CLARKSVILLE, TN – Jeff Purvis is now at his Clarksville, TN home to begin the recovery process after being seriously injured in a highway accident on Saturday near Cullman, AL. Purvis, who competes with the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series, was visited today by series Founder and Director Mike Vaughn.
“Jeff is now at home, sitting up and in good spirits,” Vaughn reported. “He has fractures of his C1, and C5 vertebra in his neck, compression fractures of the T2 and T6 vertebra in his back, a separated sternum, and he has a gash in his head that took 24 staples to close. He has seen pictures of the aftermath of the accident and he’s very thankful that no one lost their life in the accident.”
Purvis, his wife Margo, his son Clay, crew chief Matt Angel, and crewmembers Rocky Angel and Ben Britt were traveling in his race team’s transporter on Saturday from Clarksville to the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model event at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.
The transporter blew a left-front tire while traveling southbound on I-65 near Cullman, AL at 3:15 p.m., swerved across the median into the northbound lane, struck another car, and then hit the guardrail before overturning in a ditch. The six occupants of the transporter vacated the vehicle just seconds before it caught fire, and became engulfed in flames.
The transporter then burned to the ground, destroying everything inside, including the race car, and all of the parts and equipment.
Purvis was airlifted to the local Cullman hospital where his injuries were diagnosed, and then he was airlifted Saturday evening to Vanderbilt University Hospital where he was seen by his doctor that treated him after life-threatening injuries suffered in a NASCAR Busch Grand National race in 2002 at Nazareth, PA.
“Jeff and his doctors wanted to make sure that none of the injuries suffered in the accident on Saturday re-injured anything from the Nazareth wreck,” Vaughn said. “None of the new injuries were related to the 2002 injuries.”
Other than Purvis, the rest of the people in the transporter, and the occupants of the other vehicle involved in the accident were treated and released at a Cullman, AL hospital with minor injures.
Vaughn said Purvis will now have a long recovery period to heal from his injuries, and he is thankful for everyone’s thoughts and prayers.
“The doctors say he will now have a six to eight month healing process,” Vaughn said. “Jeff did want me to relate how thankful he is for everyone’s thoughts and prayers over the last few days. Jeff did ask me when the next race was, but it is very premature to give any thought to what lays ahead racing-wise for Jeff.”
Purvis is an inductee in the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame after bursting on the dirt track scene in the 1980s with several National Championships, and three World 100 wins at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH.
In the 1990s, Purvis bean racing on the asphalt tracks, and then went on to a successful career in NASCAR that includes 4 Busch Grand National victories, and 50 starts in what was then known as Winston Cup.
Purvis returned to his dirt track roots after his near-fatal Nazareth accident. He finished sixth in the 2005 StormPay.com DLMS point standings, and was seventh in the StormPay.com DLMS National points going into the Talladega Short Track event with two top five finishes, three top ten finishes and one fast time honor in 11 starts.
Those desiring to send get well wishes to Jeff Purvis may do so by E-mail at www.stormpayracing.com, or by regular mail in care of StormPay Racing, 1690 Golf Club Lane, Clarksville, TN 37043.
“Jeff is now at home, sitting up and in good spirits,” Vaughn reported. “He has fractures of his C1, and C5 vertebra in his neck, compression fractures of the T2 and T6 vertebra in his back, a separated sternum, and he has a gash in his head that took 24 staples to close. He has seen pictures of the aftermath of the accident and he’s very thankful that no one lost their life in the accident.”
Purvis, his wife Margo, his son Clay, crew chief Matt Angel, and crewmembers Rocky Angel and Ben Britt were traveling in his race team’s transporter on Saturday from Clarksville to the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model event at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.
The transporter blew a left-front tire while traveling southbound on I-65 near Cullman, AL at 3:15 p.m., swerved across the median into the northbound lane, struck another car, and then hit the guardrail before overturning in a ditch. The six occupants of the transporter vacated the vehicle just seconds before it caught fire, and became engulfed in flames.
The transporter then burned to the ground, destroying everything inside, including the race car, and all of the parts and equipment.
Purvis was airlifted to the local Cullman hospital where his injuries were diagnosed, and then he was airlifted Saturday evening to Vanderbilt University Hospital where he was seen by his doctor that treated him after life-threatening injuries suffered in a NASCAR Busch Grand National race in 2002 at Nazareth, PA.
“Jeff and his doctors wanted to make sure that none of the injuries suffered in the accident on Saturday re-injured anything from the Nazareth wreck,” Vaughn said. “None of the new injuries were related to the 2002 injuries.”
Other than Purvis, the rest of the people in the transporter, and the occupants of the other vehicle involved in the accident were treated and released at a Cullman, AL hospital with minor injures.
Vaughn said Purvis will now have a long recovery period to heal from his injuries, and he is thankful for everyone’s thoughts and prayers.
“The doctors say he will now have a six to eight month healing process,” Vaughn said. “Jeff did want me to relate how thankful he is for everyone’s thoughts and prayers over the last few days. Jeff did ask me when the next race was, but it is very premature to give any thought to what lays ahead racing-wise for Jeff.”
Purvis is an inductee in the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame after bursting on the dirt track scene in the 1980s with several National Championships, and three World 100 wins at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH.
In the 1990s, Purvis bean racing on the asphalt tracks, and then went on to a successful career in NASCAR that includes 4 Busch Grand National victories, and 50 starts in what was then known as Winston Cup.
Purvis returned to his dirt track roots after his near-fatal Nazareth accident. He finished sixth in the 2005 StormPay.com DLMS point standings, and was seventh in the StormPay.com DLMS National points going into the Talladega Short Track event with two top five finishes, three top ten finishes and one fast time honor in 11 starts.
Those desiring to send get well wishes to Jeff Purvis may do so by E-mail at www.stormpayracing.com, or by regular mail in care of StormPay Racing, 1690 Golf Club Lane, Clarksville, TN 37043.
