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05-02-03, 06:44 PM
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Winston Cup driver Jerry Nadeau was injured, possibly seriously, when he crashed in practice Friday at Richmond International Raceway.
The 32-year-old driver from Danbury, Conn., did not appear to be moving when he was removed from his car strapped to a body board.
Nadeau was being fed oxygen through a bag when he was pulled from the car and placed in the ambulance.
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Nadeau was taken to the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals in Richmond with what doctors said was ``the potential for serious injuries,'' but ``that's all we know right now.''
He did not know if Nadeau was conscious when taken from the car.
Nadeau's Pontiac struck the outside wall on the three-quarter mile oval during the final practice session for Saturday night's Pontiac Excitement 400. The car skidded, spun halfway around and slammed driver's side first into the wall between the first and second turns.
After several minutes, rescue crews cut part of the roof off the car, climbed inside and removed Nadeau.
He was taken by ambulance to the infield care center, then airlifted from the track as Henrico County police and fire officials ordered onlookers away from the helipad.
Earlier, Nadeau qualified 12th for the race.
He's in his sixth full season on NASCAR's top circuit. His only victory in 177 career starts came in the final race of 2000 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Nadeau was rookie of the year in the Skip Barber Eastern Series in 1991, and won nine races from 1993-95. He made his NASCAR debut in the Busch series in 1995.
He was an All-American Soap Box Derby racer before turning to go-karts in 1984. He won 10 races in World Karting Association and International Karting Foundation competition from 1984-90.
His best season in Winston Cup was 2001, when he posted four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 34 races as a Hendrick Motorsports teammate to four-time series champion Jeff Gordon.
Nadeau is in his first full season as a driver for MB2 Motorsports.
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The 32-year-old driver from Danbury, Conn., did not appear to be moving when he was removed from his car strapped to a body board.
Nadeau was being fed oxygen through a bag when he was pulled from the car and placed in the ambulance.
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Nadeau was taken to the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals in Richmond with what doctors said was ``the potential for serious injuries,'' but ``that's all we know right now.''
He did not know if Nadeau was conscious when taken from the car.
Nadeau's Pontiac struck the outside wall on the three-quarter mile oval during the final practice session for Saturday night's Pontiac Excitement 400. The car skidded, spun halfway around and slammed driver's side first into the wall between the first and second turns.
After several minutes, rescue crews cut part of the roof off the car, climbed inside and removed Nadeau.
He was taken by ambulance to the infield care center, then airlifted from the track as Henrico County police and fire officials ordered onlookers away from the helipad.
Earlier, Nadeau qualified 12th for the race.
He's in his sixth full season on NASCAR's top circuit. His only victory in 177 career starts came in the final race of 2000 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Nadeau was rookie of the year in the Skip Barber Eastern Series in 1991, and won nine races from 1993-95. He made his NASCAR debut in the Busch series in 1995.
He was an All-American Soap Box Derby racer before turning to go-karts in 1984. He won 10 races in World Karting Association and International Karting Foundation competition from 1984-90.
His best season in Winston Cup was 2001, when he posted four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 34 races as a Hendrick Motorsports teammate to four-time series champion Jeff Gordon.
Nadeau is in his first full season as a driver for MB2 Motorsports.
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