Roush remains hospitalized after plane crash

MILWAUKEE -- NASCAR team owner Jack Roush remains in serious but stable condition after walking away from a plane crash in Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

A statement released by Roush Fenway Racing on Wednesday afternoon said Roush was still being watched by doctors.

Roush

"He is currently under observation for facial injuries sustained in the accident," the statement said. "His passenger, Brenda Stricklin, was treated and released from a Wisconsin hospital [Wednesday] afternoon."

Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith confirmed that the plane belonged to Roush, and he was flying it.

"There are injuries. Possible surgery," Smith said in a text message to The Associated Press on Tuesday night. "But he walked out of the plane."

• CNN: Watch video of Roush exiting crashed plane

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France offered best wishes through a statement.

"On behalf of the NASCAR industry our hearts and prayers go out to Jack Roush, the Roush family and Roush Fenway Racing. All of us are looking forward to a full and speedy recovery," the statement read.

Roush, an aviation buff, was attending the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., this week.

In a statement on the EAA Web site, officials said a Beechcraft Premier business jet registered to Roush Fenway Racing, LLC was involved in a landing accident at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

The accident occurred at approximately 7:15 p.m. ET, the statement said.

"Each exited the aircraft following the accident," the statement said. "Both were transported to local hospitals, with Roush in serious but stable condition and [Stricklin] with non-life threatening injuries. The NTSB is leading the investigation into the accident."

According to a statement from the team, Roush was landing his plane when the accident occurred.

"Dr. Kevin Wasco, the attending physician, says that Roush is in serious but stable condition," the team's statement said. "His injuries are not life threatening."

The Beechcraft Premier jet pancaked onto the runway and broke in half and no flames or smoke were seen, according to the aviation news website AVweb.com. Jason McDowell, an aviation photographer who was at the airport, tweeted a photo of team co-owner Jack Roush exiting the plane with a bloody face.

Jack Roush nearly lost his life while piloting a small plane near Troy, Ala., on his 60th birthday on April 19, 2002. He hit a power line and landed upside down in eight feet of water. The longtime NASCAR team owner was not breathing when he was rescued and sustained a broken leg, a collapsed lung and head injuries.

Roush owns several aircraft, including a World War II-vintage P-51 Mustang.

After having success in dragsters and sports car racing, Roush -- a former Ford engineer and college physics teacher -- founded his NASCAR team in 1988. Known for his trademark Panama-style hat, academic speaking style and love for tinkering with anything mechanical, he won championships in NASCAR's top series with Matt Kenseth in 2003 and Kurt Busch in 2004.

Since 2007, Roush has partnered with the Fenway Sports Group, the sports marketing arm of the Boston Red Sox's parent company.

The team currently fields cars in the Cup Series for Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and David Ragan.

Ford Racing released a statement from Jamie Allison, director of Ford North America Motorsports.

"All of us at Ford Motor Co. are relieved to know that Jack Roush will make a full recovery from the crash [Tuesday]. He and his family are in our thoughts and have our best wishes. Jack is an icon in the sport of auto racing, but more importantly, he's family to all of us. We will continue to work very closely with the entire leadership team at RFR and will do everything we can to help support Roush Fenway Racing during this time, as Jack concentrates on his recovery. I know I speak for every employee at Ford when I say that we wish Jack well, and look forward to seeing him back at the track very soon," the statement read.

Sporting News Wire Service contributed to this report.