Tanner Thorson involved in accident

[kidrock]

Prayers to Tanner Thorson and his family!!, he was involved in a highway accident and broke both of his legs and punctured a lung.

[kidrock]

Looks like it was a pretty bad wreck. It sounds like he rear ended a milk truck and Tanner's truck was engulfed in flames. From the look of some pics the truck is destroyed. It happened at like 4:00 in the morning in a construction zone.

[CIRF]

Kid, I started a thread on the sprint car board and included the link to the site that gave a few (very few) details. I'll post it here, as well: https://www.kcra.com/article/highway...desto/26622403

This is as sad deal for Tanner. Tanner left Keith Kunz and Pete Willoughby after the 2017 season and I must admit, I was a little perplexed by that move but then again I certainly don't know the details. Tanner had won the USAC National Midget Championship in 2016. I thought Tanner might flounder a bit after leaving KKM but he made the transition to the #3 midget and has been very competitive in that ride. It sounds as if he's going to heal up as good as new but it will put his career path on hold. He was scheduled to race at the indoor Shamrock Classic USAC National Midget event at Du Quoin, Illinois this coming Saturday driving for Tri-C Motorsports.

We've had several conversations with Tanner over the years and he's an unassuming, polite kid who has a world of talent.

I hope he can get healed up in time to race yet this season. I reckon only time will tell.

Prayers and best wishes to Mr. Thorson.

[CIRF]

Here's some pictures posted on Twitter of the dually Tanner was driving. It looks like a bomb went off in the cab! Tanner was extremely lucky!

https://twitter.com/KCRATeSelle/status/1102610381917192192

[Raceready]

Thoughts and prayers are out to the family.

[formercrewguy]

Word is he fell asleep at the wheel.

[kidrock]

Kid, I started a thread on the sprint car board and included the link to the site that gave a few (very few) details. I'll post it here, as well: https://www.kcra.com/article/highway...desto/26622403

This is as sad deal for Tanner. Tanner left Keith Kunz and Pete Willoughby after the 2017 season and I must admit, I was a little perplexed by that move but then again I certainly don't know the details. Tanner had won the USAC National Midget Championship in 2016. I thought Tanner might flounder a bit after leaving KKM but he made the transition to the #3 midget and has been very competitive in that ride. It sounds as if he's going to heal up as good as new but it will put his career path on hold. He was scheduled to race at the indoor Shamrock Classic USAC National Midget event at Du Quoin, Illinois this coming Saturday driving for Tri-C Motorsports.

We've had several conversations with Tanner over the years and he's an unassuming, polite kid who has a world of talent.

I hope he can get healed up in time to race yet this season. I reckon only time will tell.

Prayers and best wishes to Mr. Thorson.

Do you know what bones he broke in his legs?

[over4T]

That's the Clyde Lamarr Tri C team out of Auburn and one of the most respected rides and owners in California. Thorson was on the way home from the Word of Outlaws show at Las Vegas. The car is a familiar sight at Silver Dollar Speedway and Placerville Speedway and every other dirt track in NorCal.

[CIRF]

Do you know what bones he broke in his legs?

Haven't heard any specifics on that, Kid. The articles that we've read would lead one to believe that the fractures aren't the type that will have long term effects on his mobility. I've had a punctured lung, and although it's not a pleasant experience in regards to having a suction tube inserted into your chest (very VERY painful) it's a condition that is relatively easy to fix and generally has no lasting complications.

That's the Clyde Lamarr Tri C team out of Auburn and one of the most respected rides and owners in California. Thorson was on the way home from the Word of Outlaws show at Las Vegas. The car is a familiar sight at Silver Dollar Speedway and Placerville Speedway and every other dirt track in NorCal.

Thanks for the clarification, over4T. Those details fill in the gaps as to the circumstances surrounding what Tanner was doing on the road at 4:00 AM driving a truck pulling a racecar hauler. Since we don't follow winged sprint cars all that much we weren't aware that Tri-C was the team that Tanner was working with at the time of the accident. Tri-C is obviously also into midget racing given that Tanner was scheduled to race the Tri-C midget at The Shamrock Classic at Du Quoin this coming Saturday evening.

