Page 65 - PULSE-4

I remember hitting the ground and after a short slide, then — sky, ground, sky, ground, sky, ground, sky, ground, sand. I think it was about five or six flips head over heels, before I came to an abrupt stop face up in the sand trap. During one of the flips, I remember feeling a sharp pain in my hip that felt like nothing else I’ve ever felt before - I had a feeling it was broken, but I didn’t know for sure at the time. After a few choice swear words I heard the corner marshal come over and he asked me if I was okay. I said, “No I’m not okay, I just crashed!” Then after a few tense seconds I said, “I think I’m okay, but needed a minute.” The marshal helped me to my feet as I limped my way out of the crash zone and to the edge of the track. My bike laid before me at my feet, and my front wheel laid about 20 feet from the bike; it was toast. They never called
a red flag, and the race continued. When the crash truck came to pick me and the bike up, I struggled to
my feet and limped to the truck for a ride back to the pits where I knew Anna was anxiously waiting. All she knew is without a red flag; I didn’t require immediate medical attention. When I arrived back at my paddock, I was very slow to take my gear off, and with each twist and pull I could feel pain all over my body — the adrenaline was wearing off. About thirty minutes pass and a sudden ill feeling took over my body. I knew something wasn’t right and I should probably go get medical attention. We ended up driving to the local hospital where I was later diagnosed with a fractured hip, two-fractured vertebra, and four fractured ribs. The good news is they said there is no surgery they can do at this time, so I can go home. The bad news is, I shouldn’t walk for about a week. In the end, it was probably the most painful four-hour ride home I’ve ever endured, however I was thankful to be okay enough to ride again someday.
With accidents like yours occurring more often than any of us would like, safety gear is an ultimate priority in the racing community. You received numerous injuries, but luckily pieces of gear like your LS2 Helmet saved the day, and allowed you to ride again. How has the LS2 brand played a role in your career, and how long have you used their products?
LS2 certainly won me over in that last crash. I hit my head several times on the pavement as I flipped, and yet I didn’t feel a thing, nor did I receive a concussion. But even before that crash, I was a believer in the LS2 product. I started wearing LS2 Helmets right as I got into track riding in 2013. My old Arai was coming up for a renewal, and I wanted to look into some affordable alternatives that didn’t compromise on safety — after all, I had to find ways to save money for tires and track days! At that time, the helmet I owned was
>>
WWW.LS2HELMETS.US
65