Still critical

Roush shows encouraging signs, but not out of danger

Doctors say Jack Roush suffered a head injury but no skull fractures. AP

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) -- Jack Roush, the NASCAR owner who fields four Winston Cup cars, remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition Saturday, one day after the ultra-light plane he was piloting crashed in south Alabama.

Roush, who turned 60 on Friday, was being treated at UAB Hospital for a head injury and two broken legs. He was airlifted after crashing in a neighborhood in Troy, about 50 miles from Montgomery.

Geoff Smith, general manager of Roush Racing, said doctors told team and family members the head injury "is the most serious of the injuries he has. However, we are very encouraged by the fact that he is able to follow commands and respond to the commands that he is given."

Another team spokesman, Kevin Woods, contacted following the news conference, said doctors told the team there was no skull fracture.

"He also has two leg fractures, which we're expecting to be set this afternoon," Smith said. "We're told to be guarded about the head injury for 48 hours because circumstances can change in that regard."

Guarded optimism Click the image to launch the clip Geoff Smith, president of Roush Racing, and Mark Martin provide details on Jack Roush's injuries. Start Video Plus Visit Video Plus for all the latest video and audio.

Smith said the team would continue to participate in the weekend racing at Talladega Superspeedway, where Roush had two cars entered in Saturday's Busch Series event and four in Sunday's Aaron's 499 Winston Cup race.

"All of us have the understanding that in our lives that we are to go forward and compete this weekend, which is what we're all prepared to do and have been practicing," Smith said.

Mark Martin, who has driven for Roush since the owner began competing in NASCAR in 1988, was on hand for the news conference at the track Saturday morning, along with Cup teammates Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch.

"He had great color but he looked pretty beat up," said Martin, who visited the hospital Friday night. "He's hanging in there under the circumstances.

"I couldn't believe it was Jack, and I had to go to the hospital to see for myself."

The plane, a twin engine Air Cam, small aircraft used by the National Geographic Society to take pictures, according to Smith, went down in a residential area at about 6 p.m. No passengers were with Roush.

Smith said no details of the crash were available except that Roush, a longtime pilot, was celebrating his birthday with friends and apparently taking turns flying several aircraft.

A newspaper photographer at the scene said the plane crashed into a pond in a gated community. Other reports said Roush may have hit power lines.

Smith said Larry Hicks, a resident of the neighborhood, pulled Roush out of the water and resuscitated him.

"Without Larry and the efforts of the Troy police and emergency response team, we wouldn't be feeling as positive as we do at this moment," Smith said.

Earlier Friday, Roush was at Talladega Superspeedway, about 45 miles from Birmingham, for qualifying for Sunday's Winston Cup race. All four Roush drivers made the field.

Roush, known as the "The Cat in the Hat" for his trademark Panama hat, has been a Winston Cup car owner since 1988, running Fords for Martin that season. Martin has given Roush two second-place finishes in the series points in 1990 and 1994.

The second most successful owner in NASCAR's top stock car series, Roush's teams have won 53 races, including three of eight this season. He also fields cars in NASCAR's Busch and Craftsman Truck series.

Roush Racing is based at Concord Regional Airport near Lowe's Motor Speedway outside Charlotte, N.C. He owns three P-51 Mustangs, and frequently flies one of the World War II fighter planes.

Two Winston Cup drivers were killed in air crashes in the early 1990s.

Alan Kulwicki, the 1992 series champion, was killed in 1993 in the crash of a private plane on the way to a race in Bristol, Tenn. Davey Allison died from injuries he sustained when he crashed his helicopter on the Talladega Superspeedway property later that year.

 

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