Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

WSMC 250cc Grand Prix racer Keith Almond is listed in “serious” condition in the Intensive Care Unit of Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California. Almond was injured when he and Richard Headley tangled in turn nine of Willow Springs International Raceway and crashed during the combined Formula Twins/250cc Grand Prix/125cc Grand Prix WSMC sprint race Sunday, April 21.

Headley was relatively uninjured, and according to Race Director Danny Farnsworth, Almond had “somewhat stable” vital signs but was unconscious when he was airlifted to a hospital.

Contacted on Tuesday, April 23, WSMC Operations Manager Kenny Kopecky said that Almond was put into a coma by medical personnel at the crash scene because he was being extremely combative, a sign of a concussion. Kopecky added that Almond was breathing on his own after the crash.

Headley was leading the Formula Twins race on a World Superbike-spec Ducati 998RS with Vincent Haskovec slowly catching him. According to Headley, he was trying to pass Almond on the outside of the high-speed final corner when TZ250 rider Almond pushed wide. The two made contact and went tumbling off into the run-off area at over 100 mph.