MOPAR/OAKLEY CREW MEMBER KNUDSEN INJURED IN FREAK MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY INCIDENT
MOHNTON, Pa. (Aug. 14, 2008) - Michael Knudsen, 27, clutch technician on the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Gary Scelzi, suffered first- and second-degree burns in a freak fire today at Maple Grove Raceway, as the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams prepared for this weekend's 24th annual NHRA Nationals.
He was flown by helicopter to the Lehigh Valley Burn Center in Allentown, Pa., where he will undergo surgery on Friday, with recuperation expected to take up to a week. He was given pain killers and was able to describe what happened to Mike Lewis, Senior Vice President, Don Schumacher Racing, who provided this report:
"It happened on the grounds at Maple Grove Raceway at an entry gate,” explained Lewis. “A temporary food stand was being set up along a fence line. The people setting it up didn't realize that there was a sliding gate, that when it opens up would cross the area where they have these propane tanks. And Michael and Zak Seedroff (also on the Mopar/Oakley team) were moving the tanks and mounting them properly on some blocks that were there, and somehow or other somebody who tried to help them pushed the gate while they were in the process of moving these tanks. The tanks were all fastened together, so the fence made contact with the first tank and as it fell over it pulled the second tank and the third tank, and two of them began to discharge. A representative from the gas company was there and he turned off the first tank and Michael first left the area and then he felt, well, let me go turn this other one off. And for some reason it caught fire. No idea why. It was kind of a flash and it struck him in the lower legs, left hand, left side of his face. He rolled out of the way and took his shirt off, took his shoes off, and tried to douse himself with water to make sure he wasn't seriously burned.
"The Safety Safari came and by that time it was a fully engulfed fire and they had to put it out.
"Michael's injuries are first-degree burns to his lower legs and second-degree burns to his left hand, left side of his face and a few other areas. The biggest concern is the blistering from the burns on his lower legs.
"He's scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning and if all goes well they'll remove the burned skin. It didn't penetrate the additional layers of skin, so they won't have to do any grafting and they'll just be able to wrap the area with a prosthetic material that will promote healing.
"He lives in Indianapolis, but they don't want him traveling, so he'll stay there probably for five days to a week. We'll know more tomorrow after the surgery and day-by-day we will check on him."
The gas company representative also suffered minor burns, but no one else on the DSR team was affected.
MOHNTON, Pa. (Aug. 14, 2008) - Michael Knudsen, 27, clutch technician on the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Gary Scelzi, suffered first- and second-degree burns in a freak fire today at Maple Grove Raceway, as the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams prepared for this weekend's 24th annual NHRA Nationals.
He was flown by helicopter to the Lehigh Valley Burn Center in Allentown, Pa., where he will undergo surgery on Friday, with recuperation expected to take up to a week. He was given pain killers and was able to describe what happened to Mike Lewis, Senior Vice President, Don Schumacher Racing, who provided this report:
"It happened on the grounds at Maple Grove Raceway at an entry gate,” explained Lewis. “A temporary food stand was being set up along a fence line. The people setting it up didn't realize that there was a sliding gate, that when it opens up would cross the area where they have these propane tanks. And Michael and Zak Seedroff (also on the Mopar/Oakley team) were moving the tanks and mounting them properly on some blocks that were there, and somehow or other somebody who tried to help them pushed the gate while they were in the process of moving these tanks. The tanks were all fastened together, so the fence made contact with the first tank and as it fell over it pulled the second tank and the third tank, and two of them began to discharge. A representative from the gas company was there and he turned off the first tank and Michael first left the area and then he felt, well, let me go turn this other one off. And for some reason it caught fire. No idea why. It was kind of a flash and it struck him in the lower legs, left hand, left side of his face. He rolled out of the way and took his shirt off, took his shoes off, and tried to douse himself with water to make sure he wasn't seriously burned.
"The Safety Safari came and by that time it was a fully engulfed fire and they had to put it out.
"Michael's injuries are first-degree burns to his lower legs and second-degree burns to his left hand, left side of his face and a few other areas. The biggest concern is the blistering from the burns on his lower legs.
"He's scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning and if all goes well they'll remove the burned skin. It didn't penetrate the additional layers of skin, so they won't have to do any grafting and they'll just be able to wrap the area with a prosthetic material that will promote healing.
"He lives in Indianapolis, but they don't want him traveling, so he'll stay there probably for five days to a week. We'll know more tomorrow after the surgery and day-by-day we will check on him."
The gas company representative also suffered minor burns, but no one else on the DSR team was affected.
