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The driver flown to a Louisville, Ky., hospital in a medical helicopter after a wild, flipping accident at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway in Saturday’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event was treated and released a few hours later and is recovering at home. | Story

The 48-year-old driver from Lebanon, Ohio, who races under the pseudonym Fast Eddy said he was “bruised up and sore all over from the violence” of the consolation race wreck. He also suffered a thumb injury and a knot on his head, but no broken bones.

“I don’t necessarily recall it,” Eddy said of his crash, “but from what I saw from the video it looked pretty gruesome.”

Citing safety concerns, track and series officials postponed the remainder of the season-opening Indiana Icebreaker program following Eddy’s incident that involved Tristan Chamberlain, the third rollover Late Model wreck of the night on Brownstown’s spongy and high-speed surface that received significant rain earlier in the week.

“As everyone knows, dirt can be very unpredictable with so many variables involved,” track promoter Jim Price wrote on the track’s Facebook page, detailing efforts to prepare the oval that was resurfaced after the 2020 season. “Saturday night, unfortunately, we fell victim to this unpredictability.”

Eddy was briefly knocked unconscious in the turn-one wreck and cut out of his Swartz Race Car before being taken by ambulance to the helicopter. He was released from the hospital about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. He praised his chassis, Butlerbuilt seat, Hooker Harness belts, Velocita firesuit and NecksGen head-and-neck restraint for protecting him.

“I think they did their job,” Eddy said of the equipment. “If that would’ve been a (passenger) vehicle, that would’ve been a fatality.”

Eddy, who works in the transportation industry, was able to return to work Monday and appreciated those who checked on him.

“We’ll bounce back,” he said. “I would like to say thanks to everyone that's reached out. It really makes me feel really good.”