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Prayer and thoughts for Jeff and his family
http://napavalleyregister.com/calistogan/news/local/pit-crew-member-on-life-support-after-injury-at-calistoga/article_50138e47-54bb-5b1e-bf28-e8d11e22d5c4.html
A pit crew member was on life support after suffering a head injury at Calistoga Speedway Saturday night.
Jeff Stich of Concord was riding a quad bike over to driver Damion Gardner, who was stopped near the first turn of the track with a flat tire during the 27th lap of the Louie Vermeil Classic’s sprint car feature main event.
As the all-terrain vehicle sped out of pit road toward Gardner’s car, Stich fell forward off the bike and landed on his head. He did not regain consciousness, and was air-lifted by helicopter directly to the trauma center at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
According to Calistoga Speedway publicity director Bill Sessa, as of Monday afternoon, the hospital was waiting for his daughter to arrive and make a decision on whether to keep him alive. She is a military member currently on active duty in Istanbul. She is his only blood relative.
The red caution flag, which signals a complete stop to the race, was waved as Stich was being attended to. There were three red-flag stops during the main event and, because of the cumulative delays, it was concluded three laps early in accordance with the local curfew.
Like Stich, Gardner is a Concord native, and the two have been together since he began his racing career 15 years ago.
Sessa spoke with Gardner prior to the team’s next event on the Northern California circuit in Petaluma on Monday, and said the situation has been weighing heavily on everyone involved. Gardner visited his old friend before making his way to Petaluma Speedway.
“Anytime we lose a member of the racing family it hurts everybody,” Sessa said. “It was just one of those freakish accidents that easily could’ve happened outside the track.
“I think the loss affects everyone in racing. I don’t think there’s a person in the pit area that doesn’t feel the loss, although obviously Damion and his crew feel it the most.”
Gardner is a three-time CRA series champion, and was in contention when his rear right tire gave out on the front straightaway of Calistoga Speedway’s dirt track.
During a sprint car event on a half-mile oval like Calistoga Speedway’s, maintaining position is key, and getting Gardner back on the track was paramount at such a crucial stage in the race.
“Most of the pit crew guys for a sprint car team, they don’t get paid and they volunteer because they love the sport,” Sessa said. “It was pretty clear that Jeff did love the sport.”
No one associated with Damion Gardner Racing was immediately available for comment.
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