Priestley hurt in practice crash

Jason Priestley has been taken to hospital after crashing heavily in practice for the Kentucky round of the Infiniti Pro Series. Priestley has fractures to both feet, a closed head injury and a fracture of the thoracic spine

Aug 11, 2002, 4:32 PM

The former Beverly Hills 90210 star is thought to have skidded on oil before hitting first the outside and then the inside wall of the oval. Eye-witness reports say that his first impact with the wall was head-on.

Dr. Henry Bock, the IRL's director of medical services, said Priestley was stable and responding after the smash. He was taken to hospital in Lexington, 75 miles away.

Dr Bock said: "I would not consider the injuries life-threatening, but you can't see inside the head and little bleeds in that can become big bleeds after a while. That is why he will be monitored in the Intensive Care Unit throughout the night."

The 32-year-old has been working on building a career in motorsport for over 10 years. This is his first season in single-seaters, having tried his hand at rallying and sportscar racing in the past.