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A passenger injured in a Kumho V8 ride accident during last week’s Phillip Island Shannons Nationals round is set to be released from hospital today.
Steve Egan was airlifted to Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital on Friday when Matthew Palmer’s Kumho Series Falcon suffered a rear brake failure which resulted in heavy front-on contact with the tyre wall at Turn 4.
The passenger suffered a fractured sternum but has been cleared for release having been hospitalised since Friday.
X-rays have subsequently revealed that Palmer suffered two fractured vertebrae in the incident.
The Sydney-born driver was taken to Melbourne’s Dandenong Hospital soon after the accident for checks before being released by doctors after the results of X-Rays to contest the penultimate round of the Kumho V8 races.
After racing through pain during the weekend in his spare car, he was notified as to the extent of his injuries when he visited his local doctor on Monday, who looked again at the hospital reports.
Palmer is confident he will recover in time to compete in the final round of the Kumho Series at Sydney Motorsport Park in November.
“I was in a little bit of pain when I was racing. It hurt when I was applying the brakes but what hurt the most was getting in and out of the car,” Palmer told Speedcafe.com.
“Once I was in and strapped in I was okay. It was uncomfortable but bearable.
“There really is no treatment other than just pain medication and to not do anything silly to aggravate it.
“They reckon it will be a six-week recovery and we have a about seven or eight weeks until Sydney Motorsport Park so I should be good to go.”
Palmer intends to repair the damaged Falcon during the off-season.
