October 9, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOMMEL MAKING STRIDES; WEEKEND BENEFITS PLANNED
Knoxville, TN --- The fight continues for Duayne Hommel, 25, Newport, TN, a dirt Late Model star driver, and continued progress is being made daily according to reports after a successful surgery on Tuesday evening October 7. In addition, several weekend benefits at racetracks in two different states will be held for the recovering Hommel and his family. Hommel continues his treatment and long road to recover from his September 23 traffic accident that left him with life-threatening head injuries. Now upgraded to serious condition, Hommel continues his recovery at the University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville, TN. A surgery that was scheduled for this past Thursday is likely to be performed sometime Monday October 6.
“Duayne had surgery last (Tuesday) night and they did some reconstruction on his face,” explained Ron “Flea” Fleenor, family spokesperson. “Everything went really well. They worked on him from about 7:00 until around 11:30. They put plates and wires in his face. He has some fractures in his face but nothing is really broken. They just needed to go in there and wire things together so they will stay.”
On Wednesday Hommel made significant progress which surprised even his doctors.
“The doctors have been saying that the nurses are just taking up with the family on something,” revealed Fleenor. “The family says that Duayne moves his head and feet and is hands and his mouth and just about everything. The neurosurgeon says that there is no way that can happen this quick in the shape he is in. So while I’m sitting there (hospital) tonight (Wednesday) about 7:00 PM the phone in the lobby rings and I answered. They wanted to talk to the Hommel family so I told them (Hommel’s mother) Gayla was on the phone.”
“She was waving to Junior to come quick to the phone so he could hear too and they were looking at each other with a little grin and hung up. They turned around and Junior started to tear up on me and I didn’t know what to do so he told me that the doctor had to see for himself if Duayne could actually do what they were saying he has been doing. This is where it gets good: Up to this point he has reacted to touch, but the doctor told Duayne to move his fingers on his left hand, and he did! Guess that will teach the doctors to doubt our boy. That’s the first thing he’s done from someone asking him to. He said he shouldn’t be doing that right now. Tough S***! This guy wants out of bed!”
Several benefits are continuing and a couple new ones are being organized to aid the Hommel family’s expenses.
This Friday and Saturday night at the 14th Annual Xtreme Hardee's Shootout Presented By Coca-Cola at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA Dixie Speedway and the Xtreme DirtCar Series will be holding a benefit auction among other projects.
Hommel’s #H2 dirt Late Model will be on display over the weekend at Dixie Speedway and sanction and track officials are currently organizing the project. Among some of the items that will be available for bid will be the racinghelmet worn by Scott Bloomquist last week when he won his 100th Xtreme Dirt Car Series race and fifth XDCS championship title. The helmet will be autographed.
Among other items the top ten in XDCS points will be contributing doors, quarter panels, helmets and many other items for the auction. Winston Cup star Ken Schrader has donated an autographed door from his own dirt Late Model and 14 doors from the “Carolina Gang” including, among others, Buck Simmons, Mike Duvall, Dennis “Rambo” Franklin and many others.
“That’s just part of it,” stated Fleenor. “Roby Helm of the Xtreme series will be releasing a press release with all of the details tomorrow. He’s still working his tail off on this along with Xtreme’s Doug Bland and Dixie Speedway owner Mike Swims. This will be big!”
Details about the weekend benefit can be found Thursday on the XDCS website at: http://www.xtremedirtcars.com/
Also at Dixie Speedway during the weekend the new Duayne Hommel “get well” T Shirts will be available at the Scott Bloomquist Racing souvenir trailer.
Race Art Custom Helmets will be offering a special tribute racing helmet during the weekend. Tickets will be one dollar each and will be available during the weekend with the winning ticket being drawn prior to the feature event on Saturday evening. They will also have a minimum of four of Duayne Hommel’s doors and a roof with his autograph decaled on them.
Racer Kip Cochran will be competing at the ‘Shoot Out’ in the Carolina Cable car and will be selling raffle tickets for a new Mastersbilt Race Car.
Full Moon Graphics will have the special H2 Get Well decals available all weekend as well as a replica Duayne Hommel racing helmet. The tickets will be $3 each and the winning ticket will be drawn at a race to be determined.
“We’ll also have a big get well card for everyone to sign,” added Fleenor.
Also this weekend, October 11-12, at the MACS sanctioned Fall Fest IX at Challenger Raceway in Indian, PA will be collecting donations for the Hommel family as well as other projects that are currently being worked on.
“Matt Gleason, from Bill's Dirt Late Model website is having a 4'X8' get well card made by Heath Cousin,” explained Jeff Geesey of the MACS series who is coordinating the fundraising efforts at Challenger Raceway. “We are going to have all the Late Model drivers sign it.”
