Former NASCAR driver Paul Tracy has provided a health update following a devastating incident on Friday.
Tracy was struck by an SUV while riding his bicycle, initially sustaining what seemed to be a dislocated shoulder. However, in a recent update, Tracy revealed that his injuries were far more severe, with scans uncovering three broken vertebrae in his lower back.
“Getting transferred to trauma center , looks like 3 broken vertebrae lower back, this is going to f**k up my fitness.”
This comes after his initial post:
“Ya, that just happened got hit by a car, definitely a dislocated shoulder.”
The racing community quickly rallied around Tracy with an outpouring of support. NASCAR personalities and fans alike expressed their well-wishes for his recovery. Fellow NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace commented, “Really sorry.” Meanwhile, Mark Martin added, “Damn bro, that sucks.”
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Although Tracy’s recent foray into racing was marred by controversy after he was suspended from the Camping World SRX Series for causing a significant crash at Motor Mile Speedway. His legacy in motorsport includes a partial schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2006 and a notable result in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2008.
Tracy made a significant impact in motorsports, particularly in the Champ Car World Series, IndyCar, and CART. His racing career began at an early age, with karting at five, and by the age of sixteen, he was already competing in car racing. Tracy quickly became the youngest Canadian to win the Formula Ford championship in 1985, and the following year, he claimed victory as the youngest Can-Am race winner.
His momentum carried into the American Racing Series, where he dominated in 1990, winning nine out of fourteen races and capturing the series title.
In addition to his success in open-wheel racing, Tracy expanded his horizons to other motorsports disciplines. He competed in NASCAR’s Busch Series and Camping World Truck Series, tried his hand at sports car racing in the Rolex Sports Car Series, and participated in both the Stadium Super Trucks and Superstar Racing Experience.
Even as his on-track performance began to decline, Tracy transitioned smoothly into a role as a television analyst, providing race commentary for both Canadian and American networks.
His contributions to the sport have been recognized with inductions into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame and the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s iconic figures.
We wish him all the best with his recovery.