Sprintcar driver Jamie McDonald bounces back from horror crash to win Gold Cup

Flashbacks from a horrific crash last December continue to haunt Jamie McDonald but a fairytale return to the sport he loves is helping ease the physical and mental strain.

Just six weeks after the shocking accident that almost claimed his life, McDonald has won his first sprintcar championship since the terrifying crash.

He has won bigger titles than the Gold Cup he lifted at Ruapuna on Saturday night yet, given the adversity McDonald has been through this season, he rates it one of the greatest nights of his 24-year racing career.

“It couldn’t have been scripted any better. It was the best feeling in the world,” he said reflecting on the weekend’s emotional victory.

Soon after receiving the chequered flag, the emotion turned to tears as McDonald’s family and pit crew came charging onto the infield.

“To see them running across the infield with big smiles on their faces after what they’ve been through, it was priceless and that is the reason why I do it.”

McDonald, who spent several days in hospital and five weeks working towards rehabilitation, initially questioned if his career was over.

“Six weeks ago I was lying in a hospital bed in a hell of a state, not able to move and not feeling to sharp in the head and you start to wonder if you are going to get back or not?”

Given McDonald’s lucky escape from a grim setting at Western Springs Speedway on December 16, it is easy to see why.

Racing in the International Sprintcar Series, McDonald’s machine was flung into the safety fence at phenomenal speed.

On another day, McDonald’s car would have simply bounced back onto the track but on that night his car struck a pole with the impact striking near the right side of his helmet.

McDonald, a former national champion and captain of the New Zealand sprintcar team, was unconscious for around four minutes.

“We have the very best of safety equipment in these cars and that’s what saved my life.”

His ButlerBuilt full containment seat has four inches of high-density padding on the right-hand side but the sickening impact was still enough to crack his carbon fibre helmet.

Remarkably, McDonald came out of the crash with just tendon and ligament tears in his back and shoulder, a ruptured AC joint, a rib cartilage injury and a serious concussion.

He can only recall a very brief snippet of being trapped in the car but remembers the pain.

The flood of support he received was the most humbling experience of McDonald’s life.

“When you’re lying in hospital on your own and reading through all those messages of support it really helps you get through.

“It’s something I really appreciate and to give all of those people a result with the Gold Cup is extremely satisfying.”

McDonald is no stranger to crashes – they are a part of the sport – but this one was different.

“In my 24 years of racing I’ve probably had 30 big accidents which I can shrug off and it’s not too bad but this one really rattled my cage.”

The December crash followed another serious incident on opening night at Western Springs on November 4.

McDonald was not injured but his car was a write-off. A new chassis was constructed before that too was wrecked in the December crash.

Never in his life has McDonald, who started in ¼ Midgets way back in 1993, endured a run of bad luck like he has in recent months.

He predicts the man hours his crew have put in since pre-season would number in the thousands and said the financial commitment of his family, to build a third car to continue his season, was huge.

The Gold Cup was McDonald’s second weekend back on track following his fifth placing at the national championships at Western Springs the previous week.

 – Stuff

Source :Stuff.co.nz

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