John Lingenfelter UPDATES

[Ctfoodguy2000]

Ligenfelter

Didn't see this posted anywhere. If it ia already here, sorry....

Lingenfelter to undergo surgery Monday
by Phil Burgess, NHRASportCompact.com
10/28/02


Pro driver John Lingenfelter, severely injured in a racing accident in Sunday's semifinal round, will undergo surgery Monday at Pomona Valley Hospital as doctors try to fully determine the extent of his injuries to better treat him. He is in stable condition in a coma induced by the medical team to prevent further possible complications prior to surgery.

"The good news that I can share with everyone is that John was receptive to the presence of his wife, Cindy, last night, which is a good sign," said team spokesperson Brent Malone. "We ask that everyone offer their prayers and thoughts to John for a safe and speedy recovery."

NHRASportCompact.com will serve as an official venue for updates on Lingenfelter's condition, and the team has requested that fellow racers, fans, and sponsors please not contact either the hospital or the team shop for details.

Cards and other messages can be sent to the shop at 1557 Winchester Road, Decatur, IN 46733.

Lingenfelter was racing R.J. Simrock in the semifinals on the Mazda NHRA Sport Compact World Finals at Pomona Raceway when he lost control of his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Cavalier, crossed the centerline, and hit the guardwall in the opposite lane. According to witnesses, it appeared that Lingenfelter may have been knocked unconscious upon impact, as his car proceeded off the end of the track under power before coming to rest against a safety barrier at track's end.

 

[Rob]

John Lingenfelter Injured in Race This Past Weekend

Lingenfelter to undergo surgery Monday

by Phil Burgess, NHRASportCompact.com
10/28/02

Pro driver John Lingenfelter, severely injured in a racing accident in Sunday's semifinal round, will undergo surgery Monday at Pomona Valley Hospital as doctors try to fully determine the extent of his injuries to better treat him. He is in stable condition and heavily sedated by the medical team to prevent further possible complications prior to surgery.

"The good news that I can share with everyone is that John was receptive to the presence of his wife, Cindy, last night, which is a good sign," said team spokesperson Brent Malone. "We ask that everyone offer their prayers and thoughts to John for a safe and speedy recovery."

NHRASportCompact.com will serve as an official venue for updates on Lingenfelter's condition, and the team has requested that fellow racers, fans, and sponsors please not contact either the hospital or the team shop for details.

Cards and other messages can be sent to the shop at 1557 Winchester Road, Decatur, IN 46733.

Lingenfelter was racing R.J. Simrock in the semifinals on the Mazda NHRA Sport Compact World Finals at Pomona Raceway when he lost control of his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Cavalier, crossed the centerline, and hit the guardwall in the opposite lane. According to witnesses, it appeared that Lingenfelter may have been knocked unconscious upon impact, as his car proceeded off the end of the track under power before coming to rest against a safety barrier at track's end.

 

[c4c5specialist]

The best wishes and prayers are with John and his wife Cindy, during this most difficult time.
From all of us at the CAC.
We are all pulling for your John, all the best, c4c5

 

[Rob]

Lingenfelter's Condition Improving

Via National Corvette Museum, Bobbie Jo Lee:

LINGENFELTER'S CONDITION IMPROVING

John Lingenfelter was critically injured Sunday in an accident at the Mazda NHRA Sport Compact Finals. Recent reports received from family members and team members of LPE indicate his condition is improving and doctors are expecting a 100% recovery. "We have just received the latest update on John, his surgery last night was a great success," states Ed Potter of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. "The damage in his back was repaired with plates, and his neck was not nearly as bad as the doctors originally thought. He has feeling in his extremities, and is receptive to his family being with him. His doctors expect a full 100% recovery!!!!! Thank you all for your support, and keep John in your thoughts and prayers, he has a long road ahead of him." Click here for more
information on Lingenfelter and other updates:
<a href="http://www.nhrasportcompact.com/2002/news/lingenfelter.html">NHRA Sport Compact.com</a>

 

[coolvette]

Thanks for the update, Rob

Paul

 

[78SilvAnniv]

That's great news!

