Dan Ortega (DanO966) injured at Cycle Jam , Road Atlanta

[roadracekid]

get well soon and dano and my thoughts and prayers are with chris's family

[sprty_21]

Hello!  I spoke to Dan a few hours ago and he is in good spirits.  He has 2 more surgeries to go through - one on his skull from where the blood clot was and the other one on his leg.  He is hoping to be on his way home on friday.   
Michelle

[Team-G]

Yo Danno,

If you get this before they spring you, pinch a nurse for me.  I heard they like that 

Heal up fast, Pal!

[Speedballer347]

He is hoping to be on his way home on friday.   

That would be great news!  8)

[motobenco]

I'm back in Chicago after driving straight through yesterday.  Allison and I brought the rig and all of the equipment back home. Dan was doing pretty well when we last saw him late Tuesday night. He has a minimal amount of tubes hooked up, both drains are out. I believe he has been moved to his own room out of the ICU (something about using his cell phone in the ward).  He should undergo another surgery on his leg today.  If all goes well, fighting off any infection and such we should see him home early next week.  I'm still waiting to hear the final word on this so we can make the reservations.  He does have his laptop with him but we had some connectivity issues trying to set it up in the room.

Ben

[SSMR-84]

Hey Ben,
This is Denis, Hope you remember me, we used to work togather at Chicago cycle. Well I heard about the bad news and was hoping you could wish Dan a fast recovery from me and my brother.
Dan Hope you get well soon, best of luck.

Denis

[motobenco]

Local Article

[Jeff]

Top headline of the front page on a holiday no less!

Now everyone says how sucky it is that this guy died doing something he apparently LOVED doing.  I don't necessarily see it that way.  Don't get me wrong, I don't relish anyone's seemingly untimely departure, but what would REALLY suck would be dying behind a keyboard, 60lbs overweight with a bag of cheetos at your side in a job you can't stand just to make payments on the house your ex-wife now lives in with your former best friend...  THAT would suck.

And I could only hope to land a front page cover when I pass...

My hat is off to you - fallen one...

[tstruyk]

<<puts down bag of cheetoes>>

well put Jeff.

Always a shame to hear of a lost life, I never me the guy but I am sure he similar to 99% of the people in the paddock.  Do anything for ya, help a fellow rider... From what I hear I wish I could have met the guy... rest in piece Chris, nothing but on camber carousels from here on.

DanO, heal up quick man, glad to hear everything is moving in a good direction! 

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

what would REALLY suck would be dying

in a muddy ditch with a shovel in your hand,

  60lbs overweight in a job you can't stand just to make payments on the house your

beloved wife lives in with you and your two dogs.... 

Thanks for writing my biography, Jeff!

And THAT, friends, is why I hope I pass on a weekend.  Because if it's the weekend, I'm probably at the track, and when I'm at the track the bullshit doesn't matter....

[Speedballer347]

And THAT, friends, is why I hope I pass on a weekend.  Because if it's the weekend, I'm probably at the track, and when I'm at the track the bullshit doesn't matter....

Well said 8)

[Thingy]

I was kind of taken aback the other day watching some show on SPEED.  They were interviewing some lady racer (dragracing, I think) and she said that she hopes that her friends never have to say that she died doing what she loved.  Nobody wants to die or get injured, but I was not really used to that way of thinking.  I was not really sure what to make of it...