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Crewman seriously injured in pit wreck

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 12, 2001

HOMESTEAD -- NASCAR will consider helmets for over-the-wall crew members after four people were injured, one seriously, during a pit-road collision in Sunday's Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Bobby Burrell, the front tire changer for Ricky Rudd's No. 28, was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami after striking his head on the pit-road wall. He was awake and listed in serious but stable condition in the trauma unit.

"We are looking at maybe having everybody over the wall with helmets on," NASCAR president Mike Helton said. "We want to see if there is a procedure or step we can take to minimize the chance of this happening again."

Two other members of the No. 28 crew were treated for injuries and released: jackman John Bryan for a knee sprain at Baptist Hospital and front tire carrier Kevin Hall for contusions at the infield care center.

NASCAR official Kenny Lawson also was released from the infield care canter.

The left side of Rudd's Ford was up on the jack when Ward Burton pulled his No. 22 Dodge out of the stall behind Rudd's. Contact between Burton and rookie Casey Atwood pushed Burton's car into Rudd's, flipping Bryan and Burrell backward.

As drivers fought for position on a crowded pit road -- Atwood was prevented from moving to the far right lane by another car -- it appeared no one was to blame for the incident. No one was penalized.

"I feel horrible about it," said Burton, who planned to visit Burrell at the hospital after the race.

The CART series has required pit crew members to wear helmets since midway through the 1999 season. The only Winston Cup crew members to wear helmets on pit road work on the No. 32 Ford team owned by Cal Wells, who came to NASCAR last season from CART.

"I just wish those guys were wearing helmets," said points leader Jeff Gordon, who saw the accident from his pit. "You can't control when a guy gets knocked into somebody accidentally. But you can prevent some head injuries with helmets."

Many in Winston Cup have resisted helmets, Helton said.

"The crew guys debate you on their mobility and visibility," he said. "But there is some interest from helmet manufacturers to make a helmet where the peripheral vision works better."

Rudd, whose team members were clearly shaken after the race, finished 21st.

"After the accident, our heart just wasn't in it," Rudd said.

SNEAK PREVIEW: Jeff Green finished ninth in the No. 31 Chevrolet in place of Robby Gordon, who competed in the Baja 1000. Green will move up from Busch Grand National next season to drive the No. 30 for Richard Childress Racing.

TOO MUCH SUN: All three of Michael Waltrip's top five finishes this season have come on Florida tracks: a win and runner-up finish at Daytona and second at Homestead.

"(My wife) Buffy likes South Beach and I look good in a Speedo," Waltrip said. "I'm most comfortable when I have almost all my clothes off, and that's what you can do down here."

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