Johnson Stable In Hospital After Gold Cup Crash

Chase Johnson remains hospitalized after a crash in the Gold Cup Race of Champions finale. (Photo Courtesy Chase Johnson Racing)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Longtime sprint car and midget competitor Chase Johnson is stable at UC Davis Medical Center after being hospitalized from a violent crash during Saturday’s 70th Gold Cup Race of Champions.

The Kubota High Limit Racing-sanctioned sprint car event, held at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., was 13 laps into its 40-lap, $100,070-to-win feature when Johnson’s No. 24 car endured a wild ride in turn two, going airborne before coming down hard on all four wheels.

He was reported as “awake and alert” via the FloRacing broadcast Saturday night while safety crews tended to Johnson during a near half-hour red flag period.

Johnson was later transported via helicopter to the hospital for further treatment, according to an update from his grandfather early Sunday. The Northern Auto Racing Club, sanctioning body for the King of the West Sprint Car Series, later confirmed that Johnson had been taken to UC Davis.

His family provided additional details Monday afternoon through Johnson’s racing page on Facebook, revealing that the 29-year-old Penngrove, Calif., native underwent a nine-hour surgery Sunday to repair multiple spinal injuries involving his C4, C5, C6, T10, and T11 vertebrae.

The more-detailed update came just after at 1 p.m. ET.

“Chase is stable and recovering in the ICU with a breathing tube,” the statement on the Chase Johnson Racing Facebook page read. “He had a nine-hour surgery to repair fractures in his C4, C5, and C6 vertebrae. [Doctors] removed pieces of bone that broke off, repaired the damaged areas with a spinal fusion, and stabilized his neck using plates and screws. He still has T10 and T11 fractures.

“We are hopeful that his breathing tube will be removed today, which will allow him to talk with us,” the statement continued. “We are so thankful for all of the support, prayers, and [well] wishes, and we will do our best to update on behalf on Chase’s wishes.”

Johnson started 10th in the Gold Cup finale and was running seventh on a lap-14 restart when his crash occurred. He was ultimately scored last in the 24-car field.

Many of Johnson’s career accolades have come in his home state of California, where he’s a four-time USAC-CRA Sprint Car Series race winner in non-winged action and three-time NARC King of the West Sprint Car Series winner in a winged 410 sprint car.

Johnson also boasts seven victories in just nine USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series appearances, as well as four USAC Western States Midget Series wins in midget cars.

Perhaps his most well-known moments, however, have come in Tulsa, Okla., during the annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. Johnson is a four-time Chili Bowl main event starter, with his most successful appearance coming in 2018, when he finished third on his prelim night to lock into the grand finale.

Johnson started ninth that Saturday night for the 55-lap race and finished eighth, his best result to date. He started and finished 13th in this year’s Chili Bowl feature in January, driving a car owned by Kyle Beilman.

The thoughts and prayers of the entire staff of Race Face Brand Development and Race Face Digital are with Johnson for a full recovery, as well as his wife Hayley, family, and friends.

Race Face Digital will provide further updates on Johnson as they become available.