Update Regarding NHRA Top Fuel Driver Shawn Reed After Sustaining Injuries at the NHRA Northwest Nationals

Shawn Reed, the driver of the Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel dragster, was set up for a successful outing in front of a hometown crowd at Pacific Raceways this weekend for the Muckleshoot Casino & Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals. After a solid start to qualifying, the driver/team owner experienced a powerful crash during the third qualifying session of the event, ending his race weekend much earlier than anticipated due to injuries sustained in the incident. Reed, however, remains in good spirits and full of gratitude as he begins the road to recovery. 

During Saturday’s second qualifying session, Reed’s 12,000-horsepower machine was on a powerful run in the right lane before he lost his right rear tire, and his car careened across the centerline and made impact with the left retaining wall. He was examined by NHRA medical personnel before being transported to an area hospital. In addition to two fractured ribs, the Washington native sustained injuries to his left hand, resulting in the loss of his left pointer finger and requiring that a pin be placed in his thumb.

“Obviously, you never want a race weekend to go like that, but I’m already on the mend,” remarked Reed, after undergoing surgery on Sunday morning for the hand injury sustained in the crash. “First of all, I want to thank the Safety Safari and the whole NHRA team for everything they do to keep us safe out there. We have the best fans in the world, and I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers from our extended racing family.”

In true Shawn Reed fashion, the Top Fuel pilot is already eager to return to the track. “I’m going to be back out there as soon as I can. I don’t have a target return date as of yet, and it may require a little adjusting, but it’d take a lot more than one missing digit to keep me down. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than back out at the track, behind the wheel of my dragster, chasing that Wally.” 

Reed was cleared to leave the hospital on Sunday afternoon and is focused on healing quickly and completely in order to return to racing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series as soon as possible.