Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Roadracingworld.com got an update from Woody Deatherage via phone Tuesday.

Deatherage told Roadracingworld.com, “Basically I have a crushed vertebra, but no surgery will be required as long as I stay in the body cast they gave me. It’s a two-piece removable shell that was measured to fit me and stabilizes my torso from my hips to my neck. I will be in it for the next five weeks at which time doctors will see how everything is healing. Mobility in it isn’t bad, and the doctors said I can resume somewhat normal activities as long as I don’t go too crazy.”

When asked how he felt about the fact that Steve Rapp had crashed in the same spot earlier in the weekend, and that no haybales and/or soft barriers were deployed in the area after Rapp’s bike hit the wall, Deatherage said, “That’s real surprising. If barriers would have been there, the bike would probably have minimal crash damage and I would have walked away. I don’t want to stir the pot too much, but we (the AMA and its riders) all need to learn from our mistakes and take a pro-active approach to fixing them.

“I would like to thank everyone who contacted me, it was really overwhelming,” continued Deatherage. “And I would also like to give a big thanks to Arai helmets. That helmet saved my life.”

Deatherage is currently trying to repair his destroyed Suzuki GSX-R1000, and says he is not sure if he will continue racing.

Deatherage also said he is going to try to make it to the upcoming AMA race at Road America to say hi to everyone, and try to talk to AMA Pro Racing officials about starting some sort of riders group that would deal with track safety.

Deatherage broke his back when he crashed his Suzuki GSX-R1000 at the bottom of the esses section, in the turn four area, and hit an unpadded wall during an AMA Superbike race at Road Atlanta Sunday, May 18th. Steve Rapp’s racebike had hit the same section of unpadded wall two days earlier, during Superbike qualifying.