Injured crewman 'awake' in hospital.

Robert Yates Racing crew member Bobby Burrell is still listed in serious condition at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami but is awake and alert according to reports after a pitlane accident in Sunday's Pennzoil Freedom 400 at Homestead which injured three of Ricky Rudd's pit crew and a NASCAR official.

Robert Yates Racing crew member Bobby Burrell is still listed in serious condition at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami but is awake and alert according to reports after a pitlane accident in Sunday's Pennzoil Freedom 400 at Homestead which injured three of Ricky Rudd's pit crew and a NASCAR official.

Ricky Rudd's front-tyre changer, Bobby Burrell was 'awake, alert and conscious' according to reports from the Homestead-Miami Speedway late on Sunday afternoon after he and three others were involved in a multicar accident on pit-road, 112 laps into the Pennzoil Freedom 400, round 34 of the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship.

The accident occurred when Ward Burton's No.22 Bill Davis Racing Dodge was released from its pitstall just as Casey Atwood's No.19 Evernham Motorsports Dodge was passing Burton's pitstall and the resulting impact between the two sent Burton spinning into the still-pitting Rudd who was stationed just a few pit boxes ahead of Burton right at pit exit.

With his back to pitlane, Burrell was unable to see Burton's Dodge approaching and the Caterpillar sponsored machine bowled Burrell across the pitbox and into the pitwall where he remained unconscious until being airlifted to a nearby Trauma Centre at the Jackson Methodist Hospital in Miami.

Two of Rudd's other crewmembers were also injured in the accident with one travelling by road to a hospital with a suspected concussion and some knee injuries while the second, and the NASCAR official presiding over Rudd's stop, were briefly treated for cuts and bruises at the Homestead infield medical centre.

Although all three cars sustained damage in the crash, Atwood went on to finish a career best third with Burton a distraught 13th and Rudd a sombre 21st. However the mood was lightened further shortly after Bill Elliott drove to his first NASCAR Winston Cup victory in more than seven years when news reached the circuit that Burrell was awake and alert in hospital where he will remain listed in serious condition overnight. Team owner Robert Yates left the track to go to Jackson Methodist as the air ambulance was leaving.

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