SPORTSMAN RACER DEFIES DEATH, ODDS TO RACE AGAIN
In March of 2007, Francis “Chick” Ross was doing what he loves to do. He was racing.Ross of Milford, N.H., had just made a qualifying run in his Rick Jones 2004 Top Sportsman Cavalier machine at Atco (N.J.) Raceway. Moments after Ross came in with a 7.31-second time down the quarter-mile in windy conditions, things went horribly wrong.
When the car’s parachute deployed, Ross’ car spun and went crashing into the wall. As the car struck the wall, the engine and drive train went forward and the car’s fuel regulator sensor had a fitting that broke. Because Ross was knocked unconscious during the wreck, he could not shut off the power to the car. Thus, the fuel pump kept running and the car became an inferno.
The Determination Of A Drag Racer And His Friends Leads To Incredible Comeback ...
In March of 2007, Francis “Chick” Ross was doing what he loves to do. He was racing.
Ross of Milford, N.H., had just made a qualifying run in his Rick Jones 2004 Top Sportsman Cavalier machine at Atco (N.J.) Raceway. Moments after Ross came in with a 7.31-second time down the quarter-mile in windy conditions, things went horribly wrong.
When the car’s parachute deployed, Ross’ car spun and went crashing into the wall. As the car struck the wall, the engine and drive train went forward and the car’s fuel regulator sensor had a fitting that broke. Because Ross was knocked unconscious during the wreck, he could not shut off the power to the car. Thus, the fuel pump kept running and the car became an inferno.
“My parachute got caught up in some winds and it caused the car to hit the wall,” the 59-year-old Ross said. “I was going around 188 mph, and I remember hitting the wall and being knocked out. I was told by people that I was in the fire for 45 to 50 seconds. Then, I remember laying in the ambulance and they were asking me a few questions. Then, I remember talking to a good friend of mine, Mickey Smallridge, for a few minutes and that’s it.”
Ross was barely alive after the crash with severe burns all over his body, especially to his face.
Taken by Flight for Life to the Crozer Keystone Medical Center in Springfield, Pa., just outside of Philadelphia, Ross thought the severe burns on his face came about because after he hit the wall he came to for a moment and put up the visor on his helmet. Ross actually had first, second and third-degree burns to his face, hands, and a couple of spots on his legs.
“It was not good for the first week or two at the hospital,” Ross said. “I was on my way out to see the big guy upstairs from what everybody told me. At one point during those first couple of weeks, they called my wife and my son in and told them that I was in bad shape and they should call the family in. At that time, if I didn’t start responding to what they were trying to do to get me beyond the infections, and things of that nature, I was probably going to die within 48 hours.”
With his life hanging in limbo, Ross was able to survive.
“The people at Crozer saved my life,” said Ross, who was in a coma for 35 days.
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Upon his release from Crozer at the end of May of 2007, Ross’ rehabilitation began in his home state of New Hampshire.
The road to recovery is one that wasn’t easy for Ross. Thankfully for Ross and his family, they were not in the battle alone. The Drag Racing Association of Women, Racers for Christ, along with Chick’s friends (facilitated by Mickey Smallridge and Bill Horton) came to his aid by chipping in generously to help his family meet expenses during that time.
“Mickey and Bill set up a recovery fund that made so many things possible for my family while I was down in Philadelphia,” Ross said. “I could never ever in my lifetime repay those gentlemen. If you’re ever down and out and you have friends in your corner like Mickey Smallridge and Bill Horton, then life is good. Those guys made such a huge difference and it’s incredible what they did and they are still involved today. The Drag Racing Association of Women (DRAW) also was right there on the spot and not only did they give us financial support for a
long time, they gave us emotional help as well. The NHRA Division 1
chaplain who was with Racers for Christ also came down to see me every Wednesday that I was in the hospital in Philadelphia. Family, friends, and those two organizations, DRAW and RFC were astronomical behind this whole deal.”
Almost three years later, Ross is still not fully recovered, but he hasn't given up his passion either.
“The rehab is still ongoing,” Ross said. “I’m an outpatient at Burn
Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, and I’ve had two plastic surgeries here, and I think I’ve had four laser procedures for scar management and I probably have another four or six to go. I’m also
still getting medical care in the form of plastic surgery, scar
management and reconstruction at Mass General Hospital in Boston.”
Despite all the pain and suffering Ross went through as a result of the crash, he never thought about quitting the sport of drag racing.
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Remarkably, 29 months after his horrific wreck, Ross was back racing. His first event came this past August at Atco Raceway, of all places, and he was driving his 1968 Camaro Super Street machine.
“We went to Atco and I made one or two qualifying passes, but we never got to race, because we got rained out,” Ross said.
This past September, Ross got behind the wheel again to compete in the Super Rod Class at the IHRA’s North American Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.
And, a better script couldn’t have been written. Partnering with Dan Page of Dan Page Race Cars, Ross drove a Dan Page 1967 Camaro roadster entry to the Super Rod title.
“Throughout my recovery, my wife Janet and I talked and I told her if I’m physically and mentally able to do this (race), we would come back to racing because I didn’t want to end my racing career with that crash,” Ross said.”I wasn’t afraid to race and I knew if I couldn’t do this, now is the time I’m going to find out and it all worked out fine. After I won the race, I made an offer to Dan (Page) to buy that car and I ended up just like a month ago, buying that car from him. The rules don’t call for a fire system, but he knew what I went through and he even put a fire system in the car. That’s how detailed Dan is about things and he’s treated me very, very well with this deal.”
Now, Ross is already putting together his 2010 racing schedule and eyeing the future.
“We’re probably going to run four to six NHRA division events in Super Gas, and I’m going to try to get into one, possibly two NHRA national events in the summer time frame,” Ross said. “Then, obviously, I will go back and race the IHRA program at New England Dragway in September and I also will be in their Pro Am event that they have in September. I also plan on racing at least another 10 to 15 years.”
Although Ross is looking forward to the upcoming season, a day doesn’t pass that he doesn’t think about his crash.
“I just think I was very fortunate with how Atco (Raceway) was able to react immediately and get me the care I needed,” Ross said. “The people at Crozer saved my life and I still stay in touch with all of the people up there who helped save my life. In fact, I plan on going back (this) April and bring some closure to this whole ordeal. I want to see these people, see the burn center and just meet with everybody there. Plus, all of those prayers and everything else from everybody, they all worked. I have some pictures of my face when I first went to Crozer and my eye was hanging and my face was in very bad condition. When, I look at the way I do now, I just think that my doctors are miracle workers.”
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