Motocross Legend SCI practicing

[BlownM3]

Yep T7 complete here 16 months post, due to motocross racing. I was in outpatient rehab today and there was 3 of us that all got hurt at the same track. The guy that ran the track even paralyzed himself there. I personally know of 5 people that injured themselves at this track. I always heard of it happening but never thought it would be me. I rode back when I was a kid 13-15 yo, than stopped and got back into it at 25. I wish I listened to my girlfriend and never got back into it. Oh well gotta roll w/ the punches.

Fonseca was the second person paralyzed this year in the Supercross series. A younger kid paralyzed hiself at Anhiem race earlier in the season. There is a bunch of us out there.

[stlyin moe]

I think you're talkin about James Marshall. He was injured at San Diego. What's more, Ernie is the guy that hit him causing his paralysis. Two weeks later Ernie wadded himself. Spooky...

[Brad_D]

...Ernie is the guy that hit him causing his paralysis. Two weeks later Ernie wadded himself. Spooky...

Ernie didn't cause James's SCI. James went down head first into the ground and was completely limp as Ernie was in the air. Ernie then landed and went over his right arm and got collected by his bike. I agree it was spooky that Ernie was injured shortly after.

I was injured racing BMX (bicycle motocross) 22 years ago. Incomplete c-4 quad.

http://homepage.mac.com/bradd/PhotoAlbum6.html

[paramoto]

Things like that happen (Ernie and James). I was not a Central American quality competitor, but in one of those races I was able to make Third at a Central American championship race, Ricky Helleybuck (perennial Salvadorian champion and one of the best in C.A.) won the race, beat the crap out of me, even lapped me. I have a picture of him in 2001 in the podium, first place, a guy from Guatemala in second place and I am in third. Today, Ricky is dead from a C2 fracture during a race last year, and I am a T6 complete. I don't know who the guy from Guatemala is as that was the only time I raced against him, but it must be spooky as hell too for him to see that picture. I am sure he knows what happened to Ricky and me. Two out of the three are down and one of us is out.

Still a great sport. We must find a common sense approach to make it safer (flag people training, race directors, sometimes even wreckless competitors, track watering, bike set-up,), etc., like moe has stated. Does anyone remember Kevin Windham crashing against what surely looked like a concrete or very solid barrier in Glen Helen to a dead stop?? I think I have it on video eventhough it would be tough to find. Man that could have been ugly.

[Johnnyquad]

You know, I never realized how frequently MX accidents that lead to paralysis occur. I knew they did, It's just not something that you ever hear much about. I'm a big fan of superbike (road course) racing. (I brick walled my TL 1000R on my way home late one night. C5 C6) But you very seldom hear of any serious (career ending) accidents occurring with those guys either. I'm sure they do.

[paramoto]

I think due to the expense of superbikes and gp racing, you see it less on an amateur competitive level, where as dirt bike riding and competition(two and four wheel) is so much more common. I may be wrong. On a pro level it happens once in a while. I recommend reading a book that Wayne Rayney (past world champion) wrote quite a few years back of his experience with SCI.

You do see a lot of street bike accidents though, from what I have read and my rehab experience. I was the only MX injury and there were three or four street bike injuries.

[Johnnyquad]

I think due to the expense of superbikes and gp racing, you see it less on an amateur competitive level, where as dirt bike riding and competition(two and four wheel) is so much more common. I may be wrong. On a pro level it happens once in a while. I recommend reading a book that Wayne Rayney (past world champion) wrote quite a few years back of his experience with SCI.

You do see a lot of street bike accidents though, from what I have read and my rehab experience. I was the only MX injury and there were three
or four street bike injuries.

Yeah, this makes sense...

[nicotico]

i loved the sport of MX and going off on my own rural trails, i don't believe my SCI (01-06) will stop that. isn't that why we have atvs.

how many of you have rode an atv/quad or snowsled or watercraft post injury? if not, just give me a sec, and i'll tell you how its done.

[PAR]

How is Ernesto Fonceca?

Does anyone know how Ernesto Fonceca is doing? I am from the UK and I am T12, I run my own Motocross Team with Honda UK, and are sponsored by the same company and clothing manufacturers. I hope he is doing well.

[paramoto]

From what I understand, he was tranfered to Craig Hospital in Colorado around the 12th of april. He was having considerable complications with his respiratory system and was on and off a respirator. As far as return, he had shown a little return in sensation and movement in his arms. Unfortunately, he has a long hard road ahead.

Ricky Carmichael vowed to wear his (Ernie's) signature in his uniform for the rest of his career.

[paramoto]

i loved the sport of MX and going off on my own rural trails, i don't believe my SCI (01-06) will stop that. isn't that why we have atvs.

how many of you have rode an atv/quad or snowsled or watercraft post injury? if not, just give me a sec, and i'll tell you how its done.

Nicotico, I bought myself a Honday Odyssey 350 dune buggy on e-bay. Unfortunately the guy that sold it to me lied about the condition. He painted it and put new stickers on it and it looked great. I have spent so much money trying to rebuild the thing and I am almost there. Everytime I have ridden the thing it has been a blast. Fast and furious.

[Chris Chappell]

paramoto - you are correct, Ernesto is at Craig Hospital here in Englewood, CO. He's doing better but, yes, he has a long, hard road ahead.