Bad Crash at Glen Helen Today 7/17/11

Stoneface
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Chicago, IL, USA
7/19/2011 12:49pm
Praying hard for Nick and his recovery. Thoughts are with him and his family.
jplough973
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San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
7/19/2011 1:10pm
Hope he's going to be ok!
7/19/2011 1:30pm
Dang this is rough!

I'll be praying for the Varner family. That's just terrible news, especially when it's such a young racer.
spd721
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Fenton, MO, USA
7/19/2011 1:37pm
I hate hearing news like this. I hope he has a full recovery.

The Shop

7/19/2011 1:44pm
ML512 wrote:
I currently work at perris and for ever complaint we get about a jump being unsafe we get more complaints about the track being too easy...
I currently work at perris and for ever complaint we get about a jump being unsafe we get more complaints about the track being too easy, not big enough jumps, not technical enough, ect.. Not trying to start an argument on here just pointing this out. Thats why some tracks of course have an amateur/vet track and then a main/expert track. Somewhere like glen helen though you are dealing with a national caliber track design and difficulty wise
ML512,

I get what you are saying about addressing complaints with tracks being too easy. I'm only a vet novice/intermediate rider and I thought the Perris layout was too easy after Rick Johnson and Tortelli took over and "tamed the beast". Yet, when making the error, there is a lot to be said about error on the side of caution. There is also a LOT to be said about designing a jump that offers risk and reward WITHOUT severe consequence. I actually commend Perris for this way of building a track. You can make a 80' jump fun for every level by making it a table top with a long landing that isn't too steep on the face or landing so you don't have to time it exactly right. Also, the combo jumps are a way of doing this. Make it a 25' double or a 80' triple, depending on where the rider wants to land. I think about Racetown 395. That 110' step-over in the back along the fence line. A beginner/novice can choose to bite off 30' and jump to the top of the jump or an advanced rider gets to pin it, 4th gear and jump the entire thing - fun for all with the point being the slower riders are ONLY penalized by time, not by severe risk of injury.

Now, the jump we are talking about that Nick was injured on did not have many options. It was ridiculous to jump the entire thing because the downside of the landing was a 60-70 degree slope and the take-off face wasn't steep enough to make your landing approach angle steep. Only a few pro's (Travis Baker NOT one of them) was jumping the entire thing with their A-KIT suspension and flat landing...not an option for the mere mortals on this board. Or, option B was to do a 20' gap jump, land on top and grab a handful of both brakes so you don't skip off the top and flat land. option C, was to literally roll the jump, ride into the slipper,sloppy wet hole and up and over the table top.

It TRULY is a poor obstacle-- kinda like the Adelanto Grand Prix water jump (in my opinion).

Doug
johnwaltz
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7/19/2011
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Brighton, MI, USA
7/19/2011 3:27pm
NIck's mom, Alicia is my cousin.
Thank you for any info on him as we live in Michigan and
are worried and praying for his recovery as well.
Madonna using hubby's login
Knate
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USA
7/19/2011 3:44pm
This is absolutely terrible. It makes me sick to my stomach. Pull through little buddy!

Is there a picture or video of this jump so I can see what you guys are talking about?
Jeff_Alessi
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Murrieta, CA, USA
7/19/2011 6:41pm
Ok, so a full update from what I was told this is what I can see and from what iv been told this should sound right as I was really paying attention to everything that was being said,

