Christiano da Matta in a coma
08-04-2006, 07:54 AM
#1
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Christiano da Matta in a coma
From newsfeed:
All the best to him.
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Champ Car driver Cristiano da Matta needed surgery to remove a ruptured blood vessel in his head after his race car collided with a deer that wandered onto the track during a test session at Road America on Thursday.
Da Matta was unconscious when he was airlifted to Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Neenah after the crash, and remained unconscious as of Thursday night, Champ Car series spokesman Steve Shunck said.
Champ Car Director of Medical Affairs Dr. Chris Pinderski said a CT scan at the hospital showed that da Matta had a subdural hematoma.
“He was urgently taken to the operating room for surgical removal of the hematoma and is now being observed in the intensive care unit,” Pinderski said.
The RuSport team said updates concerning da Mattas condition will be released when they become available.
The 32-year-old Da Matta has 12 career Champ Car victories – including four straight wins in his championship season of 2002, tying a series record.
A native of Brazil, da Matta left Champ Car after winning the championship and drove for the Toyota team in the elite Formula One series in 2003 and 2004. In 28 starts, he finished a career-best sixth in three races.
Da Matta returned to Champ Car last year to win a race at Portland and tie for 11th in the standings. He is sixth in the standings this season after finishing second in Sunday’s race in San Jose, Calif.
Da Matta began the season with Dale Coyne Racing, then moved to RuSport team at midseason after A.J. Allmendinger was fired.
“It’s great to get this result because I admit there have been some times when I wondered if it was going to happen again,” da Matta said Sunday. “Now that pressure is off and I can focus on making the car better and becoming a consistent threat for podiums and top-fives the rest of the way.”
Da Matta is single and lives in Miami.
RuSport also announced Thursday that Justin Wilson, da Matta’s teammate, would not participate in the final day of Road America test on Friday.
The Champ Car series races at Road America on Sept. 24.
Da Matta was unconscious when he was airlifted to Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Neenah after the crash, and remained unconscious as of Thursday night, Champ Car series spokesman Steve Shunck said.
Champ Car Director of Medical Affairs Dr. Chris Pinderski said a CT scan at the hospital showed that da Matta had a subdural hematoma.
“He was urgently taken to the operating room for surgical removal of the hematoma and is now being observed in the intensive care unit,” Pinderski said.
The RuSport team said updates concerning da Mattas condition will be released when they become available.
The 32-year-old Da Matta has 12 career Champ Car victories – including four straight wins in his championship season of 2002, tying a series record.
A native of Brazil, da Matta left Champ Car after winning the championship and drove for the Toyota team in the elite Formula One series in 2003 and 2004. In 28 starts, he finished a career-best sixth in three races.
Da Matta returned to Champ Car last year to win a race at Portland and tie for 11th in the standings. He is sixth in the standings this season after finishing second in Sunday’s race in San Jose, Calif.
Da Matta began the season with Dale Coyne Racing, then moved to RuSport team at midseason after A.J. Allmendinger was fired.
“It’s great to get this result because I admit there have been some times when I wondered if it was going to happen again,” da Matta said Sunday. “Now that pressure is off and I can focus on making the car better and becoming a consistent threat for podiums and top-fives the rest of the way.”
Da Matta is single and lives in Miami.
RuSport also announced Thursday that Justin Wilson, da Matta’s teammate, would not participate in the final day of Road America test on Friday.
The Champ Car series races at Road America on Sept. 24.
All the best to him.
08-04-2006, 08:08 AM
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More from Speed:
The next 24 hours will be crucial for the 2002 CART champion as doctors try to reduce the swelling in his brain.
According to an eyewitness, da Matta was heading for Turn 6 at Road America when the deer ran out in front of him and struck the right front of his RuSPORT Lola. The deer caromed into the cockpit as da Matta smashed into the tire barrier with his foot still planted on the throttle.
Safety crews extracted him on a backboard and applied an oxygen mask as he was taken to a helicopter.
In the wake of the crash, RuSPORT announced that Justin Wilson and the No. 9 team will not participate in the final day of Champ Car testing at Road America.
