Octane Addictions rider Whitney Hungerford is recovering after an accident at the Cold Smoke Snowmobile Drag Races held in Burns Lake recently.
Hungerford overshot the landing on a practice jump at the event crashing his snowmobile and severely injuring himself.
Crowds watched on as paramedics stabilized him and loaded him into an ambulance.
According to Tyler Johnson, Octane Addictions owner, Hungerford is recovering well.
“They did surgery on his broken femur and his broken right ankle. He also had surgery on his shattered heel on the right side, but they still need to do the left side heel that is shattered as well,” Johnson said.
He went on to say that doctors put Hungerford’s dislocated left elbow back in place and put a cast on it.
Hungerford left Prince George last Friday and flew back to Bozeman, Montana for further medical treatment.
Burns Lake Snowmobile Club member Patti Corfe said that aside from the Octane Addictions accident the club feels that this was one of the best years for the Cold Smoke Snowmobile Drags.
“Feedback from riders and spectators supports this,” she said.
She went on to say, “Despite the rider registration being down, the weather being very cold and the unfortunate accident of Hungerford, we received comments that the Burns Lake Snowmobile Club put on fantastic races and people are already starting to talk about next year’s event.”
“Everyone up at the track got to witness an excellent weekend of fast sleds, friendly competition and crazy jumps,” Corfe added.
According to gate figures 650-700 people visited the two day event.
“We are already planning next year’s races, which are set for the second weekend in February 2012,” she said. The Burns Lake Snowmobile Club plan to hold the races at a different time next year to avoid coinciding with other similar events in B.C.
This year they coincided with Fernie’s races, which took away some of our racers,” Corfe said,
“This year we have had several comments from racers, because of the ever increasing avalanche dangers, snowmobilers are looking for alternative ways to get that ‘high mark’ feeling and drag racing seems to be fulfilling that for them,” Corfe added.
Cold Smoke Drag Race kitty kat class reults are as follows; first Dairia Strimbold, second Brooklyn Higginson, third Braedon Shelford. Juniors, only competitor Kaja Kesterke.
