MODESTO, Calif. — Sprint car and midget racer Tanner Thorson has been hospitalized after suffering broken bones in a fiery crash on northbound California Highway 99 early Monday morning.
California Highway Patrol officials confirmed that Thorson, driving a pickup truck that was hauling his Tri-C Motorsports sprint car, rear-ended a milk truck around 4 a.m.
According to CHP, Thorson was drowsy and didn’t slow quickly enough after he entered a construction zone, leading to the crash, which collected two additional vehicles.
Thorson’s parents confirmed to SPEED SPORT he was involved in the accident, and that their son was scheduled for surgery to address his injuries, which have been described by CHP as “non-life-threatening.”
In an update Monday evening, Petersen Media offered further details on Thorson’s injuries courtesy of his Tri-C Motorsports crew chief Lee Lindgren, who said that Thorson has a broken right foot and also underwent surgery to address a fracture in his left arm.
USAC officials later confirmed that Thorson also has a cracked sternum, broken ribs and a punctured lung, but is expected to make a full recovery.
Update on @Tanner_Thorson per Lee Lindgren- he will be ok after his accident in the race car hauler . It’s going to be a long recovery he has a broken foot and had to have surgery on his arm for a fracture.
— 𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗡 𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔 (@Petersen_Media) March 5, 2019
Thorson most recently competed with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in his home state of Nevada, on Wednesday and Thursday. The 22-year-old failed to qualify for either feature, with a best result of 13th in Thursday night’s B-main.
The 2016 USAC National Midget Series champion was scheduled to compete with Tri-C Motorsports in this weekend’s Shamrock Classic inside the Southern Illinois Center in DuQuoin, Ill.