Shawn Cowie, an NHRA world championship contending top alcohol dragster driver, remains in serious condition after being critically injured Saturday night when his motorcycle was rear-ended by a car on Interstate 40 in Nashville, Tenn.
Cowie, 29, from Delta, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver, finished third in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series top alcohol dragster national points standings last year. On April 3, Cowie won the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Ron Cowie, Shawn’s father, spoke with CompetitionPlus.com presented by Attitude Apparel Tuesday from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Ron Cowie oversees and funds Shawn’s race team.
Shawn Cowie, an NHRA world championship contending top alcohol dragster driver, remains in serious condition after being critically injured Saturday night when his motorcycle was rear-ended by a car on Interstate 40 in Nashville, Tenn.
Cowie, 29, from Delta, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver, finished third in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series top alcohol dragster national points standings last year. On April 3, Cowie won the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Ron Cowie, Shawn’s father, spoke with CompetitionPlus.com presented by Attitude Apparel Tuesday from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Ron Cowie oversees and funds Shawn’s race team.
“Shawn is just resting today (Tuesday),” Ron said. “They are just doing a small procedure and putting a filter in his artery to help prevent blood clots. They are going to do further surgery (Wednesday) with respect to his injuries in his legs. They (the doctors) have not really figured out what they are going to do with the one bone that is broken just below his (right) knee. It is the worse the surgeon has ever seen. These were exposed wounds by the way. The surgeon has not really formulated a concrete plan yet (on what to do with the right leg). Shawn responds to us by opening his eyes. He can hear us and he knows that we are here, and that is all good. The hospital staff has been absolutely fantastic with the way they work and treat their patients. We are here for Shawn to show our support and to tell him about everybody else’s support. That has been overwhelming.”
According to Ron, Shawn does not have any paralysis or brain damage.
Ron Cowie said Shawn had a 7-½ hour surgery Monday night.
“That (surgery) was to deal with the pelvic bone, and to deal with his upper right leg,” Ron said. “He also had some surgery on his right ankle and foot area and work (done) on his left leg. He came out of the surgery OK. They (the doctors) were happy with what they accomplished that first day.”
Ron Cowie said Shawn Cowie and his cousin Nik Duperon were driving the team’s rig to Charlotte, N.C. for the 4Wide Nationals April 14-17 at zMax Dragway.
“They stopped off in Nashville to see the sights,” Adam Rhoades, a family friend of the Cowies told Competition Plus Sunday. “They were on their way back to the rig because they load their motorcycles up at night. They were riding together, but Shawn was the only one involved in the accident.”
According to a press release obtained by Competition Plus from Chris Taylor of the Metro Nashville Police Department, Cowie was critically injured Saturday night when his motorcycle was struck from behind by a car on I-40 west at 21st Avenue.
The preliminary investigation shows Cowie was riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle westbound on I-40 at 10:30 p.m. CDT when he was struck from behind by a Toyota Camry. Cowie lost control of the motorcycle and was ejected over the bridge railing. He came to rest in foliage on 21st Avenue North, 27 feet below the interstate.
It appeared the collision with the motorcycle caused the driver of the Camry, Analisa Ramirez, 20, of Keenland Drive in Murfreesboro, to lose control of the car, which slid into a guardrail. The impact ejected Ramirez into the middle of I-40. She was also transported to Vanderbilt and is in stable condition.
Officers reported Ramirez smelled of alcohol. A blood sample was taken for analysis by the TBI crime laboratory. Ramirez was not wearing a seatbelt.
Ron Cowie has talked to Duperon about the accident.
“The car had already lost control by the time it went around Nik,” Ron said. “Nik said he virtually could touch the fender (of the car), and the headlights were pointed at him, going sideways by him at a high-rate of speed, from the far left lane, coming across just in front of him. He is really not sure where it (the car) hit Shawn on the bike, whether it was towards the rear or straight on or whatever. As she was heading toward the guardrail she hit him (Shawn). The next thing he (Nik) saw was parts and he lost sight of Shawn and the motorcycle and her car started flipping. There was a body that flew out from the car and he thought that was Shawn, and mayhem took over from there.”
Ron said Shawn and Nik were riding their motorcycles in the same lane before the accident occurred.
“Shawn was wearing a helmet, and he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt,” Ron said. “The crash scene was probably a total of a couple hundred yards. We just finished talking with the police officer and there are charges pending.”
4-10-2011 – Shawn Cowie, an NHRA world championship contending top alcohol dragster driver, was critically injured Saturday night when his motorcycle was rear-ended by a car on Interstate 40 in Nashville, Tenn.
Cowie, 29, from Delta, British Columbia, Canada, finished third in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Dragster national points standings last year. Last Sunday, Cowie won the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Adam Rhoades, a family friend of the Cowies, confirmed on Sunday Cowie was involved in the accident. Rhoades is a former tuner for Chris Demke’s Top Alcohol Dragster.
Rhoades said he spoke with Shawn’s fiancée, Taylor Heritage, and Ron Cowie, Shawn’s father, at approximately 3 p.m. MDT Sunday about the accident. Ron Cowie oversees and funds Shawn’s race team.
“At that time they were getting ready to board an airplane to go to Nashville,” Rhoades said in a phone interview from his home in St. George, Utah. “They confirmed to me that he was involved in an accident and that he is the hospital and he is in critical condition.”
Calls and emails Sunday evening by CompetitionPlus.com to the Nashville Metro Police were not returned.
Rhoades said Shawn Cowie and his cousin Nik Duperon were driving the team’s rig to Charlotte, N.C. for the 4-Wide Nationals April 14-17 at zMax Dragway.
“They stopped off in Nashville to see the sights,” Rhoades said. “They were on their way back to the rig because they load their motorcycles up at night. They were riding together, but Shawn was the only one involved in the accident.”
Rhoades said Duperon was at the hospital with Shawn Cowie. Rhoades, meanwhile, was trying to come to grips with what happened.
“Shawn is an intense competitor, but he is just a real Down to Earth guy,” Rhoades said. “We have had a lot of fun together. This news is a devastating blow. You hear stuff like this and it is sad. It makes you want to grab your kids and hug them.”
Bill Moore, Shawn Cowie’s tuner, had the following post on insidetopalcohol.com Sunday.
“It is with a heavy heart that I post this. Shawn Cowie was struck by a car on his motorcycle last night in Nashville. Information is early but a car lost control and came into Shawn and Nik’s lane. Shawn suffered severe injuries and is critical. There is a chance that he may lose his leg. Nik is okay physically. They were on their way with the rig to the Charlotte race and had stopped in Nashville to “see the sights. Will post more when we know more,” Bill Moore, Cowie TAD3.
According to a story posted on wsmv.com, which is the website for WSMV-TV in Nashville, Metro Police said the accident happened at about 10:30 p.m. CDT, near Rosa Parks Boulevard.
Cowie lost control of the motorcycle and was thrown over the bridge railing, according to police. He fell about 27 feet and landed on shrubbery on 21st Avenue North, officers said.
Investigators said it appeared the collision with the motorcycle caused the driver of the car, Analisa Ramirez, to lose control and slide into a guardrail.
Police said the impact threw Ramirez into the middle of I-40. She was transported to Vanderbilt, where she remained in stable condition.
According to investigators, alcohol might have been a factor in the crash. Officers reported Ramirez smelled of alcohol, and a blood sample was taken for analysis.
Police said Ramirez was not wearing a seat belt.
No charges have been filed, police said, however the investigation has not been completed.
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