Nick hit his head hard, he doesn't have bleeding but it's a different complicated problem, when he hit the ground his entire brain moved, usually in a hit Just 1 part of the brain with get hit and if its hard enough it can cause blessed, in his case it's just swelling, bigger problem is it's not just 1 part, it's his entire brain is swollen. When that happens it shuts down all of your brain, including the part of your brain that tells u to wake up, and then there's the parts of your brain that keep ur body running right and tells things like blink breath and alot of functions u need, even his emotionally part of his brain will be affected the one that feels love happiness sadness and those things, when my brother hit his head it was his emotional side he had hit n that was it, anyways that is the uphill climb we are facing, his body has to fight off the chance of getting infection in the minor scratches and teeth holes that are important to keep infection out of, main reason is cause they will have to put him on antibiotics if he gets infected and that medicine will throw off the multiple medicines like dopamine(?) that are in him now that are helping his body 'pull threw' this very bad accident, the medicines in him now are helping the 'numbers' stay at-or-go the right way, out of his number the main important ones are his ccp (controls the blood flow to his brain from his body and is the most important and the one farthest off ranging at 40 n needs to be at 70 and the blood flow is what's taking out swelling n at the same type healing everything and needs to be at 70 soon so he can atleast 'pull threw and start improving little by little') and then his icp numbers is second most important, I was told what it was but the entire day it stayed perfect at a great 16-20 and that's good, so it's the ccp I was fixated on, but it was going down all day and made us all very sickening to watch, started at around 60 n dropped to 36-40 but wait we finally started seeing a great improvement and before I left he was at 51 n climbing and hen I talked to my dad last everyone was starting to believe were gonna pull threw, today has been the hard day in my opinion, it was good yesterday n the say b4 but today was shaky n then got good. Please pray everyone it's nick, and he's strong, stronger then any other 11 year old iv ever met n he's a lil Alessi inspired kid that's been in our life for a good while now. Please help with prayer.
Jeff_Alessi
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Murrieta, CA, USA
7/19/2011 6:51pm
Other things I heard were, his body needs to stay alive long enough for the swelling to stop and decline, his eyes were a little uneven on pupil size when he was being checked wich meant swelling, but doctors words to the nurse was it's ever so slightly bigger, his brain function is very lo but we don't want it to be really alot cause it can decrease what really needs to be focused on working hard n that's his 'bodies natural way of healing itself' 'brain function just needs to be a little more like 2 beats more a line every 15 seconds' I think this measured brain activity to sence brain damage? Wich his brain hasn't came down from swelling to start seeing how much he brain activity he 'really has'. He needs to be a bulldog n fight off the bad.
7/19/2011 8:01pm
Thank you, Jeff. Lots of detail, mixed emotions right now but always praying and sending positive thoughts for Nick and Varner family.
Wandell
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Cairo, GA, USA
7/19/2011 8:09pm
Please keep us updated. I'll continue to pray.
burn1986
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bossier city, LA, USA
7/19/2011 8:19pm
Thanks Jeff. Good insight. I know it sounds bad, but I'm believing for a good report, and for him to pull through with a full recovery.
robkinuk
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Ashbourne, GB
7/20/2011 6:03am Edited Date/Time 7/20/2011 6:18am
Tragic news, just read on Facebook RIP Nick Varner and people are posting their condolences. My sincere condolences and prayers for his family and friends.
Jeff_Alessi
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Murrieta, CA, USA
7/20/2011 6:12am
Just so everyone knows, nick passed away at 4:20 this morning, around 8-9pm last night his body started to crash, and he was rushed out, his brain just couldn't handle anymore, he was put on life support till his body gave in this morning, Alicia and Terry got to hold him in there arms n tell there baby bye. Nick will always be on me n michaels heart, racing with us. thanks for all the prayers and we will all be ok in time. Thanks.
alphado
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7/20/2011 6:14am
My condolences.
jimmie
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Huntington Beach, CA, USA
7/20/2011 6:16am
robkinuk wrote:
Tragic news, just read on Facebook RIP Nick Varner and people are posting their condolences. My sincere condolences and prayers for his family and friends.
What's left to say?
Very tragic.
Bless the Varner family.
Team Ideal
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Ste. Marie, IL, USA
7/20/2011 6:20am
heartbreaking, praying for the family, so sorry for their loss.
rocrac
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Indianapolis, IN, USA
7/20/2011 6:20am
So very sad. RIP Nick thoughts and Prayers to the Varner family.
7/20/2011 6:23am
That sucks, really sucks. His dad is a good guy and I couldn't imagine what he is going through.
mxmasta
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Planet Earth, DE
7/20/2011 6:23am
So sad to hear that he lost the fight.
My condolences.

I wish his family and friends the strengh they need in these hard times.
SL91
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Halifax, CA
7/20/2011 6:25am
Sorry to hear. Very sad.
FroDiddy
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7/20/2011 6:26am
Absolutely heartbreaking...

My condolences to his family and friends. Godspeed, Nick.
three9zero
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7/20/2011 6:33am
Godspeed fellow warrior.
jamma10
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7/20/2011 6:40am
rip Sad
GILLETT
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Birch Run, MI, USA
7/20/2011 6:44am
Been following this from the beginning and hoping this was not going to be the outcome. Having 2 kids of my own this really hits home. Very sad and words cannot help. My condolences to the Varner family.
Stanford
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7/20/2011 6:49am
That is truly heartbraking news. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Varner family.
GrapeApe
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Mc Kinney, TX, USA
7/20/2011 6:50am
Sincere condolences to the family, friends and those who knew him. I can't imagine how hard this must be on them.

Rest in peace little guy Sad
lucero10x
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Las Vegas, NV, USA
7/20/2011 6:55am
So, so sorry to hear. Thoughts and prayers for his family. It hurts so bad just knowing this can happen and what it must feel like for his parents and family.
burn1986
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bossier city, LA, USA
7/20/2011 7:00am
Man, why? Not a good day

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