5-5-2005
Tom Wood Comeback Continues
Will drive Schmidt entry at Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Tom Wood is hoping to pick up about 200 feet from where he left off his Menards Infiniti Pro Series career when he starts the Futaba Freedom 100, Friday, May 27, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
In August, 2003, Wood was running second and preparing to make a move for the lead at Kentucky Motor Speedway when another car clipped him, sending him into the wall at over 175 miles per hour and fracturing his spine, hand, knee, both legs, ankles and feet. Officials said the G-forces of the crash were the most severe recorded of a non-fatal accident.
Almost as soon as he regained consciousness, “Everything I thought about was getting back into a race car,” Wood said.
He will be driving for Sam Schmidt, an inspiration during his recovery period. Schmidt, a quadriplegic following his own racing crash in January, 2000, is fielding four entries in the Freedom 100. Defending Freedom 100 winning team and Infiniti Pro Series champions, Sam Schmidt Motorsports also fields cars for current points leader Travis Gregg, Chris Festa and Indianapolis testing’s fastest Jaime Camara. Schmidt is also fielding the Meijer/Coca-Cola entry for Richie Hearn in the Indianapolis 500.
“Sam Schmidt was my inspiration. From his wheelchair, Sam works harder than anyone I know and he doesn’t know the word ‘quit,’” Wood said. “I was determined to get out of this medical jigsaw puzzle and get behind the wheel of a race car again.”
After 14 surgeries, incredibly painful rehabilitation process and a continued daily workout program, Wood will realize that opportunity at the world’s most famous oval. He tested some last year, participated in the Indianapolis test earlier this week and has plans to race other Infiniti Pro Series events after the Futaba 100.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to racing,” Wood said. “Right now, I just want to get the Futaba 100 and the month of May behind me. This deal came together fairly quickly, so we’re just working on developing the program and team chemistry right now. Once we’re able to settle down, we’ll get going a little better with the whole program.”
For Schmidt, whose Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation was begun on the premise of helping others with life-altering injuries, as well as research into spinal cord injuries, Wood’s comeback is a major achievement.
“I don’t know of anyone with more courage and tenacity than Tom Wood,” Schmidt said. “I know what he has sacrificed over the past 18 months to get here, and I also know he is a talented driver. This is more than helping someone come back from injury. It’s helping set him back on a very promising career path, and I feel confident Tom will be right back where he was as a driver.”
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