Ken Etter recovery fund
 

An account has been established to help Ken in his recovery due to his racing accident last Saturday. He has been unemployed for a while,has no health insurance so, as you can imagine, he needs whatever help we can provide him.

Funds can be sent to:

Ken Etter Recovery Fund
c/o Modesto Commerce Bank
1302 J Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Ken asked that I thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers. He said as soon as he is home and has computer access he will post his thoughts on the accident and the safety changes he feels need to be made.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

I was asked about wiring funds to this bank account. The bank recommended that I not post or give out the account number. Also, they are photocopying all checks received so that I can provide Ken a list of who helped him out. With the wiring of funds, that process was more problematic for the bank. They aren't charging any fees for this account so we're trying to keep the process as labor-free as possible.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide!!

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Thanks for the info. count me in.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Julie,

Thank you for the info, count me in too.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

I saw Ken and the car yesterday. Ken is lucky to be alive with as few injuries as He has. His medical is going to be astronomical. I hope that everyone that is in a position to help him will.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

I spoke with Ken at length yesterday. He is up beat,but hurting. He is thankful for all the calls. My check was at the bank yesterday, I hope more are to follow. Chuck

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

I loaded and removed the car from Racetrack. The driver side front wheel was all the way back to where the driver sits. The steering column (fortunately stock colapsing...not replaced with tubing for weight) had come all the way up and broken his jaw although he was wearing full face helmet. The cement K rail was turned, broken and moved 30 feet sideways. Just a truly awful wreck! I will post pictures if I can in a couple days of car.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

John which car was it? Is it repairable? I will get a check in mail for recovery asap. Let me know if my guys & I can help repair the car...I may not be a doctor but I can definitely perform some serious auto surgery to help get him back on track. Let me know if my shop and I can be of assistance. I could even come get it if necessary.

Good luck ,get well Ken!

Kenny Newsome 7709 H/SA

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Even though I've never met Mr Etter and the economy is what it is I hope that my donation can help, hope he recovers soon. CR

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Thanks for your generous idea Kenny. There is pretty much NO car in front of rear Quarter Panels..... bad end for former Stock National record holder. Engine and firewall in passenger Compartment and transmission shattered into a dozen pieces. Roof and Roll cage removed to get Ken out. I have been around wrecking yards all my like and have seen very little as destroyed as this car.. Even as good as you guys are .....there is not anything left to start to repair. It is the beautiful red 72 Demon G/SA car that was a Sonoma a couple weeks ago and was really flying.....Rod Greene's car for many years in G/S and H/S and was currently owned by Bill Riddle .

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Julie

Is an account # required on the check when sending a donation to the bank in Modesto? Any other info?

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Mark ~ It's a small bank so no account number needed, they know where to route it. Just put in the check (and in the address to the bank) "Ken Etter Recovery Fund".

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Thanks Julie

Nancy & I don't know Ken, but we have seen him many times and watched him run. We praise God that he survived this horrible incident. On the bright side, it has been the spark for a new level of discussion by the locals in SoCal about safety equipment, disaster prep, and accident preparedness.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Looks like the pre-existant safety equipment worked as it was designed to, or there would have been no good news to report. Every time we think it's hot, uncomfortable, or a pain in the neck, we should remember that there are people alive today because of it. And, we thank God for delivering Ken from a worse outcome. Sounds like the track had the right personnel that took over and did their job well, too.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Can't argue with that......

However, from my perspective, it seems that we should all take a second look at our own preparedness. I think we all need to take inventory of our equipment and senses in a "what if" scenario. Many of the things that may help us in a disaster tend to be taken for granted while we ponder things like jetting, tire pressure, dial-ins, etc. Personally, I'm going to revisit things like:

Master kill switch inside the car
Brake push rod ( possibly what caused Ken's ordeal )
Fuel shutoff switch within reach
Tubes/no tubes
DIAPER!!!!!!!
Full face vs. open helmet
Excuses for not having a cage......remember this was an 11 second car(not clear on whether he had a cage or not....conflicting reports)
Aftermarket seats......and seat mounting
Pulling belts tight
Angle of pull on shoulder harness
Crap laying in the floor of the race car
Front suspension bolts, nuts, and joint integrity

I'm sure y'all have many more ideas than I. Let's all take a second look at our junk so we can avoid these things in the future. Lord knows we've lost enough of our good friends to allow complacency to cost us another competitive soul.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Ken was wearing a full face Helmet which probably saved his life and steering column hit him like a spear. Fortunately it still had collapsible stock column........not tubing like I see a lot. No full cage but Rod did a nice job on bar and 2 x 3 connectors. My Demon is very similar right down to color but has a Full Moly Cage that is completely attached to frame connectors or ctossmembers every place it comes down. Ken did have the front plate pull off floor. I also have 3 extra crossmembers tying the whole thing together(even before the were legal in mid 90's) covered in undercoating. I wish I could add bars to front of frame area but still not legal and hard to hide to boot.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

The eerie thing about this accident is we had been discussing safety equipment earlier in the day. Thankfully we all take it seriously. I will be looking a little closer at the cars before we go racing this weekend.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

This is Kenny's mom. He is about to go in for his first surgery. He appreciates all your thoughts and prayers. He is saying that he has alot of thoughts and ideas on how to better save someone else from having to go thorough this. He does now have a unique outlook on this subject.. We will update you after his surgery. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers. They mean alot to me and his family.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

John,

Which car was Ken driving? I know he has his S/S'er, but many times will drive someone else's car.

Rick

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Ken was driving my old Demon that I sold to Bill Riddle.

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Thanks to Justin and Chris Lamb for the generous donation that they gave me to pass along to Ken. We were both at LVMS this week end and they took the time from their busy schedule to hunt me down and give use an envelope to pass on to Ken. i will be at Indy if anyone would like to see some pictures of the crash or if it is easier to give a donation direct rather than mail it. Ken called us today and asked me to remind you that the full Face Helmut probably saved his life!
I was looking at the car today and noticed the front bumper bracket was pushed back and lodged in drivers floor board ........WOW



Irving Family Racing

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Just spoke with Ken and he is doing as well as can be expected. He got the rubberbands off his jaw apparatus today so could speak a little easier.

Thank you to those who have contributed to his recovery fund. It will help in many ways. It's not too late to add to the account, if you are so inclined! ;-)

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Julie I posted a link on the popular "For A-Bodies Only" Mopar site. Ken's Demon has been pictured there several times. Plus, we Chrysler guys have Monster Mopar Weekend coming up. I'll see if I can't stir something up. I've also requested a donation from my local Mopar club to be sent. It won't be a fortune, but it all adds up. Please send our Mopar brother Ken best wishes from the Cowtown Mopars in Fort Worth TX

Re: Ken Etter recovery fund
 

Thank you so much!!