“We’re hoping to get a replica of Duayne’s car intime for the weekend also as well as the special get well decals. Fans and drivers can also make donations at our merchandise trailer (Em’s Brodiery) during the weekend.”
In another show of support for Hommel and his family, NASCAR Busch Grand National car owner Carl Natale,owner of the #36 car driven by Steve Grissom, is hoping to display the H2 get well logo on the rear quarter panels in the associate sponsor designation in support of Hommel.
Fleenor confirmed several ongoing fund-raising projects that are underway to help raise money for the star driver’s expenses, as well as updated information on existing projects.
“Carolina Performance and Kip Cochran have got him a Mastersbilt chassis coming to raffle off,” stated Fleenor. “The fellow helping put this deal together with Kip is named Woody. They are putting everything together and build the car at their shop. If someone wants to donate parts and get on the car they need to call Kip. There is still a lot of stuff to be had and (Hommel crew chief) Tommy (Hicks) is working on helping them get everything for it.”
The chassis came from Keith & Tader Masters’ Mastersbilt Race Cars while other components have been donated by Brinn Transmissions, Peterson Aluminum, Classic Powder Coat, Sweet Engineering, Winters, Performance Friction, Quick Car Gauges, Powell Pedals, Ultra Shield Belts, Oval Craft Seats and Poske Performance. Addition donations will be announced later.
The raffle tickets for the new Mastersbilt Race Car and components are now available for $10.00 each. You can purchase the raffle tickets by check or money order at: Carolina Performance, 1009 Bell Dowdle Road, Franklin, NC 28734. You can also order raffle tickets by credit card by calling 828-369-2012. For additional information visit the Carolina Performance website at: http://www.dnet.net/jperry/carolinaperformance/home.html As noted, they will be available this weekend at Dixie Speedway.
Fleenor also revealed that a benefit golf tournament is being planned for next month.
“It’s still in the preliminary stages but ‘Pup’ Thomas of Hoosier Tire is putting together a benefit golf tournament that will be held on Friday November 21,” said Fleenor. “It will be held at the Flagstone Golf Course in Cleveland, TN.”
Interested participants are encouraged to telephone Thomas at Hoosier Tire at 865-970-3110.
There are several other projects in place to help raise needed funds for Hommel and his family, which includes his wife, Christi, and son, Daegan, and parents Junior and Gayla.
Among the new fundraising projects will be replicas of Duayne Hommel’s door from his #H2 Warrior Race Car and orders can be placed immediately.
“We’re going to be selling doors for $150 each,” informed Fleenor. “It may take a little bit to get them, like a couple weeks. So if someone wants one call the race shop and we’ll get a list of people who want doors. Once we get it figured out how many ordered we’ll go from there.”
Anyone interested in purchasing a #H2 racecar door can call the Duayne Hommel Racing shop at: 423.613.5199.
In addition Hommel crew member Mike Hayes, owner of Mike’s Mini Late Models, will be selling mini-replica dirt Late Models of Duayne Hommel’s famed #H2 dirt Late Model with all proceeds going to the Hommel family. The mini-replica’s are hand crafted from sheet metal and painted and decaled to resemble Hommel’s #H2 and are 1/12th scale and are priced at $100 each. To order a Duayne Hommel Mini-Late Model contact Haynes at: 423.625.6360 or visit the Mike’s Mini Late Models website at: http://www.racevibe.com/mini to view samples and order.
Hayes will also be raffling a #H2 replica car at each remaining Southern Allstars Series race for $5.00 per raffle ticket with a winner drawn each night. All proceeds go to the Hommel family.
Full Moon Graphics, who does the graphics for Duayne Hommel’s racecars, has produced a new decal with assistance from Larry, Josh & Justin Manning of Jacksonville, FL, and are available via mail order. All proceeds go to Duayne Hommel. To order send a SASE (self addressed, stamped envelop) and a check or money order to: Full Moon Graphics, 696 Highway 30 West, Athens, TN 37303. The decals are 6” x 5” so send an envelope accordingly. For more information contact Full Moon Graphics at: 423.745.7446. Website: www.speedartwork.com
Full Moon Graphics is also raffling a replica Duayne Hommel racing helmet. The raffle tickets will be on sale at various tracks to be announced and through their website. Tickets are $5.00 each and can be purchased through the address or telephone number listed above or through their website for credit card users.
Additional authorized benefit projects and fundraisers will be announced in the near future.
Cards and notes can reach Hommel at: Duayne Hommel Motorpsorts, 311 Industrial Road, Newport, TN 37821.
A fund has been set up to help assist Duayne Hommel defray medical expenses. If you would like to make a donation to assist Duayne, Christi and Daegan please send them to: National Bank of Tennessee, Attn: Duayne Hommel Fund, PO Box 669, Newport, TN 37822.
