View Full Version : Simon Crafar - Neck Injury in Road Accident
gazujc
20-05-2009, 07:57 PM
Found on another forum, trying to find some form of confirmation and full story
Simon Crafar was hit by a Car on his Bike in Romania and has broken the T12 Vertebrae. They have operated
(9 hours) and put a plate across 5 Vertebrae to stabilse.
He has some movement in his legs which is a really good sign considering everything. His wife is in Romania this morning and at the moment its step by step and get him back to Barcelona asap.
Garry
Captain
20-05-2009, 07:58 PM
Who is Simon Crafar? (sorry, i have a feeling I should know...)
clarkey
20-05-2009, 08:02 PM
Who is Simon Crafar? (sorry, i have a feeling I should know...)
Simon Crafar is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from New Zealand. He was born in Waiouru on 15 January 1969.
He won Malaysia's Superbike championship in 1991. In 1993 he was racing for Harris in the 500cc World Championship before joining the Suzuki factory racing team in the 250 class for the latter part of the season. He did not enjoy this, feeling that he is too large for the bikes [1].
For 1994 he joined countryman Aaron Slight on a semi-works Rumi Honda RC45 in the Superbike World Championship. After coming 5th overall in 1994, he started 1995 with Rumi before replacing Doug Polen as the second factory rider alongside Aaron Slight, although they raced under different liveries. The bike gradually became more competitive, and Simon was strong in late 1995, coming 2nd in race 1 at Assen. He then spent 2 years with the Kawasaki racing team. In 1997 he took two 2nd places and three 3rds to again finish 5th overall. In total he scored 10 podiums but, no wins in the series.
He rode a WCM Yamaha in the 500cc world championship for 1998, winning at Donington Park (the last win for Dunlop in a dry race, and the only non-Honda win at Donington in 6 years) and finishing 7th in the standings. He remained with the team for the early part of 1999, scoring points 5 times, also taking 10th on an MuZ at Donington. In total he has contested 32 500cc races, taking 3 podium finishes.[2]
He returned to World Superbike for 2000 as a substitute rider for Aaron Slight for two rounds. In 2002 he raced in British Superbike for Yamaha, coming 8th overall and peaking with two 3rd places.
gazujc
20-05-2009, 08:04 PM
Who is Simon Crafar? (sorry, i have a feeling I should know...)
Thats cool Captain, he may be a bit before your time but he was a sensational racer at both WSB as it was then and also dabbled on the two stroke 500cc machines with some damn good results.
He is also one of the real gentlemen and nice guys of the era and the sport in general.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Crafar
He also was onvolved in one of the greatest ever qualifying sessions at Assen in the old school days (was posted in Rats but since removed from Youtube by Dorna).
Garry
Who is Simon Crafar? (sorry, i have a feeling I should know...)
wash your mouth out boy:cursing:
jasonbw
20-05-2009, 08:19 PM
faaaark, that's horrid! Hope he heals up... wasnt he working as an Ohlins tech for a while after?
Stu23
20-05-2009, 08:44 PM
was also a very knowledgeable commentator in UK for a while, heres hoping he makes a full recovery
WET4URacing
20-05-2009, 08:44 PM
nice cut n paste clarkey.
He was the most unluckiest WSBK front runner not to win a race (the most unluckiest WSBK rider not to get the #1 plate was slighty) led alot . remember when his front guard fell off at brands while in the lead. crashed after a clash with the gnome from arkansas at sentul.
Captain
20-05-2009, 08:55 PM
Thats cool Captain, he may be a bit before your time but ....
Thanks Garry and Clarkey, sounds like a hell of a rider.
I haven't really followed racing, funny as some sports I follow regardless of participation but strangely once I stopped riding I seemed to loose interest. There are reason, but nothing to do with the thread .... but that's probably why I don't know him.
Heaps of riders also ride bikes, don't they? Hope he pulls through OK.
WET4URacing
20-05-2009, 08:58 PM
yes cap heaps of riders do ride bikes thats prob y there called riders
Captain
20-05-2009, 09:05 PM
Thanks wetty, your comments are always so enriching :ayyy:
WET4URacing
20-05-2009, 09:08 PM
at least they make some sense cap.
triumph
20-05-2009, 09:16 PM
i remember him hope he heals up ok .
Jungleboy
21-05-2009, 12:17 AM
i remember him hope he heals up ok .
You remember when Jesus was a baby :P
Just kidding mate :)
1down5up
03-06-2009, 05:20 PM
hope he gets well soon and back to his family ..... top rider and top bloke
ozimoto
03-06-2009, 05:49 PM
I remember the race he won at Donnington.
When they interviewed him at the end he couldn't believe he had beaten Doohan by so much and he remarked that he was waiting for the master to catch him and pass him.
Top bloke.Apparently after retiring from racing he became a suspension tech for Ohlins at GP team.
jasonbw
03-06-2009, 06:09 PM
faaaark, that's horrid! Hope he heals up... wasnt he working as an Ohlins tech for a while after?
Top bloke.Apparently after retiring from racing he became a suspension tech for Ohlins at GP team.
Cool, I always wondered if I got that right, I thought I saw a pic of him in a pit with Ohlins shirt reading something baout him being a tech... wasnt sure if it was right tho.
I think the Cap'n was referring to bike racers riding road bikes for their own pleasure or use off the track.
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