MONDAY,SEPT.17,2001
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 5B
CART driver loses legs in crash
A two-time champ, Zanardi remains in coma after wreck in Germany
The Associated Press
Saturday's American Memorial 500 — CART's first foray into Europe — was supposed to "help heal wounds" from Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States.
KLETTWITZ, Germany — Even those who have spent a lifetime in auto racing and seen mayhem on the track were agast at the crash that cost Alex Zanardi both his legs and almost his life.
Instead, it produced its own trazedw.
"It's a big shock to everybody," said Johnny Herbert, a former Formula One teammate. "You have accidents, yes, but you don't expect something this gruesome."
A popular two-time CART champion, Zanardi was in stable but serious condition yesterday in a Berlin trauma clinic after doctors amputated both legs above the knee. He also sustained a small fracture of the pelvis and a concussion but no internal or head injuries.
"He's needed a lot of blood transfusions," said Gerd Schroeter, part of a team of physicians treating the 34-year-old Italian. "But the amounts aren't as great as yesterday. Patients that suffer such a big trauma are subject to heart and lung failure."
He credited CART team physicians Steve Olvey and
Terry Trammel with saving Zanardi's life.
Zanardi is expected to stay in an "induced coma" for several days and in the hospital several weeks.
Zanardi was leading with 12 laps left when he entered the pits. Accelerating out of pit lane, his Honda Reynard got away from him. He spun backward onto the 2-mile oval and into the path of Alex Tagliani, who was barreling by at 200 mph.
The main part of the shredded chassis settled near a retaining wall with Zanardi's red helmet visible inches behind the gnarled nose of the car.
Tagliani ripped through Zanardi's nearly stationary car and sheared it in half. The explosion hurled the red nose cone bearing No. 66 into the air, spewing a trail of debris.
"It's as bad as it gets," said Honda spokesman Dan Layton, who saw the crash from 200 yards away. "As he started to accelerate the car snapped backwards. We don't know if it was mechanical or driver error. The car was going up the track backwards, and the point of impact appeared to be Alex's knees."
"When you get weight moving at that speed, it doesn't take a physics major to see how severe it will be."
Mo Nunn team spokesman Laz Denes saw the crash from the pits. His first thoughts were no doubt shared by many of the 87,600 fans at EuroSpeedway.
"I knew it could be fatal," he said. "All of our knees buckled. We thought, 'Oh, my God,' and we all just turned and groaned."
"It was an immense hit, almost harder than anything I've ever seen. The hit was about 12 inches past the cockpit. I wouldn't say I'm shocked he survived, but through some miracle I'm very glad he did."
Zanardi's closest driver friends — Herbert, Jimmy Vasser, Dario Franchitti and Mo Nunn teammate Tony Kanaan
gathered at the hospital yesterday with Zanardi's wife, Daniela. Herbert flew in from Atlanta when he heard about the crash.
Zanardi has many friends in Formula One, where he had two unsuccessful stints. In a hospital room set up to handle guests and sprinkled with bouquets, Herbert talked optimistically.
"He'll be up and around," Herbert said. "He's a very doting father and he'll want to play with his son [3-year-old Niccolol."
"He's going to go through the roller coaster of accepting what's happened," added Denes. "When he gets through this he'll come back to surprise a lot of people."
Zanardi had not won this season. But Friday he was second-fastest in practice, and Saturday he couldn't wait to race.
"He was ready to rock and roll," Denes said. "I've never seen him so ready to get out there."
CART chairman Joe Heitzler was allowed by family members to see Zanardi. An openly religious man, Heitzler said he prayed at Zanardi's bedside. He also prayed when he saw the crash.
"What went through my mind
immediately was, 'Dear Lord,
dear Lord, please let this man be
OK.
"When I saw him I couldn't believe how good he looked for what he'd been through. He was resting peacefully and his face had color."
With virtually every other American sport called off over the weekend, CART was one of the few taking place. With his traveling party of 1,500 already arrived and German fans and promoter Joerg Hans Fischer expecting a race, Heitzler decided Thursday to go ahead.
On Friday, in tribute, the race was renamed from the German 500 to the American Memorial 500. On Saturday, it was run before a near sellout crowd. Heitzler said he had no regrets, noting CART held a 30-minute memorial ceremony before the race and religious services and moments of silence all week.
Heitzler said he received a book of condolences from the head of the regional government that was signed by 5,109 fans. CART plans to donate $500,000 to a relief fund with the drivers adding another $50,000.
"We found ourselves far away from home and we had a lot of mixed feeling about it," Heitzler said. "We wanted to find a way to express our sorrow and sympathy, and appreciation to the German people."
"It was important for us that we put together a proper memorial," CART vice president Ron Richards said. "We're all away from home and wrestling with that."
Athletes, fans around the world honor attack victims, display American flags
Sporting events take on somber air out of respect for United States
The Associated Press
Michael Schumacher's race car had a black nose, German soccer fans waved American flags and Sydney's Olympic Park was silent Saturday as athletes and fans across the world honored the victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
"We will do our best for our fans, although it's certainly difficult to concentrate on racing in this moment," said Schumacher, preparing for yesterday's Italian Grand Prix.
The mood was particularly grim at the CART auto race in Germany, where Italian driver Alex Zanardi lost both legs in an accident. The event was renamed the American Memorial 500 following the attacks.
