Stockcar driver breaks back in speedway crash

A Wanganui stockcar driver looks likely to spend his 21st birthday in Christchurch's Burwood Hospital after breaking his back at Meeanee Speedway on Saturday.
But his injuries were an unfortunate but occasional occurrence that couldn't be helped by tightening stockcar rules and regulations, says a local speedway president.
Shonn Black, 20, was hit by Hawke's Bay driver Bryce Cross while competing in the East Coast Championships.
Mr Black had to be cut out of his car. It is understood his seat, which he was strapped into, moved on impact.
Mr Black was in Hawke's Bay Hospital yesterday, waiting to see if he would be transferred to Burwood Hospital.
X-rays of his fractured and collapsed fifth vertebrae had been sent to the Hospital's specialist spinal unit.
Wanganui Oceanview Speedway president Mark Cromarty said he did not know the exact details of Mr Black's injuries, but knew that he was a competent driver having started racing Ministocks at age 12.
Mr Black had been racing in the Stocks for one year, he said.
Mr Cromarty said he didn't think the rules and regulations needed to be tightened up on stock racing, and likened the incidents on the track to being as likely as being injured in a rugby tackle.
"As a competitor and promotor, the rules and regulations are that tight it's unbelievable."
"There are several 1000 competitors that race every week, and the percentage of injuries is about one in five race meetings. For the amount that compete, it's minimal."
Whether Mr Black decided to return to racing was up to him, but Mr Cromarty thought it probably wouldn't be a wise idea.
"Once you are broken, you don't heal the same way," he said.
The hit was one of several which tested the safety fences during the two-night championships. Regular hits are a feature of this contact class.
Mr Black said he doubted he would return to stock car racing after the accident.
Other cars did a lap of the track before he was able to alert them he needed help
"It was pretty scary, being there on your own and not being able to breathe for that long."
The unstable vertebrae in Mr Black's back was close to his spinal cord, making movement risky.
"Every time I move I think, "Can I still move my toes?"."
Mr Cross, 18, said there was nothing malicious in the crash, and that he had been in regular contact with Mr Black's family since the accident.
"Shonn and his crew were parked up next to us in the pits," Mr Cross said.
"We had helped him out with welding earlier in the night. You never go out with the intention of injuring people ... crashes are part of the entertainment and his injury is one of those unfortunate accidents which happens in our sport."