Bruce Lind To Retire As A Result Of Laguna Seca Injuries

Bruce Lind To Retire As A Result Of Laguna Seca Injuries

© 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AMA 250cc Grand Prix racer Bruce Lind has announced that he is retiring from racing competition as a rider. Lind, who is still recovering from injuries suffered in a crash during a heat race at Laguna Seca in July, began his racing career in the dirt in 1962. In 1964, Lind started road racing on a Honda 305 Superhawk at Pacific Raceways (a.k.a. Seattle International Raceway). Lind’s first professional road race came in 1971 with the AMA at Daytona. Since then, Lind has amassed 929 racing miles on the high banks, having competed in seven Daytona 200s aboard Yamaha TZ700s and TZ750s. Lind’s best finishes in the Daytona classic were 12th, in 1978 and 1979. Lind’s last race at Daytona was in March 2001, when Lind finished 17th in the 54-entry AMA 250cc Grand Prix.

In his 39-year racing career, Lind has accumulated 30 road racing Championships, 15 broken collarbones, four Canadian National Sidecar Championships, three AMA National Sidecar Racing Championships, and one New Zealand National Sidecar Racing Championship.

After spending 11 days in Intensive Care following his Laguna crash, Lind, 53, made his decision to retire rather than risk putting his wife of 29 years, Edie, through that situation again.

However, Lind is looking to stay involved in AMA 250cc Grand Prix racing either as a team owner or as a tuner. Parties with serious interest can call Lind at (360) 568-8882 or e-mail [email protected].

Lind returned to his job at Boeing on August 10, one month to the day after having his spleen removed as a result of the crash. Lind also suffered 14 broken ribs–including multiple and displaced ribs in his back–and a punctured and collapsed lung in the crash.

Bruce and Edie Lind both expressed thanks for the more than 150 cards, letters, FAXes and e-mails they received while Bruce was in the hospital. They also received many phone calls.

Lind sent the following note to Roadracing World:

“Dear Roadracing World: I thought the morphine must be working overtime when I opened my eyes after six days in a medically-induced coma and saw walls of a strange room completely covered with various colors of construction paper holding typed messages. Actually, it was the therapy my wife Edie had invented for herself as she sat in the Intensive Care Unit of the Community Hospital of Monterey watching me fight my way back from critical condition. She had to explain it to my drugged mind several times, and read the messages to me repeatedly, before I could comprehend that all the messages were good wishes and prayers for my recovery, sent by friends, fans and co-workers from about 10 different countries and probably all 50 states.



“I’m not a person who impresses easily and I’m not a very ‘sensitive’ guy–after all, I’ve been around road racing for 37 years. But I was overwhelmed by the caring of the over 150 people who sent messages by e-mail, phone, FAX and mail. I wish I could thank everyone individually, but some messages were from people whose return addresses were dropped in the transfer and some I don’t even know personally. But I would like to thank everyone who sent me their strength, energy and good wishes–it apparently worked, because I’m home, have started back to work, and am going to turn back up in the pits again with either a team manager or tuner hat on.



“My special thanks go to: Roadracing World, for keeping people updated with their web postings and helping them get messages to me; Catherine and Ed Sorbo (AMA 250cc GP #6), for their tireless corrolating and forwarding of all the e-mails into daily ‘mass’ FAXes to the hospital; sponsor and friend Steve Dahlstrom (of AIM Racing Products/Speedtune), and friend Gary Ricci, for helping get my crashed machine and parts back home; Laura Hardy and Shawn McDonald for helping notify my ‘Bruce Lind Racing’ mailing list of my situation; and, of course, Edie, my wife who went through every minute of those two weeks of ICU, got me home, and then, maybe worse, put up with me as a not-ideal-patient at home.

“Again, my sincere thanks and appreciation to all who wrote and called to express their concern, offer assistance, and wish me well.

“Sincerely,
“Bruce J. Lind
“AMA 250GP #78, Retired after 37 seasons”

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