Crewmen struck during pit road incident
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
November 12, 2001
10:49 AM EST (1549 GMT)
HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Three crewmen from Ricky Rudd’s Robert Yates Racing pit crew were injured -- one seriously -- when they were struck by Ward Burton’s Dodge in a multi-car incident Sunday on pit road under caution during the Pennzoil Freedom 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
RYR’s two tire changers and jackman, plus a NASCAR official observing Rudd’s stop from pit road, were struck by Burton when he exited his pit directly into the path of Casey Atwood’s Dodge, which had left its pit stall about four positions before Burton’s.
The contact knocked Burton’s car to a path parallel with Rudd’s car. The three crewman were struck, with one being knocked across the front of the car hard enough to hit the inside pit wall beyond the nose of Rudd’s car.
Bobby Burrell, 30, of Ronceverte, W. Va., Rudd’s front tire changer, was airlifted directly to Jackson Memorial Hospital/Ryder Trauma Center in downtown Miami by helicopter with head injuries.
By the time the race was over, Burrell was awake and listed in serious condition.
Team owner Yates drove to Jackson Memorial with a representative from Motor Racing Outreach, which ministers to the Winston Cup Series.
Jackman John Bryan, 31, of Memphis, Tenn., was transported by ambulance to Baptist Hospital in nearby Kendall. He was treated for a sprained knee and was diagnosed with a mild concussion.
Rudd visited him at the hospital, where officials hoped to release him later Sunday evening. Front tire carrier Kevin Hall, 31, of Gloucester, Va., was treated for contusions and released from the infield care center.
Rudd, who is desperately fighting to retain second place in the Winston Cup standings, ended up finishing 21st. If Jeff Gordon starts the last two races, there is no way Rudd can win the championship.
"We missed our set-up early in the race," said Rudd, who declined to be interviewed by NBC Sports. "After the accident on pit road, our heart just wasn't in it."
“Ricky is obviously pretty shaken up,” Yates’ son Doug Yates said. “Every time they go out there they’re going out to battle.”
The incident had to bring nightmarish recollections to Rudd, who was involved in a pit road accident at Atlanta Motor Speedway 11 years ago next weekend. In that event, which pre-dated the current pit road speed limits, Rudd spun entering pit road and struck one of Bill Elliott’s tire changers.
The crewman, Michael Rich, 32, was fatally injured in the accident.
Burton was in tears when he spoke to NBC Sports’ Matt Yocum after he finished 13th.
“I feel horrible,” Burton said. “When I came out of my pit we (he and Atwood) hit and it threw me into the 28 car. (Concentrating) was pretty difficult. I kept talking to Tommy (Baldwin, his crew chief) to find out how the guys were and I’m going to the hospital right now.”
NASCAR inspector Kenny Lawson, who was standing off the right front of Rudd’s car, had no chance to move, but leapt onto Burton’s hood and rolled up to the windshield, before rebounding off to the ground.
Lawson stayed on duty while the race went back to green at lap 123, but was relieved for a trip to the care center, where he was treated and released.
After the accident, jackman Shane Callis from Dale Jarrett’s RYR team car took Bryan’s place. Two members of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 31 Chevrolet crew, tire changer Scott Naset and tire carrier Kirk Almquist, helped to pit Rudd’s car for the rest of the race.
“That’s what makes NASCAR so special,” Rudd’s crew chief Michael McSwain said some 60 laps later. “My guys, my family’s hurt. We didn’t have no option (but to continue). That’s what we’re out here to do.”
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