100% recovery is wonderful!
I'm sure he'll have a long recovery road ahead of him, but with 100% recovery at the end, maybe he won't mine so much.
Heidi

 

[silversport]

Thanks for the read...I hadn't heard this...quick recovery John!

 

[Joecooool]

He made it through his surgery OK and should recover to drive again!

 

[Jefe]

You can't keep a good man down and John is one of the good ones! My prayers are with him for a speedy recovery.

Jefe

 

[Rob]

Update:

Status update: John Lingenfelter
by Phil Burgess, NHRASportCompact.com

Nov. 20: John Lingenfelter's condition has improved so significantly following his Oct. 27 crash in Pomona, Calif., that doctors at Pomona Valley Medical Center have allowed him be flown back to his homestate of Indiana to continue his rehabilitation. He is expected to arrive later today and check into an Indianapolis-area hospital.

"His recovery is still progressing," said Tom Cress of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. "We're anxious to have John back closer to home and allow the doctors here to continue the work begun in California."

Lingenfelter was removed Saturday from the ventilator that had been helping him breathe since receiving a punctured lung in the accident and was able to whisper some words to family and friends.

Lingenfelter will receive treatment from renowned surgeon Dr. Terry Trammell, who has treated race drivers such as NHRA Top Fuel champions Shirley Muldowney and Tony Schumacher and open-wheel racers such as Rick Mears and, most recently and most dramatically, Alex Zanardi, who lost both legs in a race in Germany last Fall.

"He's going to be in great hands," said Cress.

 

[Ken]

I'll add just a little more to this...

... from Summit Racing:

For Immediate Release 12/19/2002 12:00 PM EST

This is an update to the fans and friends on the condition of NHRA driver, engineer and legendary tuner John Lingenfelter who was critically injured during a NHRA Summit Sport Compact drag racing event at Pomona, California on October 27, 2002.


During that event John's car lost traction and hit a retaining wall at about 190 MPH. John was on a world record setting pace. In typical Lingenfelter fashion, he had been going for the record. John was rushed to the Pomona Valley hospital in critical condition.

John had internal injuries and broken bones. His most serious injury was a fracture of several vertebrae and a head injury. At the hospital John regained consciousness and responded to the voice of his wife Cindy. From that point on, he never stopped fighting. The medical staff involved was always amazed at John's resiliency and will to live.

California doctors stabilized John's condition and an operation to repair his damaged vertebrae was completed. John could move his arms and legs. Ten days later the doctors withdrew the sleep inducing drugs and John woke up. John recognized wife Cindy and others. He was removed from life support, improved and John asked Cindy to take him home. Soon, his doctors deemed him strong enough to be moved back home to Indiana. John was transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, an experienced trauma facility servicing both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Raceway Park.

By the end of November John was looking forward to going home to Decatur and was scheduled to begin rehabilitation in several days. John was cracking jokes with the nurses and telling his wife Cindy about a new motor he was building in his head while he was confined to a bed. But Methodist doctors discovered that the neck operation performed at Pomona needed to be repeated. John's rehab would have to wait a few more days.

Everybody who has ever known or met John is not surprised that he would survive and come through all the adversity when most would have given up. His will to live and recover is incredible.

On Friday, November 29, 2002, just over a month after his accident at Pomona, John was prepped in Indy for a second operation to repair his still damaged vertebrae. John was administered a drug prior to anesthesia. John had a reaction and went into cardiac arrest. The medical staff worked to reestablish his heart function, which they did. However, John entered into and remains in a "semi comatose state".

His physicians rate the prognosis to recover from his neck and spinal injuries as "excellent". They say that the chances of recovery from his semi comatose state are "extremely poor" in "the foreseeable future".

John's company, LPE (Lingenfelter Performance Engineering) located in Decatur, Indiana will continue it's normal operation in John's absence. John chose and trained some of the best, most highly trained, dedicated and gifted individuals in the industry to run (as John calls it) "the shop". Tom Cress and John's daughter Kelly are running "the shop". There will be no change in staff, the superior product or the way LPE does business.

The 35 employees of LPE are used to "John", being out of town. John's frequent absence for NHRA racing events and the far flung testing of his modified street cars by the national and international automobile media always required John's faith in his people to carry on when he was not there. They never let him down.

