At the Autocross Driving School on Saturday 12/3/05, a vehicle lost control at the finish and struck Richard Vela and the timing trailer. Richard sustained a severe right leg injury at the moment of impact. Darrell Covert was one of the first to assist Richard and is considered by Richard and many others as a hero. Darrell's quick actions and knowledge of emergency situations kept Richard alive until paramedics arrived and he was evacuated via helicopter to St. Joseph's Hospital.
Richard has been one of our regular participants, a great contributor to the program and an experienced soloist. It is extremely unfortunate that doctors were unable to save his leg and had to amputate it just below his knee. The good news is that his condition is stable, he has a positive outlook and he is on his way to recovery. If you visit Richard in the hospital, one of the first things he will say is that he is just happy to be alive and is looking forward to getting back into motorsports again.
Several other participants inside and around the trailer also sustained injuries at the moment of impact. Luckily, most were minor with only one other person requiring medical attention.
We have setup a relief fund for Richard Vela and his family. If you would like to make a donation, please send checks payable to:
"AZ Region SCCA Solo 2" NOTE: Please make a note that is it for the "Richard Vela Fund" 19226 N. 34th Drive Phoenix, AZ 85027
Please ensure your donations are submitted by no later than Jan 11th, 2006.
This incident has been emotionally taxing for everyone directly and indirectly involved. If you are having a difficult time dealing with the long and short term effects of this event, we ask that you please seek professional help. The below Grief Counselor comes as a highly recommended referral from the AZ Region SCCA "Road Racers" who has experience helping entrants and participants in similar situations:
Tom McSherry 480-804-0326 800-391-8741 Pager tommcs@aol.com Tempe, AZ
This was the first time a participant has sustained a serious injury in over 30 years of Solo competition for this Region. This incident will be reviewed in detail by the Solo Safety Committee and Solo Events Board in conjunction with the region.
Out of respect for *all* involved and to avoid spreading misinformation, we ask that folks do not discuss details or your opinions of the event besides what has been shared above. Any discussion following this announcement should focus on what we as a community can do to help the participants involved and help the program move forward.
If you have any questions, concerns or additional information about the incident, please contact:
Pete Lyon SCCA Risk Management 800-770-2055 ext 328