Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Michael Barnes will be out of action for at least two weeks, possibly more, following surgery to repair knee damage suffered in a crash during AMA Formula Xtreme practice March 8 at Daytona International Speedway.
“It was kind of weird,” Barnes told Roadracingworld.com Friday. “Everything was feeling great. I was really comfortable. I don’t even remember sliding. I was just instantly in the air without any warning. It happened so fast I didn’t know it was coming.
“I landed right on my knee on the track. It blew my leathers open and blew a hole right in my knee. I was expecting a broken knee cap. Instead, it opened my knee up so much my tendon actually touched the asphalt. That was the main reason I had surgery. They wanted to see if there was any damage to the tendon, and there was. There was some fraying.”
Barnes said doctors at Halifax Medical Center repaired the damage to his tendon and thoroughly cleaned out his wound during a surgical procedure that lasted about an hour. He then spent the night at the hospital receiving antibiotics intravenously to fight off any possible infections. He was released the next day, March 9.
“It blew out a big hole,” continued Barnes, “So they had to cut away the bad skin and close it up with some stitches. So I have to keep it straight for at least two to three weeks for the tendon (to heal) and the stitches.”
Asked how long he would be out of action, Barnes said, “I’m being optimistic that I will be back for Alabama (the AMA race at Barber Motorsports Park, April 21-23). When I come back, I have to make sure I’m ready to do two races in a row.”
Barnes did not expect to be fit enough to ride when his team tests with other AMA teams at Barber Motorsports Park late this month.