"We will keep doing it John's way, that means the highest possible quality product that is both bullet proof and wickedly fast. We are the best because John trained us that there is no other way. In John's absence the LPE employees and family intend to keep up that tradition". - Tom Cress.

Last week the LPE team produced and tested a (Street Legal) 2002 Lingenfelter Corvette 427 Twin Turbo that went 8.95 seconds and 153 MPH in the quarter mile. The Lingenfelter tradition goes on. John would have it no other way.

John's wife, Cindy Lingenfelter, while realizing the seriousness of his condition, remains hopeful for an eventual recovery. In the meantime, she is committed that it will be "business as usual" at LPE. Cindy asks that John's friends direct their prayers to God for his recovery and their well wishes to "the shop" were she will maintain an office.

Issued jointly by the LPE Team.

Friends and well-wishers are reminded that Lingenfelter cannot accept visitors at this time. Cards and letters may be sent to the shop at 1557 Winchester Road, Decatur, IN 46733

_ken

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Prayers and best wishes.

Gads, it seemed like he was doing so well, too!
Here's hoping he manages another speedy recovery.
Heidi

 

[Ling_650vette]

Funny, i was just fixin to post a comment on the board about this topic...

Altho i dont own an LPE car, i've been a huge fan of his work since he did the 550 car about 3-4 years ago. And from what i heard from a good friend of mine supposedly, it wasnt an adverse reaction as far as John being allergic to the anestesia, it was a doctor screwing up his meds. How true that is, i dont know. Im just relying the info i've recieved to everyone.

Its sad that such a horrible thing happend to such a great guy. Everyone who's met John, or worked w/ him has a high esteem for him, and his work. But, thats the trials of racing...no one expected Dale Earnhardt to die of such a simple looking crash either, but sadly...it happens. Hopefully, John can pull out of this, and make a full recovery.

Im sure everyone has said a prayer for John and the family, and hopefully, he'll recover in due time.

 

[Ken]

This was in the January 17 issue of Nat'l Dragster...

LINGENFELTER RECOVERY FUND ESTABLISHED

A recovery fund has been established to aid veteran racer and engine builder John Lingenfelter, who was seriously injured in a racing accident in November. Those who make a $25 donation will be entered into a raffle for prizes, which have been generously donated by several high-performance aftermarket companies. Some of the prizes that will be raffled are a pair of Hogan's Racing intake manifolds, Stef's oil pan, $1,000 gift certificate from Comp Cams, set of B&B Performance valve covers, and engine labor and dyno testing for a small-block Chevy engine from Bill Maropulos. The drawing will be held April 5, and all proceeds go to Lingenfelter's recovery fund.

Send donations to

• JOHN LINGENFELTER RECOVERY FUND
  303 North Russell Avenue
  Santa Maria, CA 93458

There have been no new releases on his condition since the December 19 release. At least I couldn't quickly find any.

_ken

 

[Ken]

Sign a "Get Well" e-card!

RacersPrayer.com has set up an electronic get well card if you care to sign it. There have been no new releases regarding the status of his condition that I can find.

John Lingenfelter Get Well Card

_ken

 

[Ctfoodguy2000]

Thanks Ken...

 

[SlowRide]

John Lingenfelter's Condition

Has anyone heard about John Lingenfelter's condition lately? The LPE website still has the 12/19/2002 posting. I haven't heard or read anything else.

 

[Ken]

Nope, that was the last and latest news release. I couldn't find anything anywhere -- magazines, newspapers, the Internet, nada. I certainly hope that "no news is good news."

_ken

We have a thread going regarding updates on John's condition when and if they arise. You can find it at John Lingenfelter UPDATES.

 

[SlowRide]

Thanks for the link Ken. I seen John L. at last years ZR-1 Gathering in Bowling Green, KY. He was drag racing a twin turbo ZR-1 that he had prepared for a customer in Texas. Both the car and John's driving ability were awesome.

 

[extremespeed]

Lingenfelter's condition

John Lingenfelter had an accident while drag racing and was critically injured during a NHRA Summit Sports Compact drag racing event at Pomona, California on October 27, 2002. I was just wondering if anyone had any up to date information on his condition, because the latest posting on his condition was in December.