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOMMEL MAKING STRIDES; WEEKEND BENEFITS PLANNED
Knoxville, TN --- The fight continues for Duayne Hommel, 25, Newport, TN, a dirt Late Model star driver, and continued progress is being made daily according to reports after a successful surgery on Tuesday evening October 7. In addition, several weekend benefits at racetracks in two different states will be held for the recovering Hommel and his family. Hommel continues his treatment and long road to recover from his September 23 traffic accident that left him with life-threatening head injuries. Now upgraded to serious condition, Hommel continues his recovery at the University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville, TN. A surgery that was scheduled for this past Thursday is likely to be performed sometime Monday October 6.
“Duayne had surgery last (Tuesday) night and they did some reconstruction on his face,” explained Ron “Flea” Fleenor, family spokesperson. “Everything went really well. They worked on him from about 7:00 until around 11:30. They put plates and wires in his face. He has some fractures in his face but nothing is really broken. They just needed to go in there and wire things together so they will stay.”
On Wednesday Hommel made significant progress which surprised even his doctors.
“The doctors have been saying that the nurses are just taking up with the family on something,” revealed Fleenor. “The family says that Duayne moves his head and feet and is hands and his mouth and just about everything. The neurosurgeon says that there is no way that can happen this quick in the shape he is in. So while I’m sitting there (hospital) tonight (Wednesday) about 7:00 PM the phone in the lobby rings and I answered. They wanted to talk to the Hommel family so I told them (Hommel’s mother) Gayla was on the phone.”
“She was waving to Junior to come quick to the phone so he could hear too and they were looking at each other with a little grin and hung up. They turned around and Junior started to tear up on me and I didn’t know what to do so he told me that the doctor had to see for himself if Duayne could actually do what they were saying he has been doing. This is where it gets good: Up to this point he has reacted to touch, but the doctor told Duayne to move his fingers on his left hand, and he did! Guess that will teach the doctors to doubt our boy. That’s the first thing he’s done from someone asking him to. He said he shouldn’t be doing that right now. Tough S***! This guy wants out of bed!”
Several benefits are continuing and a couple new ones are being organized to aid the Hommel family’s expenses.
This Friday and Saturday night at the 14th Annual Xtreme Hardee's Shootout Presented By Coca-Cola at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA Dixie Speedway and the Xtreme DirtCar Series will be holding a benefit auction among other projects.
Hommel’s #H2 dirt Late Model will be on display over the weekend at Dixie Speedway and sanction and track officials are currently organizing the project. Among some of the items that will be available for bid will be the racinghelmet worn by Scott Bloomquist last week when he won his 100th Xtreme Dirt Car Series race and fifth XDCS championship title. The helmet will be autographed.
Among other items the top ten in XDCS points will be contributing doors, quarter panels, helmets and many other items for the auction. Winston Cup star Ken Schrader has donated an autographed door from his own dirt Late Model and 14 doors from the “Carolina Gang” including, among others, Buck Simmons, Mike Duvall, Dennis “Rambo” Franklin and many others.
“That’s just part of it,” stated Fleenor. “Roby Helm of the Xtreme series will be releasing a press release with all of the details tomorrow. He’s still working his tail off on this along with Xtreme’s Doug Bland and Dixie Speedway owner Mike Swims. This will be big!”
Details about the weekend benefit can be found Thursday on the XDCS website at: http://www.xtremedirtcars.com/
Also at Dixie Speedway during the weekend the new Duayne Hommel “get well” T Shirts will be available at the Scott Bloomquist Racing souvenir trailer.
Race Art Custom Helmets will be offering a special tribute racing helmet during the weekend. Tickets will be one dollar each and will be available during the weekend with the winning ticket being drawn prior to the feature event on Saturday evening. They will also have a minimum of four of Duayne Hommel’s doors and a roof with his autograph decaled on them.
Racer Kip Cochran will be competing at the ‘Shoot Out’ in the Carolina Cable car and will be selling raffle tickets for a new Mastersbilt Race Car.
Full Moon Graphics will have the special H2 Get Well decals available all weekend as well as a replica Duayne Hommel racing helmet. The tickets will be $3 each and the winning ticket will be drawn at a race to be determined.
“We’ll also have a big get well card for everyone to sign,” added Fleenor.
Also this weekend, October 11-12, at the MACS sanctioned Fall Fest IX at Challenger Raceway in Indian, PA will be collecting donations for the Hommel family as well as other projects that are currently being worked on.
“Matt Gleason, from Bill's Dirt Late Model website is having a 4'X8' get well card made by Heath Cousin,” explained Jeff Geesey of the MACS series who is coordinating the fundraising efforts at Challenger Raceway. “We are going to have all the Late Model drivers sign it.”
