Injuries keep Whitney out of seat
Reigning track champion John Whitney of Clarksville, Ohio, expects to miss a month of racing while recovering from injuries suffered in a multiple rollover accident Aug. 18 at Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg, Ohio.
The 48-year-old Whitney didn’t go to the hospital after the wreck, but a trip to his regular physician three days later revealed a dislocated rib and bulging disc in his neck, the driver told DirtonDirt.com.
Whitney’s wreck destroyed his personal race car and will keep him away from his regular ride in the No. 15 car owned by California, Ky.-based Gary Engle Racing. Josh Rice of Verona, Ky., is serving as a replacement driver for Engle until Whitney returns.
Whitney is still sore, but he hasn’t missed any time as parts and service manager for Clarke Diesel in Cincinnati. The wreck was so violent during the Ike Moler Memorial that the left-front spring from Whitney’s car was found in the spectator parking lot after clearing the track fencing.
He said his rib injury was the result of putting his Raceceiver one-way communication device in his firesuit instead of a separate pouch, something he realizes is “not a good practice.” The device got between his mid-section and the side support of the seat, dislocating the rib.
Besides his 2016 track title at Moler, Whitney also won last year’s crown at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky. His lone 2017 victory came at Richmond (Ky.) Raceway on July 8.
Corrects: Fixes that Whitney has a bulging, not herniated, disc in his neck.
