Topic: CB750A Street ET bracket drag bike. A year to build it.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

 Please consider continuing the race effort with him in mind.

 Heed the fact that you all have our full support and understand that each one of you has my and our full respect for your individual decisions.

+1

+2

Jon, Sam would want you carrying on the "A" tradition by beating Bill.

[H2Eric]

Just caught up with the news. Thoughts and prayers for a full and speedy recovery Sam.

Eric

[jweeks]

     Ok, I'm just back from the track today. Sam is recovering but slowly. He's a few days away from any conversations with his friends. He may be able to annoy nurses sooner than that. We are all optimistic.
     We may never know exactly what went wrong with Sam's first time trial on the Hondamatic on Friday. He ran on the right lane with Bill running the left lane. They were one of the first pairs down the track since it was prepped (sprayed with traction compound) Just before the 1/8th mile mark, Sam sat up on the bike and slowed. The bike got into a rear wheel wobble that he tried to correct with steering. Basically he overcorrected and the rear wheel slid out sideways toward the edge of the track. The bike did half a donut and then high sided away from the direction that he was rotating, flinging him head first onto the track, still holding the handlebars. He ended up with the right side of the bike on him as everything stopped moving. A nearby person got there first and removed the bike from on top of him. His helmet had the wing element on the top of it cracked and portions of that wing broke off. The helmet itself got a couple of cracks in it on the top toward the rear. Track medics were quickly there to attend to him. The track called for a helicopter life flight to a local hospital. They cut away the leathers to attend to his injuries. Mike and Bill have listed them.
     The bike had only minor damage. A few scrapes and the oil cooler mount got bent in. Bill has ridden the bike today around the pits. Everybody has very closely looked over the bike. No oil leaks, no air loss from either tire. The impact moved the tach, but has been angled back to it's original position. When the tach impact moved it, it pressed the throttle cable against the bike freezing the throttle to that position. Nothing we can find could explain what had happened. After everyone had checked over the bike and set everything back to normal, we took it to tech who went over it with a fine tooth comb. It passed and is approved to race again.
     There's going to be significant expenses for Sam being in the hospital. As Bill has stated, we're going to need everyone's help to get through this. There will be more on this in the future, I'm sure. I hope that this helps answer the logical questions that we've all had.
It's going to be a fairly long recovery from his injuries, but we all believe that he can heal up good as new. His natural shock protection will probably cause him not to remember the details of his fall. More information will be posted as the members here can supply updates.

                                                          Jon Weeks

[sorcerer]

Thanks for the update...almost sounds like the rear brake locked up...too weird.

We will all be chipping in to help...I'm sure.

RCjr

[Tintop]

Thanks for the update Jon.

No point in idle speculation as to what happened; given the through check over, and that the bike passed a re-tech.  From your description Sam must have felt something amiss, given he sat up.  As you say though, the 'what', may never be known.

[NitroHunter]

Jon thanks. Still hard to process. Let us know how we can help our SOHC4 Brother.

[dragracer]

Thanks for the update Jon.

No point in idle speculation as to what happened; given the through check over, and that the bike passed a re-tech.  From your description Sam must have felt something amiss, given he sat up.  As you say though, the 'what', may never be known.

Good point TinTop. Time to focus on Sam's recovery and any efforts the SOHC community can put forth to help financially in his fight to get back on course. I doubt he'll be able to travel back home any time soon due to the back injury. 

[bear]

     Ok, I'm just back from the track today. They cut away the leathers to attend to his injuries.

OOOOOOH!......................................
Who's gunna be the one to tell Uncle Sammy the trade mark leathers are no more? Billy?

Cheers,
Brian

[Bill/BentON Racing]

What I said! As I told the medics, once he's better, he'll be PO'd more about the leathers than anything else!  , Bill

[MRieck]

We will never know what happened as Sam will never remember. The cause is not the concern....let's focus on the man's physical condition. 

[bear]

Very true, I lost a week before the accident, plus ICU time.

Cheers,
Brian

[turboguzzi]

so saddened to hear, get well Sam, keeping fingers crossed.

[Greg H]

