Paul Tracy, a former Canadian IndyCar racer who finished second in the 2002 Indianapolis 500, claimed he was hit by an SUV on Friday.

Paul Tracy’s Instagram account states that an SUV struck him while he was riding his bicycle. Tracy stated that he had three shattered vertebrae in his lower back and would need to be moved to a trauma centre.

Tracy has competed in several racing leagues, including the Champ Car World Series, the IndyCar Series, and the Championship Auto Racing Teams. Tracy finished second in the 2002 Indianapolis 500 to Helio Castroneves. He does not, however, concur with the end result.

Tracy also worked on NBC Sports’ IndyCar broadcast but left after the 2021 season.

IndyCar Moves To Fox Sports In 2025 After 16 Seasons With NBC

https://fox59.com/news/former-indycar-driver-paul-tracy-injured-after-being-struck-by-car/

Santa Clara, California – Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers’ rookie receiver who was shot during an attempted robbery last weekend, is expected to recover fully, according to general manager John Lynch.

Pearsall was shot in the chest and hospitalised overnight following the shooting in central San Francisco on Saturday. He was released from the hospital on Sunday and was back at the team’s facility Monday.

The Niners placed Pearsall on the non-football injury list, which will keep him out for at least four weeks to recover from the gunshot and a shoulder injury that had hindered him all summer.

The 49ers Expect Rookie Ricky Pearsall To Make A Full Recovery Following Shooting

“Ultimately, we decided that the best thing for Ricky was to have a little bit of time,” Lynch told reporters Tuesday. “He’ll need that time physically. He’ll need that time, both emotionally and mentally. We made the decision. When we drafted Ricky, we planned for the long term. Ricky is going to be an excellent player here. He’s eager. He was disappointed, but he knew why we had put him on that list and what that entailed.

Lynch stated that Pearsall was extremely fortunate not to have suffered more serious injuries as a result of the gunshot. Pearsall was walking alone to his car soon after 3:30 p.m. Saturday when a juvenile suspect tried to rob him with a gun in the Union Square neighborhood, according to police.

Officers in the area responded quickly, providing emergency medical help and arresting the culprit. A witness captured video of Pearsall with a massive chest wound as he was put into an ambulance.

Lynch hailed the San Francisco police, particularly Sgt. Joelle Harrell, the first on the scene, ate Pearsall immediately. He also complimented the doctors at San Francisco General Hospital and the team doctors, trainers, and support staff for their collaboration in assisting Pearsall during a difficult period.

Lynch stated there was no damage to organs, nerves, or ribs, describing it as “through and through.”

“Multiple people down there said this is about as good an outcome as you could have in this situation,” he told me.

That good news was far from clear when Lynch discovered Pearsall had been shot Saturday while shopping for bags after an autograph session.

“The earliest calls that I received were extremely scary: ‘We believe Ricky’s been shot in the chest,'” Lynch admitted. “That’s not usually a favourable result. So that was a rough Saturday. It was a difficult ride down to San Francisco General. I’m really grateful that things worked out as it did.”

The news hit his comrades hard, and they described it as a sobering moment because they didn’t know what had happened to one of their friends.

“It wasn’t great at all,” receiver Jauan Jennings admitted. “I did not want to do anything. I did not want to go anywhere. I was just hoping Rick was okay. Just hearing the excellent news made my day brighter and happier, as did knowing that he’s fine and among us.”

Pearsall could FaceTime his teammates at a team party Saturday night and then see them in person when he returned to the facility on Monday.

“He’s in high spirits,” offensive guard Aaron Banks said. “You can tell something like that shakes you up, and you can see he’s still processing it. But it was fantastic to see him and have him around.

The 49ers Expect Rookie Ricky Pearsall To Make A Full Recovery Following Shooting

Pearsall was draughted in the first round by the 49ers in April with the 31st overall pick, but his progress has been hampered by injuries since joining the team.

He missed time during training camp due to hamstring and shoulder concerns, but he returned to practice last week wearing a noncontact blue jersey while his shoulder healed.

Pearsall began his undergraduate career at Arizona State before transferring to Florida for the final two seasons. Last season, he recorded 65 catches for 965 yards and four scores for the Gators, and his college career had 159 catches for 2,420 yards and 14 touchdowns.

