Racer critically injured in crash at Hawkeye Downs

CEDAR RAPIDS - Racing action at Hawkeye Downs Speedway came to an end early on Friday night after a last-lap accident in the INEX Legends main event sent one racer to the hospital with critical injuries.

Cars were coming to the checkered flag and finish of the event when a car driven by Sammy Smith spun and was stalled on the track. Fellow racer Joan Feller, who was behind Smith on track, was unable to avoid Smith and hit head-on against his right-front.

Feller was found unresponsive by medical personnel who arrived on scene seconds after the accident and as soon as the rest of the field had passed by. Late Model racer and Cedar Rapids Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian Gibson sprinted from the pit area out to the accident scene to assist first responders, and added Feller did not have a pulse when she was removed from the car.

'Upon my arrival at the scene, the patient was unresponsive, in a slumped over position in the vehicle. The medical team was attending to her,” Gibson said. 'I inquired as to what I could do to help. The medical paramedic on scene asked me if I could assist in getting her helmet off. I stepped in, removed her helmet; then rapidly extricated her with the help of Officer (John) McDaniel out of the vehicle and onto a longboard.

'CPR was then initiated when we had a pulseless - we checked for a pulse and there was no pulse. CPR was performed and we started breathing for her. She was then transported to the hospital.”

Feller, was taken to Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids by ambulance; then reportedly transported from there to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics by helicopter. She remained there Saturday morning.

Her exact condition and the extent of her injuries are unknown at this time. Cedar Rapids Police, its Crime Scene Unit and the Cedar Rapids Fire Department assisted on the accident scene.

The cause of Feller's injuries sustained in the car remained unconfirmed as of Friday night, but Hawkeye Downs promoter Kevin Korsmo said both cars involved in the accident were to be impounded by the track for further investigation into the accident for insurance purposes.

Both Korsmo and Gibson stressed - without implying any wrongdoing by Feller - the accident as a reminder for racers to be sure their safety equipment is as up-to-date as possible. Speaking generally as a racer himself, Korsmo said other racers taking stock of their safety is vital and sometimes bad wrecks can push them to do so.

'As I know it, it's an investigation as a sporting event accident for the sake of insurance - since we won't probably be able to talk to them until Monday,” Korsmo said. 'Both cars will be impounded and we will have them put away in case they do need to see the cars.

'I'll just say the proper use of safety equipment is very important. It's there for a reason. We need to trust our racers that they'll have the proper use of their safety equipment.”

Korsmo was in the race and finished second to winner Brody Willett. Korsmo did not see the accident happen, as it was behind him on track, and only saw the aftermath as he came around on his cool-down lap. Smith, 12, was able to climb from his car under his own power and walk back to his team's trailer and suffered no injuries.

The rest of the racing program, which would have included main events for Sportsmen and Late Models, were canceled.

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