Keep Scott Smallwood in Your Thoughts.

Wow...bad weekend. Please tell Scott I send my best.

 

hope he gets well soon. he should check out the guys at OrthoNeuro. i just had my surgery with Dr. Gittins from that group and they do a bang up job! great practice for sure. glad he's back home

 

Scott, heal up quickly. I am very sorry to hear that.

 

Smallwood update, from Scott, if you have not gotten it in your email box.



06.24.08

Scott Smallwood kisses tire wall @ Virginia International Raceway @ unforgiving velocity, during last weekend USGPRU competition:

OK, I hit the tire wall @ the bottom of the 'Hog Pen' turn (last turn, #17) @ Virginia International Raceway last weekend. In the melee I broke the C5 & C6 vertebrae, and I am quite lucky to be alive and not paralyzed.
I really can't say anything more about the crash, my last lap was in the 135's which is MUCH faster than I have EVER gone there, this pace was just behind Nobi & PJ on the Aprilia's...

What I would rather focus on is the quality of friends and family that I have both @ the track & beyond:

Erin McIntyre & Maxamillian: Patience is not the word that describes both of your attributes, I love you both and thank you for allowing a grown child get his rocks off, even when things go VERY wrong.
Marc Purslow: You are THE man, both Erin, Max & I thank you enormously for your never-ending acts of kindness!
Mike Aboyuon & Chrisy Chin: Very few people would allow a man to borrow a gp bike knowing it would not be ridden lightly, thanx guys, I owe you big (bin o' parts).
Jeff Reagan: D'nozzle, thanx for the words of encouragement & help w/ the transport of goods home.
Glen Pison & Science:Thanx for all of the help this past weekend, it must be the scourge of VIR...?
Pete Cline: Thanks for the legwork, concern & logistics, blackberry a go!
Thrice: Who carries a spare water impellor, YOU DO, and you rock!
Marcus Matthews, Ian, Don & Sis Kiuvanin: Thanx for helping load up the gear & such.
Stew A-Cade: For a great event & great race in GT lights, nice work.
Redline Powersports, Rev'It, Cameron Photo, Corner 2 Racing, Basi Italia, Doghouse, Motul, Bridgestone, On Cycle: Thanx for you're unfloundering support!!!

Anyone who I forgot, thanx in hindsight I am VERY, VERY groggy...

To all those that expresses concern, thank you! I will be OK, it may take some time, I may not be able to shave (eeeshhh), and who knows when I may race again as I am already looking forward to getting out, hopefully, on the track...

 

Get Well Scott!

I spent some time with Scott, Erin, and little Max last night at their house. All are doing reasonably well, everything considered.

He is still in quite a bit of pain, but Scott was lucid, smiling, and in generally good spirits. It's good for him to be back home, and he's going to be resting up for the next several days. The next step is to find a suitable specialist in the Columbus area to re-evaluate him sometime next week. Erin has been getting a bit of a run-around by the medical establishment so far, but I hope they'll be able to find a good local doctor soon. If anyone has any Columbus-area connections, please offer them up via PM.

Scott ran a helluva race after his slow start (on a borrowed bike with a different clutch lever action). His times decreased every lap in the race, and his last lap was 1:35 and change, by far the best he's ever run there and not far off the leaders' pace (on faster bikes). Hell, Josh Hayes was there and only qualified for his race with a 1:29 on a Pro Supersport (600cc) class machine. Scott can leave VIR knowing that he truly left it all out on the track!

I shot hundreds of images of many riders this past weekend but, out of tribute to Scott, I'm only going to post just one. It's not the sharpest image, not the most detailed, but it does give one a sense of Scott's intensity as he exits turn #14 and heads downhill on one wheel to setup for the next turn during the earlier GT Lites race. It was turn #17 just a few hundred feet further that threw a wrench into the USGPRU 125cc final and the entire weekend. But this image is really how I want to remember this time:

http://www.localriders.com/forums/showthread.php?p=103000

Get well, Scott!

Jeff

 

Apparently I got there shorty after you left, Jeff. It was great to see him cracking jokes and moving around well. He's going to be just fine.

We're going back over tonight to help unload his stuff. Shoot over if you get the chance; it'd be good to see you again.

 

Scott

Jordan--glad to hear that you were able to see Scott last night. I'd like to come over tonight and help too, but I probably can't get there until a bit later. When are you heading over?

Jeff

 

+1

 

Steve and Marc will probably get there around 6pm. I'm shooting for 6:30pm. Unfortunately I can't stay too long because we have to be on a plane at 6am tomorrow morning. Every little bit helps, though. I'll bring some adult beverages.

 

Best wishes for a quick recovery.

Michelle

 

Update

Update: I just spoke to Scott on the phone, and he went to the emergency room this morning in order to "get into the healthcare system" here in Columbus. As such, he now has a specialist lined up for next week.

He was more upbeat tonight, which is a good thing. I really think he is going to be fine; it's just going to take some time. It's the best news I've heard all day. As an aside, here is Scott's description of the accident.

I'll have another update sometime next week.

Jeff

 

Thinking of you, Scott.
Hang in there.

 

Just got off the phone with Scott. We talked about racing Barber. Go figure. Go Scott!!

 

Get well

 

Just some hopeful words... i was riding 2 weeks after i got my neck brace off.. convinced the doc to let me out of the neck brace after 5 weeks.. similar injury... Racing just 4 weeks after the brace.. i have to admit, it really really hurt at first, but its much better now ( 3 months from the wreck)

 

So, I got off the phone with Scott today. I had forgotten that he was supposed to see a specialist on 9/4/08, and he has been in a neck brace since the accident.

I was joking with him when he answered, asking about "125 GP bike for sale." The reply I got back was sobering. Apparently Scott has no ligaments on his C5-C6 vertebrates. This means that he needs to have an operation to fuse those together, and any future racing "is out off the question".

This is a two-fold emotion for me. I'm sad because Scott was the guy who inspired me to race, to try the sport. He's a friend and I know that racing to him meant more than words on a BBS forum can describe.

I'm happy because Scott is walking, talking and the accident didn't do any more damage then what he has done. He's got great friends, a wonderful wife and a beautiful son. So for him, he's got more things ahead of him outside of racing to pursue. Such as the band.

If you know Scott, drop him a line. He's love to hear from you. Scott is a very driven person on the track, and I think losing racing as an outlet will take some time. But in the bigger picture we're lucky to still have him around.


Peace

 

Thanks for the update Pete. Send me his email addy, please, I'd like to send him a little bit of good cheer.

 

Best wishes to your friend Scott form Aaron & Spencer

 

Best wishes from another Scott :up:

 

ok, its past due time to move that wall. 2nd time this year right??? yes, it is a long way to ride before the wall, but eht first time should have been enough.

glad youre ok scott. good luck with the healing and rehab. the collar sucks.