://superbikeplanet.com/2005/May/e/n050515a.htm)

Sears Point has always been the MOST un-suitable roadrace facility for motorbikes, and the "upgrades" they performed for 'NECKCAR have not done ANYTHING to ameliorate the dangers.

:thumdown:

A lot of people won't do trackdays or club races at Sears Point. Every time I've been there to watch bikes race, the Medevac choppers make an appearance. :(

I hope he ends up okay, I really liked his enthusiasm and attitude after winning this year.

[lone_groover]

UPDATE (http://superbikeplanet.com/2005/May/050516vh.htm) from superbikeplanet.com

Hope for some good news.

[The Doctor]

Currently paralyzed from the chest down. :( :( :(
Get well Vincent!

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2005/May/e/n050518a.htm

Update On Vincent Haskovec of Lake Elsinore, California
Rider for Team Hammer, Inc., which races as Team M4 EMGO Suzuki

Team M4 EMGO Suzuki's Vaclav 'Vincent' Haskovec, 31, was seriously injured in a high-speed single-bike crash at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California during Saturday's AMA Formula Xtreme race. After he lost control and was flung from his racebike at over 100 mph, Haskovec flew back-first into a steel barrier fronted by a stack of car tires, and then was struck by his motorcycle.

Haskovec suffered a broken collarbone, broken ribs, a punctured lung and a shattered T6 vertebra, with paralysis below the chest.

On Monday night, May 16, surgeons inserted hardware designed to stabilize the broken section of his spine, and removed bone fragments from his spinal cord. Haskovec may be transferred to a rehabilitation facility as early as later this week, and his long-term prognosis is unknown.

The team has set up an e-mail account to receive messages for Vincent, getwellvincent@gmail.com, and more than 1000 e-mails had arrived by the close of business Tuesday. The flood of e-mails sent from all corners of the world continues to be a source of comfort for Vincent, his family and his close friends.

While some parts of the Infineon road course featured soft barriers designed to absorb impact, there were no soft barriers placed in front of the tire wall and steel barrier Haskovec hit. Following his crash, soft barriers were deployed in front of the barrier.

The entire Team M4 EMGO Suzuki crew thanks fans for their support of Vincent, and urges racetrack operators and motorcycle sanctioning bodies to focus on pro-actively placing soft barriers not just in front of walls that motorcycle racers have hit, but instead, in front of walls racers may hit.

Additional information on Haskovec's condition will be released as it becomes available, and will also be posted on www.teamhammer.com .