Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies was released from Zale Lipshy University Hospital in Dallas, Texas Monday, after receiving a skin graft to a burned area of his left arm. Spies suffered the injury October 13 when the rear tire on his GSX-R1000 Superbike exploded at 186 mph while he was testing Dunlop tires at Daytona International Speedway. Spies suffered no broken bones in the crash and long slide on the pavement but did suffer second- and third-degree burns and skin loss to his left arm, shoulder and hip area. Spies’ shoulder and hip are being allowed to heal naturally.

The 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion is spending most of this week at his aunt’s home in the Dallas area before going back to the hospital Thursday, October 30 for a follow-up examination. If all goes well Thursday, Spies, 19, can return to his home in Longview, Texas. However, Spies will be out of action and unable to train for approximately six weeks and will miss the next Dunlop tire test at Daytona, scheduled for early December.

“We’ll miss a couple of tests, but we’ll be ready to go for Daytona in March,” Spies told Roadracingworld.com Monday.