     Ok, I'm just back from the track today. Sam is recovering but slowly. He's a few days away from any conversations with his friends. He may be able to annoy nurses sooner than that. We are all optimistic.
     We may never know exactly what went wrong with Sam's first time trial on the Hondamatic on Friday. He ran on the right lane with Bill running the left lane. They were one of the first pairs down the track since it was prepped (sprayed with traction compound) Just before the 1/8th mile mark, Sam sat up on the bike and slowed. The bike got into a rear wheel wobble that he tried to correct with steering. Basically he overcorrected and the rear wheel slid out sideways toward the edge of the track. The bike did half a donut and then high sided away from the direction that he was rotating, flinging him head first onto the track, still holding the handlebars. He ended up with the right side of the bike on him as everything stopped moving. A nearby person got there first and removed the bike from on top of him. His helmet had the wing element on the top of it cracked and portions of that wing broke off. The helmet itself got a couple of cracks in it on the top toward the rear. Track medics were quickly there to attend to him. The track called for a helicopter life flight to a local hospital. They cut away the leathers to attend to his injuries. Mike and Bill have listed them.
     The bike had only minor damage. A few scrapes and the oil cooler mount got bent in. Bill has ridden the bike today around the pits. Everybody has very closely looked over the bike. No oil leaks, no air loss from either tire. The impact moved the tach, but has been angled back to it's original position. When the tach impact moved it, it pressed the throttle cable against the bike freezing the throttle to that position. Nothing we can find could explain what had happened. After everyone had checked over the bike and set everything back to normal, we took it to tech who went over it with a fine tooth comb. It passed and is approved to race again.
     There's going to be significant expenses for Sam being in the hospital. As Bill has stated, we're going to need everyone's help to get through this. There will be more on this in the future, I'm sure. I hope that this helps answer the logical questions that we've all had.
It's going to be a fairly long recovery from his injuries, but we all believe that he can heal up good as new. His natural shock protection will probably cause him not to remember the details of his fall. More information will be posted as the members here can supply updates.

Thanks for the detailed update Jon . I really hope everything works out for Sam and he makes a full recovery .                                                           

[SamsBrotherBill]

Jon

Thanks for the update on Sam. We were all absolutely devastated to hear about the accident and left feeling a bit helpless. Thank God he has so many good friends over there that are willing to be with him and help him through these difficult times. I’ll try and help in any way that I can and possibly get across when he’s a bit more recovered but until then, my heartfelt thanks go out to everyone that’s caring for him.

Bill

[Bill/BentON Racing]

Bill, he's had a good night. Responding well, sedated again now. All signs are encouraging. We'll keep you posted. Sam's on track. Bill

[turboguzzi]

that's great to hear! keep us updated bill,

tnxs

yossef

[Retro Rocket]

Good on you Bill, you are a real proper gentleman....

[70CB750]

Praying for Sam.

[POPS 911]

First down the track after they sprayed compound = if they do-not run the track dryer down the 1/4 mile TO BURN THE COMPOUND INTO THE TRACK that traction compound is not firm to the track. Norwalk track in OHIO SPRAYS THEN RUN TRACK DRYER down the track = you cannot walk down the center of the lane without your shoes pulling off you feet.  Seen many starting line workers take the sprayer at the start of the round and spray out 10-20' and not take that propane torch sitting there and burn that compound in = you better go to the back of the line and let those other bikes burn that in and lay a little patch of rubber down the lane. PS. Hope that all the CAR TIRE bikes are ahead of you and you run down their track.

[dusterdude]

Pops,assuming vmp workers were prepping the track,i cant say ive ever seen them burn the track in that way


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[POPS 911]

Dusterdude: Two weeks ago AT NATIONAL TRAILS here in OHIO J.Teasley ran 209 MPH on a street bike with NO BARS at NHDRO EVENT, his dad would never let them spray that starting line and NOT BURN IT IN ....... AT Rockingham a few years back at a IDBA race that I was helping run when I got to the track it was covered with yellow pine tree rosin = Rickie Gaddson tried to make a trial pass and the bike fish tailed all over to the 330' and he stopped and came back. Steve Yearwood the track owner used his track dryer and the one from the NACAR track to burn that rosin into the track = man was the stick there after the dryers did their job. That brown bag the starting line guy pound on the line and then burn in is = pine rosin. Fuel for those dryer use and cost lots $$$$$$$ so go figure.

[Jonathan Green]

Quick update, spoke to the nurse a couple of hours ago, they have taken out the breathing tube from his throat and he is starting to talk a little and respond a bit better. The tube in his chest is still in to drain any fluid still in there but not a lot coming out so hopefully that will be out in a few days. The pressure on his brain is back to normal and they are thinking of putting a plan together for removing the catheter. He is no longer being sedated and has his own little button to press to give pain relief. I have just spoke to a clinical social worker who will be helping to bring him back to the UK when he is ready, she walked up to him and said, blimey, looks like you were riding a rocket up the track! She said the response was a raised eyebrow to suggest, who do you think you are love! Will update again when we have some more positive news.

Regards,
Jonathan.

[Tintop]

Thanks for the update Jonathan, all good news.

I would think that fact it was 'only' a raised eyebrow could be put down to the sedatives.

[dusterdude]

Jonathan,any info on when sam can have visitors?


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[madmtnmotors]

Thanks for the update Jonathon.  I rode 750 miles on my 78' CB750K just to see Sam race and got there a day late.  I arrived on Saturday knowing that there would probably not be much racing by the BentOn team that day, having read the news about Sam here on the forum the night before from the road.

Great to hear that his recovery has begun. Small steps Sammy! Don't overdo it, we'll be here when you get back.