Three riders were severely injured at Daytona International Speedway Sunday, March 11.

Dirk Piz lost his life when he hit Kiyo Watanabe’s downed motorcycle entering the chicane. According to accounts from cornerworkers at the scene, Piz’s motorcycle became airborne from the impact, sending the 45-year old racer from Denver, Colorado into the tire barrier on riders’ left. Funeral arrangements for Piz had not been completed at post time.

Scott Russell has undergone successful surgery at Halifax Medical Center to plate his broken left arm between the wrist and elbow and insert a titanium rod in his left femur. Russell has said that he will race again, as early as the AMA Road Atlanta round May 18-20, and is scheduled to undergo additional surgery today, Tuesday, March 13, to repair a drainage tube installed during the original surgery. Russell will also spend his last day in the Intensive Care Unit Tuesday.

Russell has requested that there be no phone traffic sent to his room and a restricted, approved list of visitors has been set-up to allow Russell time to rest.

Richie Morris is in the Orthopedic Ward of Halifax Medical Center after surgery on his shattered left arm. Morris will undergo additional surgery today at 5:00 p.m. to continue work on his wrist. Although reports are that Morris is not in danger of losing his arm, the damage is extensive. Morris may not re-gain enough use of his left wrist to race again. In a Tuesday morning phone interview, Morris said that the worst-case scenario is that doctors will have to fuse his wrist.

Both Morris and Russell are receiving cards, letters, and messages sent to the hospital and addressed to them. The address is:

Halifax Medical Center
c/o Scott Russell or Richie Morris
303 North Clyde Morris Blvd.
Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

The hospital’s phone number is (386) 254-4145, and the FAX number for the eighth-floor nurses’ station near Morris is (386) 947-1750.