SOURCE | AP

More condolences are coming in from the hockey community following the murders of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, who were slain last week by a suspected intoxicated driver while riding their bikes in their home state of New Jersey.

Jaromir Jagr shared a video on social media Tuesday showing Gaudreau assisting on his 766th and last goal in the league while they were teammates with the Calgary Flames in 2018.

“It was a beautiful pass above all,” Jagr stated in Czech. “Unfortunately, life may sometimes be unbearably harsh. Thank you for being here, Johnny Gaudreau, and for giving all those guys faith that they, too, can achieve world-class success in the NHL, as you did. My heartfelt sympathies to your family. R.I.P., you and your brother.

Online Fundraiser For Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Raises More Than $560K As The Sports World Mourns

Donations also kept coming in for Matthew’s widow, Madeline, who is expecting their first child in December. As of 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Madeline’s sister, Holland Korbitz, had put up a GoFundMe page that had been confirmed by the online fundraising organization and raised more than $560,000.

Dozens of current and former NHL players, or their significant others, are among the more than 7,800 donors, including $3,000 from the family of New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin and $2,013 from Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, for a total of $567,127 — far exceeding the initial $30,000 goal.

Cliff Rucker, owner of the ECHL’s Worcester Railers HC, where Matthew played two seasons from 2017 to 2019, is recognized as the top gift at $10,000.

“Maddy, the entire Railers HC family stands shoulder to shoulder with you during this incomprehensibly difficult time for you and your loved ones,” Rucker told me. “You and Matty will always be part of our Railer family, and I hope you can feel the love and support we are sending your way.”

The Gaudreau brothers were riding on a road in Oldmans Township on Thursday night when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and hit them from behind at 8 p.m., according to New Jersey State Police. They were pronounced dead on the scene.

According to police, Sean M. Higgins, 43, was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and charged with two charges of death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. On Tuesday, authorities stated that no other information regarding the case, including Higgin’s blood alcohol level, will be disclosed at this time.

No information was available concerning a funeral or memorial service, either public or private.

“As we embark on the journey of laying John and Matty to rest, we are greatly comforted by all those who have visited these growing memorials and who have left messages of love, prayers, thoughts of kindness as well as jerseys, skates, sticks, pucks, flowers, candles and so many other tokens of remembrance,” Jim Gaudreau, our uncle, wrote on Facebook. “The memorials console us on your doorsteps, yards, and cars. We have heard and seen countless moments of silence and heartfelt messages from so many professional athletes, organizations, and other athletic leagues, as well as every single person in private, as well as extremely heartfelt messages from broadcasts, media, and every one of you, as well as random acts of kindness and compassion by strangers.

On Friday, fans in Columbus created a tribute outside the Blue Jackets’ downtown arena using hockey sticks, flowers, and other keepsakes. Flames fans in Calgary, Alberta, paid tribute with words and Gaudreau’s number 13 scribbled in chalk on the ground outside the Saddledome.

Online Fundraiser For Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Raises More Than $560K As The Sports World Mourns

The Blue Jackets have invited supporters to a candlelight vigil outside Nationwide Arena on Wednesday night. The event will include brief words from team personnel and 13 minutes and 21 seconds of silent commemoration for Johnny and Matthew’s jersey numbers.

The Blue Jackets’ general manager, Don Waddell, and players will talk with reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

Wayne Gretzky revealed over the weekend that the terrible death had crushed him, his wife Janet, and their family.

“We are sending our love, thoughts, and prayers to the Gaudreau family,” Gretzky wrote on social media. “We lost two great young men who were loved and had a significant presence both on and off the ice.” Johnny and Matthew, you will be remembered and missed.

Their deaths on Friday, the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding in Philadelphia, were more than just hockey-related. During ESPN’s college football broadcast of the game Monday night between Florida State and Boston College, where the Gaudreau brothers attended and played hockey together a decade ago, play-by-play announcer Bob Wischusen spoke somberly of Johnny and Matthew.

“The entire National Hockey League, as well as the Boston College community and so many others, were devastated Friday when we learnt of the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau,” Wischusen told the crowd. “Our hearts are shattered, and we send every good thought and prayer to their wives, Johnny Gaudreau’s young children, Matthew’s child on the way and all of their family and friends.”

SOURCE | AP