Man Down - A fellow racer needs our help.

[jkaiser]

Some of you may know Aaron Clark, many of you do not. He is a racer from Colorado who competes with the UtahSBA which is where I met him and where he just took the #1 plate for the third year in a row. He sustained critical injuries in a crash at Pikes Peak on Oct 13th that nearly took his life. Had fellow racers not violated all the rules of a track day to stop and perform CPR he would certainly be dead. At this moment he is in a coma, having suffered a severe head injury along with a broken leg, arm, and pelvis.

Many of us have been hurt in crashes but Aaron's injuries are extraordinary and the financial costs to his family are significant. There is an online auction being held to help raise money to aid his family and I would appreciate the WMMRA membership taking a look to see if you could help out. 100% of the funds raised are going to help Aaron and his family during this difficult time. The items can be found at the following link

http://trackstar1.com/auction/index.php?

Additionally, a website has been set up to provide updates on Aaron's condition and where you can leave a message of encouragement for his family and friends.

http://www.getwellclarkie.com/

Imagine how we might appreciate the support of other clubs if one of our own were in Aaron's position? Imagine how much YOU would appreciate the support of the racing community if such a tragedy were to happen in your life.

Please folks, do what you can.

Miller Motorsports Park Press Release

By Alex Kuretz • October 13, 2008
I’ve just received a Press Release put out by Miller Motorsports Park.

For Immediate Release
Masters of the Mountains Champion Aaron Clark
Critically Injured in Colorado Racing Crash
TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (October 13, 2008) — Just a week after wrapping up his third consecutive championship in the Honda Presents the Plaza Cycle Masters of the Mountains motorcycle road racing series at Miller Motorsports Park, Aaron Clark suffered critical injuries in a crash while practicing for a race in Colorado.
Clark, 37, a native of New Zealand now living in Longmont, Colo., was practicing on Friday, October 10, for a race with the Colorado-based Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) at the newly-reopened Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo. Clark, who is also the defending champion of the MRA series, was involved in a high-speed, single-vehicle accident and sustained critical injuries.
Clark was admitted to a Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs in serious condition. His injuries include a closed-head injury, a broken pelvis and shoulder and leg injuries. He is being periodically maintained in an induced coma while the swelling in his brain subsides. His wife, Tedi, and his brother-in-law, fellow racer Scott Jensen, are with him at the hospital, as are other members of his family.
In his native New Zealand, Clark won numerous club and regional Motocross and Supercross championships. When he made the transition to road racing in 1998, he was equally successful. In 1999, he received the Wildcard entry in the FIM Australian Grand Prix and went on to finish third in the Australian 250 GP Roadracing Championship. He came to America in 2000 and won the Aprilia Cup National Championship, which led to a sponsored ride from Aprilia USA in Unlimited Superbike FUSA in 2001. Since then, Clark has been involved with numerous race teams and currently rides the No. 1 Fay Myers Motorcycle World Suzuki GSX-R 1000 for Team Moto-Garage Racing.
“Aaron Clark is not only a very accomplished racer, but an all-around great guy as well,” said Mitch Wright, director of racing for Miller Motorsports Park. “As a three-time champion of the Honda Presents the Plaza Cycle Masters of the Mountains series, he has always represented our series and our facility with class. All of us at Miller Motorsports Park send our thoughts and prayers to Aaron, Tedi, Scott and the rest of the family, and we are hoping for a speedy recovery.”
A website, www.GetWellClarkie.com, has been established as a place for fans to get information and leave messages of support. Jensen has established a fund to accept donations that will help offset Clark’s medical expenses, and the contact info for the fund is located on the same website.
Another of Clark’s Masters of the Mountains colleagues, Kelly Rees, who co-owns the www.TrackStar1.com motorcycle accessories shop, is putting together an auction to help pay for Clark’s medical expenses. The auction is tentatively scheduled to start on Monday, October 20, and Rees is seeking donations of products or services to be auctioned. He can be reached by telephone at 801-928-1976.
For tickets or information regarding Miller Motorsports Park, call 435-277-RACE (7223) or visit the track’s website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com.

Aaron Clark at Miller Motorsports Park on October 5, 2008, after clinching his third consecutive championship in the Honda Presents the Plaza Cycle Masters of the Mountains motorcycle road racing series. (Photo courtesy Utah SportBike Association/www.TrackStar1.com)

[jkaiser]

Many great auction items are ending soon including a set of GP Suspension 25mm fork cartridges. This a great cause and I really proud of GP Suspension for stepping up.

[dakh]

Or simply send some cash their way, there's a paypal address on the site.