Known as "Shorty," the good-natured veteran was coming off his first podium of the season, a second place last Sunday at San Jose.
According to an eyewitness, da Matta was heading for Turn 6 at Road America when the deer ran out in front of him and struck the right front of his RuSPORT Lola. The deer caromed into the cockpit as da Matta smashed into the tire barrier with his foot still planted on the throttle.
Safety crews extracted him on a backboard and applied an oxygen mask as he was taken to a helicopter.
In the wake of the crash, RuSPORT announced that Justin Wilson and the No. 9 team will not participate in the final day of Champ Car testing at Road America.
Known as "Shorty," the good-natured veteran was coming off his first podium of the season, a second place last Sunday at San Jose.
08-04-2006, 08:13 AM
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Turn six is right at the Toyota bridge.
08-06-2006, 08:32 PM
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I remember what happened to Nanini's car when he hit a woodchuck in Montreal. Can't imagine what happened to Da Matta's car! Worse, him. Prayers time fellas.
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08-06-2006, 09:05 PM
#8
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Ive hit 2 rabbits at RA, while nothing like hitting a deer it was scary enough on a race track. Prayers are with him!
08-06-2006, 09:10 PM
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Update:
No new news. He is still in a coma. The doctors are worried about long term damage because of the continued swelling.
No new news. He is still in a coma. The doctors are worried about long term damage because of the continued swelling.
08-30-2006, 03:23 PM
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Update:
In racing speak, Cristiano da Matta has "rounded the corner" according to Dr. Chris Pinderski, medical director of Champ Car.
"Cristiano is doing great. He's communicating in two languages, Portugese and English," said Pinderski, who was visting the 32-year-old Brazilian driver Wednesday at the Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, Wis.
"He's still pretty confused but he calls his girlfriend by her name and recognizes his mother and father and brother. He's made excellent progress."
The 2002 CART champion suffered a near-fatal head injury after being struck by a deer on Aug. 3 during a test at Elkhart Lake, Wis. Quick response by the Champ Car safety team and Pinderski, coupled with neuro surgery within two hours of the accident, gave da Matta a chance to survive.
Since then, the popular driver known as "Shorty" has come out of his coma and made steady progress, which really acclerated the past week.
"I asked Cristiano which team he drove for and he immediately began talking and engineers and wings," said Pinderski. "So he's thinking in auto racing terms, even if he isn't quite sure what he's saying yet.
"He's also walking around and, hopefully, next week we'll get him into a rehabilitation hospital."
Pinderski has remained cautiously positive during the past two weeks but clearly likes what he's seeing now.
"Cristiano still has a long way to go but I think he's turned the corner."
In racing speak, Cristiano da Matta has "rounded the corner" according to Dr. Chris Pinderski, medical director of Champ Car.
"Cristiano is doing great. He's communicating in two languages, Portugese and English," said Pinderski, who was visting the 32-year-old Brazilian driver Wednesday at the Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, Wis.
"He's still pretty confused but he calls his girlfriend by her name and recognizes his mother and father and brother. He's made excellent progress."
The 2002 CART champion suffered a near-fatal head injury after being struck by a deer on Aug. 3 during a test at Elkhart Lake, Wis. Quick response by the Champ Car safety team and Pinderski, coupled with neuro surgery within two hours of the accident, gave da Matta a chance to survive.
Since then, the popular driver known as "Shorty" has come out of his coma and made steady progress, which really acclerated the past week.
"I asked Cristiano which team he drove for and he immediately began talking and engineers and wings," said Pinderski. "So he's thinking in auto racing terms, even if he isn't quite sure what he's saying yet.
"He's also walking around and, hopefully, next week we'll get him into a rehabilitation hospital."
Pinderski has remained cautiously positive during the past two weeks but clearly likes what he's seeing now.
"Cristiano still has a long way to go but I think he's turned the corner."
08-31-2006, 07:43 AM
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Great news-I was hopeful (obviously) he would regain consciousness and some lucidity.
09-18-2006, 10:12 AM
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Great news. Is there or has there been any pictures or footage of this incident?
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