Rider injured at race fundraiser
Staff writer
A fundraiser Sunday for an upcoming motorcycle race in Florence raised a lot of money on short notice, but one rider was injured.
A 17-year-old wrecked his motorcycle on the course and was unresponsive at first. Three air ambulance services were contacted but unavailable, so Marion ambulance took the teen to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
Emergency medical services director Travis Parmley said the teen improved quickly when ambulance attendants arrived at the race course.
He was suspected to have internal and pelvic injuries, Parmley said.
Authorities have declined to release his name. Although no ambulance was on standby during the event Sunday, Parmley said there were no hard rules about whether an ambulance should be on standby at an event such as a motocross.
“I know in my experience we had a motocross race in the northern part of Barton County and we did not have an ambulance standing by there,” Parmley said. “And with that said, we don’t have a lot of ambulances to stand by for something like that.”
Owners of the motocross track in 2011 discussed having an ambulance on standby during races after four injuries took place during one race.
The fundraiser, sponsored by track owners Ron and Shelli Hardey of Marion, raised $1,090 for Flinthills Bent Rims to use for the Florence Grand Prix.
Shelli Hardey said 54 riders paid $20 each to drive.
“We were hoping for at least 50, so we met our goal for a cold day in February,” Hardey said. “We also had several that came out that didn’t ride who donated.”
Flint Hills Bent Rims, spearheaded by organizer Duane McCarty of Marion, has been working to revive the motorcycle event, first held in 1972 for Florence’s 100th anniversary.
McCarty said a Florence donor had offered to buy insurance for the race.
So far the group has planned a track and members have been working to clear it of shrubbery, trees, and debris.
Soon a website will be developed and tickets sold.