Nic Long Out Of Hospital and
“Hoping to Be Back For The Grands”

Nic Long’s crash in the third round of the AA Pro Main on Day One of the 2009 ABA Disney Cup was a shock to fans hoping to see Nic go on to mix it up in Saturday and Sunday’s races, to be sure. But to those who know him best, it surely spelled the end to his rookie year as a pro (maybe, maybe not, as it turns out). One thing that left no doubt for people who have seen the video of the wreck on GO211.com, safety gear is something on which you should NEVER skimp. Nic had the best, and he is convinced it saved him much pain and suffering.

In a special phone call episode of our Announcers Tower Podcast, BMXNEWS.COM editor Mike Carruth chatted with Nic moments after he was released from his three day stay in the hospital to treat a broken collarbone, collapsed lung and broken ribs suffered in the crash. Nic was calling in from a cell phone on his way to get some *real* food after three days of hospital chow…so we did not want to take up too much of his time. Please click below to listen:

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Above: Nic Long at the 2009 ABA Disney Cup before the chain-reaction crash. The carnage started when Sam Willoughby came unclipped in the second straight, causing his unclipped right foot to come up and over to the left side of the bike, brushing Nic’s front wheel or handlebars…and ultimately also taking out Tyler Brown who was out the balance of the weekend with a wrist injury.