Crawford continuing to make strides

Thirteen months ago, Johnny Crawford was in a 22-day coma at Bangor’s Eastern Maine Medical Center.

On April 30, 2006, Mark Dodge’s racecar was involved in an accident at Unity Raceway and wound up being launched over the dirt banking and landed on top of Crawford, who was shooting film for his weekly Mainely Motorsports television show. Crawford suffered multiple injuries, primarily to his head and face, and had to be airlifted to Bangor’s Eastern Maine Medical Center.

The Newport native said he feels “pretty good” but still has a “little slur” in his speech as a result of damage to his tongue suffered in the accident. And doctors have told him his traumatic brain injury takes a year and a half to two years before it is completely healed.

But he hasn’t missed a beat.

The energetic Crawford continues traveling across the state shooting video for his weekly one-hour Mainely Motorsports television show.

Crawford, who still doesn’t remember the accident, co-hosts the show with Travis Steward.

“I’m very, very lucky,” said the 39-year-old Crawford, who has resumed lifting weights.

The Mainely Motorsports show covers virtually any kind of racing (stock cars, motorcycles, lawn mowers, boats, bicycles, snowmobiles, etc.). They include motocross (motorcycle racing on dirt tracks) and drag racing in the sand. He also covers car shows and other types of vehicle shows.

Crawford and Steward tape a show a week from April through November. Then they tape one show every two weeks but air it both weeks. Tim Frechette does a contributing report and Jim Walker produces it.

Crawford said the show has been well received and they have been able to attract a healthy group of sponsors, although he notes there is always room for more.

“I don’t charge [sponsors] a lot. By charging less, your sponsors will stay with you,” explained Crawford, who added that the show itself is “stronger [more popular] than it was before my accident. It really is.”

They also have a Web site, Mainelymotorsportstv.com, that will offer merchandise for sale for the first time ever.

“People love the Mainely Motorsports logo,” said Crawford, who teamed up with Jeff McCaslin to produce the logo.

Crawford leased Unity Raceway for three years (2002-04) and had a half-hour TV show involving action at Unity Raceway.

When he stopped leasing from track owner Ralph Nason, he developed the Mainely Motorsports show.

Crawford is excited about upcoming segments for the show that will feature an in-car camera. Turner’s Shawn Martin, a Late Model racer at Oxford Plains Speedway, will have the camera in his car.

The Mainely Motorsports show airs on Wednesday and Friday nights from 8-9 and on Saturdays from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on TimeWarner cable access (Channel 9, Augusta; Ch. 12, Bangor). They also air from Pittsfield south on satellite from 8-9 a.m. Saturday.

Bangor team rally racing in Pa.

Last Ditch Racing, a Bangor-area performance rally team featuring driver-owner John Cassidy and co-driver Dave Getchell, will compete in the Finger Lakes and Sherwood Regional rallies on Saturday and Sunday in Pennsylvania.

The rallies comprise the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally, which is round five in the 2007 Rally America Championship.

Drivers cover a total of 310 miles, including 125 competitive miles in 10 stages.

It takes approximately 14 hours to complete.

Busy weekend for state’s tracks

There is plenty of racing at the state’s five stock car tracks this weekend, weather permitting.

There will be a doubleheader at Oxford Plains Speedway with a 100-lap Mini-Stock race highlighting Saturday night’s card beginning at 6:30 and a pair of 100-lap enduro races (four-cylinder and full-size) on Sunday afternoon starting at 1.

Unity will have a full card tonight at 7:30, Scarborough’s Beech Ridge Motor Speedway will have a 100-lap Pro Stock feature headlining its card on Saturday night at 6:30, Wiscasset Raceway will have a 100-lap Super Street race on Saturday beginning at 6 with the winner pocketing $1,200, and Hermon’s Speedway 95 has a full card on Sunday afternoon at 2 with the Sport Fours having a 35-lapper.