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View Full Version : Eric Medlen wrecks in Testing at Gainesville



HisPony
03-20-2007, 07:09 PM
Keep him in your prayers and thoughts please!

http://competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2129&Itemid=6

The six-time NHRA tour winner, who participated in Sunday’s 38th annual ACDelco Gatornationals, was being treated in the surgical intensive care unit at Shands. He was listed in critical condition while being further evaluated by medical personnel.

Medical staff will provide a condition update at midday on Tuesday according to John Force Racing sources who emphasized that, at the present time, Medlen is not permitted to have visitors, phone calls, cards or flowers.

“Eric’s extended family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers,” said Kelly Antonelli, spokesperson for JFR. “At the same time, we would ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this time and allow the medical staff to do its work.”

UPDATED - 3-20 - 12:09 PM - Funny Car driver Eric Medlen, injured in a testing accident Monday at Gainesville Raceway, remained in critical condition Tuesday in intensive care at Shands at the University of Florida medical center.

According to Medlen’s father, John, doctors are continuing to work to reduce pressure and swelling from what has been characterized as a severe closed head injury suffered when the 33-year-old’s car crashed heavily into the guardwall.

“We would ask everyone to keep Eric and his family in their prayers while at the same time respecting their need for privacy in this very difficult time,” said Kelly Antonelli, a spokesperson for John Force Racing, Inc.

“Obviously, our primary concern is for Eric’s health,” Antonelli said, “but we also are aware of erroneous information that has been posted on various internet sites and, unfortunately, that has been a source of additional pain for the family.

“To address that issue, we will continue to provide daily medical updates authorized by the family and the medical staff here at Shands.”

yosemiddysam
03-20-2007, 11:39 PM
Got any video of the crash?????

yosemiddysam
03-20-2007, 11:41 PM
I hope he is ok! He must have crashed pretty bad. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. So sad to hear.

wildthing
03-21-2007, 08:50 PM
wow that is the first i heard of this. thoughts and prayers go out to him.

HisPony
03-21-2007, 08:56 PM
http://competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2129&Itemid=6

UPDATED - 3-21 - 10:38 - Injured NHRA Funny Car driver Eric Medlen survived a delicate, three-hour craniotomy procedure to relive pressure and hemorrhaging Tuesday evening but remained in critical condition Wednesday at Shands at the University of Florida medical center.


Over the next two weeks, the 33-year-old will remain in a drug-induced coma designed to promote healing.

“We consider ourselves fortunate that Eric is in one of the top hospitals in the world for this type of injury and is getting absolutely the best treatment possible,” said John Medlen, Eric’s father and crew chief.

“We want to thank Eric’s friends, fans, sponsors and the entire NHRA drag racing community for their support in this very difficult time for our family,” he said. “We would ask that they continue to remember Eric in their prayers. He’s a fighter, but he has a long battle ahead of him.”

The elder Medlen also asked, for Eric’s sake and the sake of the family, that fans refrain from speculation, especially on the internet, where erroneous information already has been a source of considerable anguish.

HisPony
03-22-2007, 04:09 PM
http://www.nhra.com/content/news/19115.htm

John Force Racing update: Medlen still critical; special e-mail created

While medical personnel at Shands at the University of Florida medical center continue to monitor the progress of injured Funny Car driver Eric Medlen, team sponsor BP/Castrol announced Thursday the creation of a special e-mail address at which well-wishers can leave messages of encouragement for the 33-year-old drag racer.

Medlen, injured last Monday in a testing accident at Gainesville Raceway, still was in critical condition Thursday after enduring a delicate craniotomy procedure on Tuesday. For at least two more weeks, he will remain in a drug-induced coma designed to promote healing.

Castrol Syntec, Medlen's primary sponsor in his first three seasons on the NHRA POWERade tour, has announced that it will print and assemble all messages left at the e-mail address getwelleric@castrol.com and present them later to the driver and his family.

Castrol also will make available at NHRA national events and at the upcoming Mid-America Trucking Show (Louisville, Ky.) posters bearing a likeness of the popular driver on which fans can print personal messages. Those posters also will be presented to the Medlen family according to Lori Anne Gola, assistant sponsorship manager for Castrol.

“There are so many people who care about Eric,” Gola said, “and we wanted to find a tangible way to show him all of that love and support. We thought that, through this e-mail address, we could capture the prayers, kind thoughts, and well-wishes of all those who empathize with Eric and his family.”

HisPony
03-23-2007, 03:30 PM
http://www.johnforceracing.com/index.html

MEDLEN STILL CRITICAL FOUR DAYS AFTER TESTING CRASH IN GAINESVILLE

3/23/2007

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Four days after his Funny Car crashed into a concrete guardwalll during open testing at Gainesville Raceway, driver Eric Medlen remained in critical condition Friday at Shands at the University of Florida medical center.

The 33-year-old Medlen, one of the rising stars on the NHRA POWERade drag racing tour, survived a three-hour craniotomy on Tuesday that relieved pressure on the brain but, according to medical staff, the full extent of his injuries are still undetermined.

The six-time NHRA tour winner has been in a drug induced coma since being airlifted to the hospital on Monday.

tweety
04-02-2007, 08:32 AM
For those that dont know he did pass away.