Wednesday, August 08, 2007
After his CT scans and x-rays came back and were examined by medical professionals it was learned that Miguel DuHamel has suffered a lacerated liver, a perforated lung and a bruised lung in his Road Atlanta crash today.
Clearly the lacerated liver is the most troubling of the three injuries although neither of them are to be taken lightly. A lacerated liver can be fatal if untreated. Also, this injury can take an extended amount of time to fully heal. Moreover, in many cases doctors will not allow someone with this condition to do any activity where further trauma is possible.
Persons at the scene of the crash said that DuHamel experienced some sort of trouble near the top of the turn 12 hill and soon after the bike went completely sideways and impacted the turn 12 wall, which had tires, straw bales and airfence in front of it.
DuHamel's Honda CBR1000RR was destroyed in the crash.
Thermometers were cranking all the way to 106 degrees at the track today.
hmyi hope not!! hes been racing as long as ive been watching racing.. hes one of the best all around racers in my opinion and he seems like a great guy too..
wow! That's crazy... I just saw him and had pics and autographs w/him at Mid-Ohio this past weekend.... It's amazing how fast things happen! I'm glad that he's ok! :cheers
Just found this and came here to post it myself actually....
I'm actually in Atlanta on business right now. Was thinking about heading over to the track when I heard they were testing the next few days. Crazy stuff.
Hope he gets well soon.
That's a rediculous section of the track. I was JUST talking to a co-worker yesterday about how dangerous that section of track seemed to me...and now the news today.
That is the same corner that he made one of the most impressive passes ever in the history of AMA racing. I think it was in the late 90s. He came done the hill on the rc45 with someone in front and the bike stepped out.
He never flinched and kept the throttle pinned with the bike sliding the whole way. I forget who he was passing I think Gobert maybe?
Anyway he is a class act and if anyone know what hospital he is in post it. Im close enough I would love to stop in.
I've respected him as a true sportsman since I was a child.
I'd at least like to send something over. I'm off of Windy Hill Rd & 75. The address is an Atlanta one, but the signs everywhere around my hotel say Smyrna and Marietta.
Let me know if you find out where he's at, and if that's close to me.
Here is the famous pass, I found a story with it mentioned
Duhamel, who won at Road Atlanta in 1998 in a thrilling last-turn pass on Anthony Gobert, has fallen to third in the championship after crashing his factory Honda in the most recent round in Lexington, Ohio. As a result of the crash the Montreal native went from just 10 points behind Mladin and second in the standings to third in the series, 44 points out of the series lead. Duhamel, the 1995 AMA Superbike champ, now needs a little luck to get back in the championship picture.
Yup, I'd say he's gonna hang it up. At some point you gotta accept that as fun as it is your body just won't take it. I'm sure he'll move into an R&D or P&R role at Honda.
that sucks. i dont think he will quit racing, but he is certainly out for the rest of the year.. i would hate to see him throw in the towel since he has been around a long time, and it would be cool to see him be the oldest factory racer around.
I don't think he'll quit. He's still competitive (even moreso if he was on a Yosh Suzuki) and these should be injuries that he can recover from with rest and relaxation. At a minimum I think he'll complete his contract with Honda before retiring... but in the same breath I can see him competing in Supersport with his own satellite team.
DuHamel Update by dean adams Sunday, August 12, 2007
Former Superbike champion Miguel DuHamel is healing fast and will probably be leaving his Georgia hospital room very soon. Injured in a testing crash at Road Atlanta last week, DuHamel suffered a lacerated liver, damage to both lungs, a broken or sprained ankle and some mere flesh wounds.
DuHamel's lungs are inflated and working again, his liver more than likely won't need surgery and he's disputing the x-rays on his ankle ("It doesn't feel broken").
DuHamel will be convalescing in Montreal for a while and it's unknown when he will make a racing return. VIR next weekend is very clearly out; however, after that? DuHamel says he actually feels pretty good, even though he exploded five straw bales with a 120mph body-block and the Yamaha crew who initially got to him first feared he was dead.
Knowledgeable sources say that Honda probably won't have a replacement rider on DuHamel's CBR1000RR at VIR.
Glad he's healing up! He is a legend in racing and I hope he has many years to come. I doubt he will retire though- what a bunch of haters you guys are. :hammer
Considering that he is 3rd in the points behind Ben and Mat, he is hardly washed up. He will be back, probably by the end of the season. Guys like him don't quit. How many of you ever though about arguing with an x-ray- "It doesn't feel broken" :lol That's priceless.
Heal fast Miguel- AMA needs guys like you! :cheers