"It's been a difficult week all week because of the events that have happened and what happened there at the end," said winner Kelly Brack of Sweden.
CART was one of the few major U.S.-based sports competing this weekend. The race was the series' first event in
Europe.
College football stadiums across the United States were dark as all major schools postponed or canceled games.
"It's real eerie around here," said Don Fitch of Ann Arbor, Mich., where Michigan was supposed to play Western Michigan.
In Champaign, Ill., students waved flags and the marching band played as about 7,000 people honored the victims at Memorial Stadium. On Friday, students gathered for a vigil.
At Ohio State, 15,000 fans -- about 85,000 fewer than normal -- filed into Ohio Stadium to pay tribute.
"I cried, because for the first time I understood what it is to be an American," said Eamon Kelly, a senior from Evanston.
Schumacher, the Formula One champion, rode in a Ferrari without advertising for the second straight day as the usually grand celebration at Monza turned sober and respectful.
Few flags waved and almost no trumpets played during Saturday's qualifying session for yesterday's race.
Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo urged fans — among the world's noisiest — to restrain themselves out of
There will be a minute of silence before the race and organizers said drivers of the 22 teams will stand in front of the crowd in the finish line area.
A minute's silence was observed at Olympic Park before the cauldron was relit in tribute to the opening ceremony a year ago in Sydney.
respect for the victims.
"The Olympic spirit kindled here just a year ago was never more needed than now," New South Wales state Premier Bob Carr said.
"On this anniversary of universal hospitality and international goodwill, we need to be reminded how little is gained by murder and grief and the fury of endless revenge."
German soccer fans waved American flags and held banners saying "You'll never walk alone." At games in Germany and Italy, players held hands at midfield during a moment of silence before kickoff.
In Bangkok, a moment of silence was observed before Saudi Arabia beat Thailand 3-1 in a World Cup qualifying game.
The advertising signs at Munich Stadium were draped in sheets that read, "Give peace a chance." A bomb scare, however, kept many fans waiting
outside the gates until an hour before the game.
"In the second half the mood lifted some," Bayern Munich vice president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. "Soccer succeeded in diverting people a little bit from the current events."
"After the terrible events of the last few days, I don't have any desire to speak about the match," he said. "I couldn't even celebrate or enjoy our goals today."
FC Kaiserslautern coach Andreas Brehme had trouble enjoying his team's 2-0 victory over FC Nuremberg.
In the game between Schalke and Borussia Dortmund, fans waved U.S. flags. A banner read, "Soccer is secondary — even this match." Before the game, officials from the two teams held a prayer service at the chapel inside Schalke's stadium.
The starts of yesterday's Italian Serie A games have been pushed back 15 minutes to honor the victims.
In England, fans and players stood for a minute's silence and a wreath was placed on an American flag at midfield before Liverpool's game against Everton.
NCAA violations result in player's dismissal
Complaint claims Florida guard gave friend illegal advice
Former Florida basketball player Teddy Dupay shared in winnings his friend received from a bookmaker after Dupay gave the friend inside information about whether the Gators could cover point spreads, a sworn complaint alleles.
Dupay, who was dismissed from the team last week, is listed as an uncharged co-defendant in a complaint filed against Kresten Lagemager, 23, a finance major who graduated from Florida last May.
The Associated Press
The complaint, filed by the University of Florida police department, charges Lagerman with tampering with a witness, victim or informant, and unlawful betting.
It says Dupay provided Lagerman with information that could help him determine how Florida would do against the point spread. The report states Lagerman placed bets on professional and college basketball games, including Florida games, and shared his winnings with Dupay.
Florida endured an injuryfilled season in 2000-01, and there were several instances in which players returned from injuries sooner than expected.
"Teddy is not charged," said Dupay's attorney, Gil Schaffnit. "If charges are filed against Mr. Dupay, we'll defend them. It's not up for me to comment on whatever is said about Mr. Dupay and his involvement with others."
Lagerman's attorney, Mike Sawyer, said his client did not
want to comment.
The witness tampering charge stems from allegations in the complaint that Lagerman missed investigators and withheld testimony.
Witness tampering is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The gambling charge is a second-degree misdemeanor. Penalties range up to 60 days imprisonment and a $500 fine.
The NCAA has very strict rules regarding gambling, mandating a one-year suspension for any student who solicits or accepts a bet involving college or professional sports.
"I understand that I have violated NCAA rules and I take full responsibility for those actions," Dupay said last Friday when his dismissal was announced. "I put myself in a situation that"1
Lagerman shared an off-campus apartment with Dupay and Florida players Brent Wright and Udonis Haslem last season. Dupay was the only player investigated by university police.
should not have put myself in, and I am paying the price for that."
Schaffnit said Dupay is still attending Florida. School officials said they have offered Dupay the chance to complete his senior year under scholarship.
State Attorney Bill Cervone said he was looking at the report and didn't know how long it would take to determine whether to press charges.
"He is still enrolled, and we would like to ensure that he graduates," Schaffnit said.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED FRIDAY'S ISSUE, HERE'S WHAT YOU MISSED:
- Rock Chalk theme announced
- Aftermath of terrorist attacks
- Free for All
- Candle-light vigil honors victims
- Update on Kinsey and Duncan's legal plight
Read all about it in the kansan.com archives
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