[kidrock]

[QUOTE=CIRF;2255027]Haven't heard any specifics on that, Kid. The articles that we've read would lead one to believe that the fractures aren't the type that will have long term effects on his mobility. I've had a punctured lung, and although it's not a pleasant experience in regards to having a suction tube inserted into your chest (very VERY painful) it's a condition that is relatively easy to fix and generally has no lasting complications.

So maybe not breaking the femur which is good. I know exactly what you mean about having a chest tube inserted and yes it's very painful to have that done. I had a collapse lung and ended up in the emergency room with the ER doctor telling me that I had to go to surgery right away and I said wait I need a second opinion and he said we don't have time for that lol.

[CIRF]

There are no reports to confirm or deny the extent of the permanent damage, if any, there will be to Tanner's legs. He's very young and kids tend to heal fast and have a better chance to avoid having lasting effects.

I'm wondering if Tri-C will be at Du Quoin Saturday with another driver? I presume the truck Tanner was driving that was destroyed in the accident was Tri-C's but not certain. Hopefully the Tri-C organization can, if need be, get a tow vehicle lined up and see it's way clear to get a driver in place and make their way to Southern Illinois. The #3c car is a dam good piece. Tanner successfully mixed it up with the Kunz-Willoughby cars at The Chili Bowl, and that's sayin' something!!

Kid, if they ever again tell me I must have a chest tube inserted I'm going to insist on being put under general anesthesia. I'll take my chances! The two most painful things I've ever experienced is chest tube and having fluid drained off of my knee due to a football injury with the chest tube being the clear winner in the pain derby!

[CIRF]

Here's a press release from Tri-C Motorsports as it appeared on the Speed Sport News website.

https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/usac/thorson-injured-california-highway-crash/

[over4T]

The truck was the Tri C's. Owner Clyde and crew chief Lee are top notch people and Clyde spends what it takes to compete at a high level. Over the years they've had a lot of very high quality drivers in the seat, including a short stint a couple of years back with the infamous Tyler Walker. Walker blew that opportunity when he failed to show at Silver Dollar one Friday night.

Tanner is definitely an up and coming young driver, although a little reckless as are many younger racers, who has rubbed a few veterans the wrong way and will need to gain/give some respect if he's to be a long time threat in the Sprint world. Not faulting him for being fearless but he does need to temper it some. Tri C will have no problem attracting another quality driver and their phones are probably ringing off the hook.

We've pitted next to them on many occasions and they're a good bunch and willing to help out someone in another division, like us, with knowledge or parts. Don't know much about their midget stuff so can't comment on that.

[CIRF]

The truck was the Tri C's. Owner Clyde and crew chief Lee are top notch people and Clyde spends what it takes to compete at a high level. Over the years they've had a lot of very high quality drivers in the seat, including a short stint a couple of years back with the infamous Tyler Walker. Walker blew that opportunity when he failed to show at Silver Dollar one Friday night.

Tanner is definitely an up and coming young driver, although a little reckless as are many younger racers, who has rubbed a few veterans the wrong way and will need to gain/give some respect if he's to be a long time threat in the Sprint world. Not faulting him for being fearless but he does need to temper it some. Tri C will have no problem attracting another quality driver and their phones are probably ringing off the hook.

We've pitted next to them on many occasions and they're a good bunch and willing to help out someone in another division, like us, with knowledge or parts. Don't know much about their midget stuff so can't comment on that.

To start with, I'm not at all disputing your take on Tanner's on track lack of judgement and over the top aggression. However, I've watched Tanner race the midgets under both POWRi and USAC sanctions on many, many occasions and to be honest I don't remember him to be over zealous or disrespectful. In fact, the only time I remember Tanner being somewhat overly aggressive was at Fairbury, Illinois back in July of 2016. Early in the A-main he put the car in a spot that resulted in a pretty nasty tumble on the front stretch. Even at The Chili Bowl, where intentional contact and aggression are mandatory ingredients for any degree of success to be possible, he really didn't stand out as over the top aggressive.