Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/560837
IN THE WIND P38 DARCY WARD INJURED A ustralian speedway rider Darcy Ward has undergone spinal surgery following a horrific crash in a Polish league race on August 23. Riding for his club team Zielona Gora, Ward was thrown off his machine after colliding with the back of Grudziadz rider Artem Laguta's machine. The former Speedway Grand Prix star landed awkwardly on his neck, with his British League team Poole Pirates releasing a statement confirming the crash has left Ward with no lower body feeling at this present time. Zielona Gora team doctor Robert Zapotoczny told a press con- ference, "After a two-and-a-half-hour operation, Darcy is in a stable condition. He is able to breathe independently. He is conscious and he is able to answer simple questions. Darcy is able to ex- ecute simple actions and recognizes other people. "There will be no further information or details about his injuries. Our next update will be on Wednesday (August 26). Two days should give us time to figure out the extent of Darcy's injuries. Also, he must give his approval to reveal information protected by medi- cal confidentiality." CN Speedway racer Darcy Ward suffered spinal injury in Poland. MILLER MOTORSPORTS PARK SAVED T he Toole County has re- vealed it has accepted an offer from Chinese-owned Mi- time Investment & Development Group to acquire and run Miller Motorsports Park, keeping the venue in operation as a motors- port industry facility. Following the news original builders and owners of the facil- ity, the LHM Group of Com- panies, would not renew their lease on the land, the Toole County thus became interim owners of the venue. Initial fears the land would be broken up and sold off to include a housing estate and county jail came to nothing, with Mitime Investment & Development Group purchas- ing the 511-acre facility for $20 million. "The Commission recognized early on that we cannot afford to have the facility close," said Toole County Commissioner, Shawn Milne. "There are over 90 workers employed by the Motorsports Park itself and hundreds of others that depend upon the regular operations throughout the year. From the beginning, we have viewed the possibility of a new owner with passion for racing and a long-term vision of continued investment as the best possible outcome for the facility and our community. That has remained our driving force during consid- eration of all the proposals." The Mitime Investment & Development Group owns and operates race facilities in China and has hired Miller Motors- ports Park designer Alan Wilson to design and construct five racetracks in the country. The thought is for Mitime to use Mill- er as a training facility for future Chinese venues, yet the com- pany is also planning an exten- sive rework of the Miller facility, with plans to build a sanctioned 3/8 th -mile oval track, drag strip, and a Rally-X course. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN HIPKISS