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CNN Live Saturday
Nascar Racer in Stable Condition at Hospital
Aired September 01, 2001 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin with some chilling moments in a sport known for speed and aggression and danger, too: stock car racing. Early in the Busch Series South Carolina 200 today, car number 31, driven by Steve Park, was in the outside lane when this happened: It veered into the path of Larry Foyt's number 14 Chevy, which broadsided it. That collision sent Park's car spinning to the inside wall, and sent him to a hospital. He was flown there in a helicopter. At last word, 34-year-old Steve Park was in stable condition.
And on the phone now with more on the story is Cathy Mock, who is director of public relations at Darlington Raceway, where this accident happened.
Ms. Mock, thank you for joining us.
CATHY MOCK, DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Thank you for having me.
FRAZIER: What can you tell us about Steve Park? How is he doing?
MOCK: Well, we do have an update. He is, as you said, stable. He's awake and talking at Carolina's hospital system in Florence, South Carolina.
They've done a CT scan of his head and chest and have found him to have a moderate concussion, a possible fracture or dislocation of the left sternoclavicular joint, which is where your collar bone joins your sternum. And they're going to keep him overnight for observation. They say he'll probably go home tomorrow.
FRAZIER: Of course, interest is heightened because of what happened to Dale Earnhardt earlier in the year. And this collision looks to have occurred with even greater force than that which killed Earnhardt.
MOCK: Well, actually, this is a much lower speed accident, Stephen. It actually occurred during a caution period.
FRAZIER: And during caution, now, fill us in, that's a restricted speed. And is there a restriction on ability to pass?
MOCK: I'm sorry, I didn't hear the question.
FRAZIER: What does a caution flag mean?
MOCK: A caution flag means there's been some activity on the track that requires clean up or, in this case, we had some precipitation here earlier in the day. Caution speed is 65 miles per hour. The other car involved in the incident was trying -- was a lap down and was trying to regain the lap what the two cars collided.
FRAZIER: Can you pass during cautions?
MOCK: You cannot gain position during cautions, except in the pit.
FRAZIER: So that explains how they were all in single file there.
One last question: Was Steve Park wearing the head and neck restraint of which we've heard so much this year?
MOCK: He was not wearing HANS device. He was wearing the Hutchins device, which is a similar piece of equipment to the HANS. It's more of a belt system that attaches; it's more of a strap system. So he was wearing a restraint system.
FRAZIER: Well, that's encouraging that there's a good update on him today. Thank you for bringing us up to date...
MOCK: Thank you.
FRAZIER: ... Catherine Mock at Darlington Raceway.
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