First Posted: 2/22/2015
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Joe Gibbs is unsure how long Kyle Busch will be sidelined with a broken right leg and left foot from a crash at Daytona International Speedway.
Busch had surgery on his right leg in Daytona after Saturday’s crash in the Xfinity Series race. His foot will be examined when he returns to Charlotte, North Carolina, by specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, Gibbs said.
“Time or length, I haven’t really, I don’t have a good understanding with that from the doctors,” the team owner said, referring to a timetable for recovery.
Busch missed Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500. Two-time Truck Series champion Matt Crafton drove his No. 18 Toyota in his debut in “The Great American Race.”
Gibbs described Busch as in a light and joking mood before surgery. Joe Gibbs Racing management, several NASCAR officials, drivers and Busch’s wife, Samantha, were at the hospital during surgery.
“I can tell you this, Kyle is already telling Sam, ‘Hey, I just want to get back to racing,’” Gibbs said. “He has a great spirit about that.”
Busch sustained a compound fracture to his lower right leg and broke a bone in the middle of his left foot in the crash with eight laps remaining. His car slammed head-on into an interior wall that did not have an energy-absorbing barrier.
The injury is similar but not as severe as Tony Stewart’s from an August 2013 sprint car crash. Stewart sustained a double compound fracture and missed the final 15 races of that year. He was not cleared to get in a race car until almost six months after the accident. Stewart has also had four operations on his leg.
Gibbs wasn’t sure what’s next for Busch.
“The lower part of his leg is all taken care of and we’ll have Dr. Anderson and his group look at the foot,” Gibbs said. “As far as going back to Charlotte, we are on standby with the plane. Whenever he feels like he can travel, we’ll get him back to Charlotte.”
Meanwhile, Gibbs was not angry at the lack of SAFER barrier in the wall that Busch hit on Saturday night. Following the accident, track president Joie Chitwood promised to cover every inch of the speedway with the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barriers beginning today.
Delphos St. John’s seeks volleyball coach
Delphos St. John’s is looking for a head junior varsity volleyball coach.
If interested please email St. John’s athletic director, Todd Schulte at [email protected]
Durant has foot procedure, expected back this season
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant had surgery Sunday to alleviate pain in his right foot, and the Oklahoma City Thunder expect him to return during the regular season.
A screw was replaced from his October operation for a broken bone in the right foot. Thunder general manager Sam Presti said the star forward will be evaluated again within a week.
Presti said the head of the original screw was rubbing against the cuboid bone in the foot, causing discomfort. The new screw does not have a head. Presti said the new hardware won’t affect the already positive long-term prognosis.
Durant has played in just 27 games this season because of the broken foot, sprained right ankle and sprained left big toe. He said the right foot was sore after Thursday night’s game against Dallas.
Giants manager Bochy returns after heart procedure
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy has rejoined the team, three days after having a heart procedure.
Bochy returned Sunday to the World Series champions to supervise workouts for pitchers and catchers.
The 59-year-old Bochy had two stents placed near his heart on Thursday night. The hospital where the procedure was performed is right across the street from the spring training stadium used by the Giants.
“I couldn’t feel any better,” Bochy said. “I am grateful for the doctors and want to thank all the well-wishers who sent me messages.”
Doctors had told Bochy to stay from the ballpark for a few days. He slipped back into his office on Saturday.
Bochy said he didn’t feel good for much of the winter. After he took his annual spring physical on Wednesday, the team medical staff monitored him and suggested further tests on Thursday.