“We’re hoping to get a replica of Duayne’s car intime for the weekend also as well as the special get well decals. Fans and drivers can also make donations at our merchandise trailer (Em’s Brodiery) during the weekend.”
In another show of support for Hommel and his family, NASCAR Busch Grand National car owner Carl Natale,owner of the #36 car driven by Steve Grissom, is hoping to display the H2 get well logo on the rear quarter panels in the associate sponsor designation in support of Hommel.
Fleenor confirmed several ongoing fund-raising projects that are underway to help raise money for the star driver’s expenses, as well as updated information on existing projects.
“Carolina Performance and Kip Cochran have got him a Mastersbilt chassis coming to raffle off,” stated Fleenor. “The fellow helping put this deal together with Kip is named Woody. They are putting everything together and build the car at their shop. If someone wants to donate parts and get on the car they need to call Kip. There is still a lot of stuff to be had and (Hommel crew chief) Tommy (Hicks) is working on helping them get everything for it.”
The chassis came from Keith & Tader Masters’ Mastersbilt Race Cars while other components have been donated by Brinn Transmissions, Peterson Aluminum, Classic Powder Coat, Sweet Engineering, Winters, Performance Friction, Quick Car Gauges, Powell Pedals, Ultra Shield Belts, Oval Craft Seats and Poske Performance. Addition donations will be announced later.
The raffle tickets for the new Mastersbilt Race Car and components are now available for $10.00 each. You can purchase the raffle tickets by check or money order at: Carolina Performance, 1009 Bell Dowdle Road, Franklin, NC 28734. You can also order raffle tickets by credit card by calling 828-369-2012. For additional information visit the Carolina Performance website at: http://www.dnet.net/jperry/carolinaperformance/home.html As noted, they will be available this weekend at Dixie Speedway.
Fleenor also revealed that a benefit golf tournament is being planned for next month.
“It’s still in the preliminary stages but ‘Pup’ Thomas of Hoosier Tire is putting together a benefit golf tournament that will be held on Friday November 21,” said Fleenor. “It will be held at the Flagstone Golf Course in Cleveland, TN.”
Interested participants are encouraged to telephone Thomas at Hoosier Tire at 865-970-3110.
There are several other projects in place to help raise needed funds for Hommel and his family, which includes his wife, Christi, and son, Daegan, and parents Junior and Gayla.
Among the new fundraising projects will be replicas of Duayne Hommel’s door from his #H2 Warrior Race Car and orders can be placed immediately.
“We’re going to be selling doors for $150 each,” informed Fleenor. “It may take a little bit to get them, like a couple weeks. So if someone wants one call the race shop and we’ll get a list of people who want doors. Once we get it figured out how many ordered we’ll go from there.”
Anyone interested in purchasing a #H2 racecar door can call the Duayne Hommel Racing shop at: 423.613.5199.
In addition Hommel crew member Mike Hayes, owner of Mike’s Mini Late Models, will be selling mini-replica dirt Late Models of Duayne Hommel’s famed #H2 dirt Late Model with all proceeds going to the Hommel family. The mini-replica’s are hand crafted from sheet metal and painted and decaled to resemble Hommel’s #H2 and are 1/12th scale and are priced at $100 each. To order a Duayne Hommel Mini-Late Model contact Haynes at: 423.625.6360 or visit the Mike’s Mini Late Models website at: http://www.racevibe.com/mini to view samples and order.
Hayes will also be raffling a #H2 replica car at each remaining Southern Allstars Series race for $5.00 per raffle ticket with a winner drawn each night. All proceeds go to the Hommel family.
Full Moon Graphics, who does the graphics for Duayne Hommel’s racecars, has produced a new decal with assistance from Larry, Josh & Justin Manning of Jacksonville, FL, and are available via mail order. All proceeds go to Duayne Hommel. To order send a SASE (self addressed, stamped envelop) and a check or money order to: Full Moon Graphics, 696 Highway 30 West, Athens, TN 37303. The decals are 6” x 5” so send an envelope accordingly. For more information contact Full Moon Graphics at: 423.745.7446. Website: www.speedartwork.com
Full Moon Graphics is also raffling a replica Duayne Hommel racing helmet. The raffle tickets will be on sale at various tracks to be announced and through their website. Tickets are $5.00 each and can be purchased through the address or telephone number listed above or through their website for credit card users.
Additional authorized benefit projects and fundraisers will be announced in the near future.
Cards and notes can reach Hommel at: Duayne Hommel Motorpsorts, 311 Industrial Road, Newport, TN 37821.
A fund has been set up to help assist Duayne Hommel defray medical expenses. If you would like to make a donation to assist Duayne, Christi and Daegan please send them to: National Bank of Tennessee, Attn: Duayne Hommel Fund, PO Box 669, Newport, TN 37822.
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
