Park to return to No. 1 by Daytona
By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
October 26, 2001
1:49 PM EDT (1749 GMT)
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Steve Park will be back in the No. 1 Chevrolet for the 2002 Daytona 500.
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Steve Park
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Ty Norris, executive vice president of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. confirmed that on Friday. Norris said Park has continued to improve daily and he anticipates Park will be back in the car for testing by January.
“Steve came out to the shop before the Martinsville race and said hi to everybody, visited with Teresa (Earnhardt), visited with Paul Andrews, all the guys in the Pennzoil shop,” Norris said.
“He looked great and was bragging that he’s not having to do physical therapy at a hospital anymore, he gets to do it with his own trainer. He thought it’d be great, but his trainer’s working him harder than the people did at the hospital.”
Park was injured in a freak accident during the Sept. 1 South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway, in which he suddenly steered down the track and directly into the path of a full-speed Larry Foyt during a caution lap. Park is still undergoing daily rehabilitation sessions to improve vision and equilibrium.
“His vision’s a lot better, but it still isn’t perfect,” Norris said. “The problem is that he has blurred vision from about five feet high towards the floor if you’re looking straight out. That’s the problem. But now he’s got it to where he can do drills, things below his knees, which is pretty significant.
“He still has a couple balance issues, too, but if you could’ve seen him from week 1 to week 2 to now, you see a tremendous difference, and if he keeps improving at that rate, Daytona shouldn’t be a problem.”
Norris said Park’s recuperation progress has been remarkable, so well in fact that Park is beginning to think he can come back now.
“The progress is great,” Norris said. “You can see progress every day now. It really has stepped up. He’s so determined to get back. If it were up to him, he’d be driving next week. In reality, it’ll be next year.
“I anticipate him back. I anticipate him testing in January and racing in February.”
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