HAMPTON, Ga. - A violent crash in NASCAR's first truck series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway sent two Alabama drivers to the hospital with broken bones Saturday.
Tina Gordon of Cedar Bluff suffered a broken leg in the crash that began when her truck slipped sideways going down the backstretch of the high-speed track. Rick Crawford of Mobile, his truck pinched to the wall and his vision blocked by another truck, clipped the rear end of Gordon's truck.
Another truck, driven by Hank Parker Jr., slammed into Gordon's spinning truck. Crawford, with his throttle apparently hung open, rode the wall between turns three and four before his truck came to a stop, the motor still running, in the grass near the frontstretch.
The race was stopped by a red flag for more than five minutes while safety workers assisted the injured drivers. Gordon and Crawford were transported by ambulance to Atlanta Medical Center.
Gordon, who turns 35 today, had a fractured right fibula and was expected to be released Saturday night. Crawford, 45, was treated for a fractured left foot and released.
Bobby Hamilton won the EasyCare 200 in a dramatic finish, set up for a two-lap shootout by late caution. Hamilton charged outside around Mike Skinner through the final corner. Their trucks touched as they headed toward the stripe. Hamilton got there first as Skinner crossed the finish line sideways.
Behind Hamilton's Dodge, Toyota drivers took the next three spots in the manufacturer's second race since entering the truck series this year. Rookie polesitter David Reutimann and Travis Kvapil followed Skinner.
Two other drivers also were hospitalized. Parker suffered a back injury when he ran into Gordon's truck and was held overnight.
Joey Clanton, who hit the wall in another incident, was released after a CAT scan came back negative.
