<<
PREVIOUS PAGE
MILLAR DIES SUDDENLY
Famed racing cartoonist Pete Millar passed
away unexpectedly on February 28, 2003. A
memorial service will be held March 7 at 1:00
p.m. in St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Rancho
Palos Verdes, Calif.
Millar contributed to DragRacingOnline a
few years ago. We will have a look back at
his life later in our Finish Line section.
If you would like to see his Millarkey cartoons
for DRO, check our archive. [3-4-2003]
SICK CALL #1: GEOFFRION
RECUPERATING
Scott
Geoffrion's back hurts and he's wearing a
special brace, but he is determined to drive
his new Pro Stock Ford Escort ZX2 in the NHRA
Mac Tools Gatornationals, March 14-16, at
Gainesville, Fla.
Geoffrion was disoriented and had back pain
when he climbed out of the wreckage of Hurley
Blakeney's NitroFish Ford Mustang Feb. 23
following a first-round accident at Firebird
Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. He was released
from Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix Tuesday
afternoon and returned to his home, under
doctors' orders for bed rest. Doctors took
precautions because Geoffrion has had two
previous back injuries, including one that
required surgery and installation of two metal
rods in 1983. He broke a vertebra three years
ago.
"I also had my bell rung pretty good when
I hit the wall," added Geoffrion, 37. "I was
lucky I was driving the Mustang because it's
a bigger car and was able to absorb more of
the impact."
ADVERTISEMENT
|
A broken left brake rotor triggered the accident
just passed the finish line. When Geoffrion
hit the brakes, the Mustang moved toward the
left guard wall. He kept it from hitting that
wall, but the car turned and shot toward the
right guard wall, hitting it hard almost head
on. The impact then swung the left rear quarter-panel
back so it smacked the barrier, too.
"That was my first accident of any kind in
racing," Geoffrion pointed out, no doubt hoping
it's his last. (Jeff
Burk photo) [3-3-2003]
SICK CALL #2: FORCE OKAY
AFTER GALL BLADDER SURGERY
John Force successfully underwent a laproscopic
procedure Feb. 28 to remove his malfunctioning
gallbladder.
In a telephone call following surgery, Force
said that, after a brief recovery at his home
in Yorba Linda, Calif., he expected to "come
back stronger than ever. I want to thank all
the fans for their concern, but it wasn't
a big deal. It was just something that needed
to be done because (the gall bladder) wasn't
going to fix itself."
After consulting with his doctor and family,
he decided to schedule the procedure during
one of only two three-week breaks in the 2003
NHRA schedule to provide him the greatest
amount of recovery time.
If Force starts showing his scar at the top
end, the Agent isn't going to be hanging around.
[3-3-2003]
NEXT
PAGE >>
