CRC founder Frank Calandra recovering from broken neck suffered in motocross crash

0 July 21, 2016, 12:26 p.m.

By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

On Saturday, July 10 at Mid-Ohio Motocross Park - located at the famed Sports Car Course - world champion 1/12-scale chassis designer and Calandra Racing Concepts founder Frank Calandra won the Over-50 national championship at the annual AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days festival and racing event.

On Sunday, July 11, Calandra crashed over a small double jump while battling for the lead in the Post-Vintage class and landed on his head.

Despite wearing a helmet and neck brace, the impact fractured his C1 vertebra. Fortunately, on-site medical staff saw the crash and reacted quickly, stabilizing him until a helicopter could take him to Grant Medical Center in Columbus. Miraculously, Calandra avoided severing his spinal cord - giving him a chance at a full recovery. He was back on his feet and standing with assistance just two days later.

After spending a week in the hospital, Calandra was released from the hospital on Sunday - fitted with a neck brace he’ll wear for at least twelve weeks. He and his wife, Nancy, began the drive back to their home in Rome, NY.

Calandra Racing Concepts scored its first IFMAR World Championship in 2014 as Marc Rheinard drove the CRC Xti-WC to the win in Orlando, FL.