To Hell and Back By Amy Johnson of Competition Plus Karen Stoffer has proven herself to be a true competitor. In one of the toughest classes in NHRA drag racing competition, Pro Stock Bike racer Stoffer has managed a top 10 finish the last two seasons. The excitement of a typical race weekend came to a screeching halt during a wicked twist of fate one October evening last year, however. She was having a final conversation with friends and family following the NHRA ACDelco Nationals when the unthinkable happened. One minute she was readying for a night on the town and the next, she was on the ground wondering what had just happened. In a fraction of a second, less time then the margin of victory in most drag races, only the sound of rushing air served as a warning when the back door to her transporter came crashing to the ground. Not only did the heavy door hit Stoffer, but after knocking her to the ground it also pinned her down, trapping her beneath its considerable bulk. In just that one second, an entire lifetime of dreams, hopes and triumphs also came crashing down. Now, just three months removed from that fateful day, she endures fear, anxiety, physical pain and determination on a daily basis as she struggles to come to grips with the hand the fates dealt her. “My sister and my mom were standing near the door,” Stouffer said. “I had just put the door up and had asked them to not let anyone walk behind it. The door had never fallen before but I wanted them to make sure no one walked behind it. I had stopped for just a moment and was standing close to the end of the door when it fell on me. Because of where I was standing the door first hit the back of my legs and then I hit the ground face down. I feel very lucky that I didn’t feel a lot of pain during the accident. “My sister started to scream for someone to help her. She was standing right by the door and was screaming for someone to get the door off of me and to help me.” Stoffer was physically crushed between the pavement and the back door of her transporter. An excruciating amount of weight fell on her small 5 foot 6 inch frame, but Stoffer never lost consciousness through the ordeal. Later, she and her family would discover the shocking news. Not only was her life in serious jeopardy but she also sustained serious injuries, including numerous broken bones in her face, left hand and pelvis. “Once I was at the hospital, I wasn’t aware of how serious my injuries were. They took me into surgery that evening to repair the internal bleeding that could have cost me my life. I just knew I needed to be patched up and I was ready to get it done.” Stoffer ultimately would endure more surgeries and months of pain before even considering a return to the track. Injuries similar to hers might threaten the career of any professional athlete, but she was determined to hit the quarter-mile once again. “The accident took place on October 23,” Stouffer said. “That evening I had surgery to stop the internal bleeding. On October 24 I had surgery to repair my broken pelvis - they put a chain-type plate in the front and a screw in the back. I didn’t have my nose surgery until after I was home for a couple of weeks. The surgery was not external, it was internal only. That is why we were able to wait a few weeks.” Stouffer made light of the situation by adding, “I didn’t get a new nose. I didn’t get a Nicole Kidman or an Angelina Jolie-type nose.” With her health stabilized and the surgeries done, Stoffer began to face the possibility of returning to drag racing competition. The off-season is coming to an end and most teams are ready to begin testing. Will Stoffer be one of the many riders preparing for 2006 or will she find herself physically unable? “Through the whole accident, the possibility of me not being able to race again never entered my mind,” Stoffer said. “In a way, it helped me stay positive through my recovery. The accident really put a lot into prospective for me. The strength of the whole racing family, including fans, race tracks, and other competitors, was so inspirational. The thoughts and prayers, comments and visits we got from everybody really put an exclamation point on what is important in life and the people you need. We are all competitors on the race track, and from the starting line to the finish line, you want to win the race. You are trying your hardest to win the race and beat the other racer. But off the track we’re all a tight family. And again that is extended to all the fans, too.” Stoffer is now feeling better every day and is concentrating on the long-term recovery process. At present she has her eyes set on the first Pro Stock Bike race of the season, which will be in Gainesville in March. “I am basically doing a lot of strength training. I never really had any therapy. They had me up and walking within two days of the surgery. My therapy, if you call it that, is to just walk as much as I can right now – just keep walking and walking. I am doing some strength building on my upper body. Probably after the middle of January when I go to the doctor he will allow me do more on the treadmill and more cardio stuff.” Stoffer rode her Geico-sponsored Suzuki to a win in Houston in 2005 on her way to a second consecutive top-ten finish in Pro Stock Bike points. Although Stoffer suffered multiple broken bones in her all-important left hand, she did not have to undergo any surgery to repair them. “I’m working with a squeeze ball. The strength is there, I’m just trying to get the flexibility back and maintain the flexibility that I had before. So, I’m working with a little squeeze ball and moving it all day long. I also have some special exercises that you can do with your fingers for strength and certain tendons within the actual finger. The doctor has taught me to do those and I’m constantly exercising that. Actually, while I was snowmobiling recently I was able to grip the handle bar wonderfully, so I’m happy with that. We will have our first test session on February 19th. The doctor asked me when I was planning on testing; he wants to see me about a week before. He will take the last set of X-rays and make sure everything is aligned they way he thinks it should be.” After months of living through painful recovery, all eyes in drag racing will be watching Stoffer piloting her Geico-sponsored Suzuki. “I think the expectations are the same now as they are any year. I really believe my accident didn’t put us behind at all. We want to get as many laps under our belt to help with the tuning; we want to try and get the learning curve on the tuning figured out. But also, just like every year, we are just anxious to get back on the bike and make some passes down the race track. That will be my therapy. Just getting on the bike and going out and having some fun. That’s really what it’s about. So, we just want to learn as much as we can, try and test a lot and try to start out just as we have any other year. We want to start out doing good, going straight and going rounds.” Despite being literally crushed and sustaining life-threatening injuries, Stoffer is determined not to let her accident get in the way of her dreams. Racing for the better part of her adult life, she has depended on the sport she loves to help pull her though one of the most difficult times in her life. “I never expected a mechanical part to break on the door. Looking back at it, I feel for some reason I was the strong person and I could handle it. I shudder to think, what if this were to happen during the race when there are thousands of fans in the pit area. At least I was able to recover from my injuries. It could have been worse, I could have been dead or paralyzed or anything. I think what would have happened if it had happened to a little kid or an older person. It was a freak thing, I just don’t know if you ever really recover from that aspect. “I got a lot of e-mails from other teams who are changing their procedure with the back door, as we will too. There will be cones out at all time if the door is any position to fall or whatever, so people don’t walk behind it. But many race teams who are developing new procedures. I hope this can save somebody in the future.” Karen had one final thought on her recovery, what helped her and what will enable her to race again. “Never give up. There is always hope and inspiration out there. For me personally, all I really had to do is sit back and look at the world and other people’s lives. My issues and problems might not be as bad as those of someone else. That, coupled with the encouragement from all of my family and my friends and other teams, really propelled me and made me strong and inspired and helped me to recover.”