Saturday, June 01, 2002
NASCAR owner thrilled to be in Dover - or anywhere
By KEVIN NOONAN
The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal
DOVER, Del. — Jack Roush is thrilled to be here. Actually, he's thrilled to be anywhere.
Roush, a successful NASCAR owner, nearly lost his life in a plane crash on April 19 in Troy, Ala. Roush was piloting a small, single-seater when it hit a power line and flipped into a lake. He was hurt badly, with a compound fracture of his left leg, a punctured lung and a concussion, among other injuries.
On Friday, Roush returned to a racetrack for the first time since his accident, when he arrived - on an airplane that landed at Dover Air Base — for the weekend races at Dover International Speedway. And he said he's returned as a changed man.
“I've been very careful not to waste time,” he said. “Every day from here on is precious, because these are extra days.”
Roush still can't believe the incredible stroke of luck that enabled him to survive the crash, which came on his 60th birthday. The plane landed upside down and Roush was unconscious, strapped into his seat. Standing on the shore of the lake watching the accident was Larry Hicks, a 52-year-old retired Marine with training in underwater rescue.
Hicks jumped into a boat and raced to the accident scene. It took him three attempts, but he finally freed Roush and got him to the surface and, eventually, a hospital.
“I have to be the luckiest person in the world,” Roush said. “In the eastern United States, he may have been the only guy with his credentials who could have done what he did, and done it in a timely manner that allows me to sit here with you today.”
And Roush has returned just a month after the crash. He's still hobbling on crutches - which he vows to throw into a trash can soon - but he's once again running one of the most successful racing teams in the business. Roush started his Winston Cup team in 1996 and going into this season, Roush's cars - currently driven by Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch — have won 50 Winston Cup races and earned more than $75 million.
“It's good to see Jack Roush back,” said veteran driver Bill Elliott, who finished second in qualifying for Sunday's MBNA Platinum 400. “It's pretty incredible what he's gone through, but he's a tough old codger. He's always digging, each and every week. And whether you like him or dislike him, that's what you have to admire about Jack Roush.”
But Roush claims he's a changed man. And he said that change is a result of time spent flat on his back in the hospital. That gave him a chance to think about his own life and observe the lives of other patients, many of whom were much worse off than he.
“Man, it looks different from the inside out than it does from the outside in,” Roush said. “That gave me pause. And it gave me a chance to really think about how lucky I've been in my life to have been healthy, and how lucky I am to come back from the injuries I've had.”
But Roush said he remains a fierce competitor when it comes to racing. And the accident didn't temper his love of flying — he'll be back at the controls of a plane as soon as he's healthy enough.
So the victories and the money are still important to him. They're just not as important.
“There are no promises, but I've made a commitment to be kinder and gentler,” Roush said with a smile. “I may have been a little short on patience in the past, and I think I'll be more patient in the future.”
As for his future, Roush plans on having a long one.
“I want to live life to its fullest,” he said. “I have no plans to retire, there's no exit strategy for Jack. I want to go as hard as I can and function as well as I can. And when I can't be a contributor, I hope my guys roll me over in a ditch and be done with it.”
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NASCAR owner thrilled to be in Dover - or anywhere
