Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AMA 250cc Grand Prix racer Simon Turner is back on his feet and preparing for the 2003 AMA season after breaking his leg and a vertebrae at Daytona International Raceway October 18, during the CCS Race of Champions event.

Turner was testing Bridgestone tires on his Priority Racing/Irish Bike-sponsored Yamaha TZ250 in practice at Daytona when he suffered a highside crash at the exit of the International Horseshoe. Turner broke both the tibia and fibula in his left leg and fractured his C7 vertebrae. Turner had a rod surgically inserted into his tibia, while an external fixator was attached to his left leg; he also wore a back brace for several weeks.

“I’ve been walking on it for about a week now,” said Turner Saturday, December 7 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “I could’ve been on a bike already, but thankfully I have some more time to get ready. Actually, it’s my back that’s giving me more trouble than my leg. The muscles around where I broke the vertebrae are still a wee bit sore.”

Turner, a resident of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is currently in Florida preparing his 2002 racebikes for sale to customers, helping Tony Pogue tune Per Hogdahl’s Honda NSR500V – which Michael Barnes is racing in the CCS races this weekend – and settling his plans for the 2003 AMA 250cc Grand Prix series. Turner said he had acquired the late Randy Renfrow’s TSR Honda RS250 but does not know if he will run Dunlop or Bridgestone tires next season.

Meanwhile, Michael Barnes said his plans for 2003 are not set, but he is considering returning to the Hooters Mountain Dew Suzuki team to run the AMA Superstock series.