Another Friend Needs Prayers!

[MikeBjerum]

I just received an e-mail that a fellow shooter from Sioux Falls, SD is in the hospital.  It was not shooting, hunting, reloading or cleaning his guns that got him.  It was not being fat and out of shape, drinking or smoking (Leo takes pretty good care of himself).

Leo is hospitalized in Murray, Utah following and accident in a run on the Bonneville Salt Flats.  I'm not exactly sure what he runs, but I know that he takes it serious, and the e-mail said he was in a "land speed record run" at the time of the accident.

Sioux Falls Practical Shooters is raising cash to help with expenses and has donated the registration fees from last weeks three gun match toward this.

We would appreciate it if everyone would remember Leo as we wait to see the extent of his injuries and what is yet to come for him.

I will try to relay info as it comes.

[SwoopSJ]

I'll keep Leo in mind during my prayers.  God bless.

Swoop

[Teresa Heilevang]

I hope he get thorough it and can run whatever he runs again. Things can just happen in a blink of an eye. I get less daring as I get older. Takes too long to heal up.
We will send him prayers of healing.

[MikeBjerum]

Leo was riding a nitro burning V-Twin.

Sounds like a broken ankle, and numerous other non-life threatening injuries.  Initial reports were that he would be hospitalized for three weeks to a month.

Typical of this type of thing, it happened sometime around the 26th of September, but they forgot to let the club know.  We were to get an update at Sunday's match on how he was running only to find out Monday that he'd crashed ... over a week earlier.

Racing was ended on Sunday (Oct. 5) due to heavy rains and deep water on the flats. 

Looks like this will be a prime example of no news is good news, and we will wait for him to come home with stories ... which outta be pretty good after a few weeks to expand from a hospital bed.

[2HOW]

I believe it was a show on tv ,he was riding a red v twin with a nitrous boost at 150 he hit the nitrous and the bike went squirrelly and dumped him, it was on Sunday, if thats him about 45-50 thin with curly red hair?

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

I believe it was a show on tv ,he was riding a red v twin with a nitrous boost at 150 he hit the nitrous and the bike went squirrelly and dumped him, it was on Sunday, if thats him about 45-50 thin with curly red hair?

Description sounds like him except hair - I hardly see him without a hat, but don't think it's red.  Full name is Leo Hess and he operates Blast Engineering in Sioux Falls.

Found this forum this morning that talks about the accident.  Note last line of second post ...

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/texasscooter/vpost?id=2998351&trail=

Here is his business web site:

http://www.fullblastengineering.com/



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Registered: 09/28/06
Posts: 307

   
Old post 09/26/08 at 06:28 PM    Reply #1
..Word is that Leo Hess past winner of the Temple Party Drags crashed his Tom Rudd tuned Kyuriakin sponsored streamliner yesterday while attempting a new Motorcycle Land Speed Record on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
...From what I can gleen from the internet, the friend of lots of Texas Harley Racers and a sponsor on the back of this years Memorial Temple T-Shirt was conscious when pulled from the wreckage but apparently had some pretty badly broken bones in his legs. One of the two places I found with information stated that he was in pretty bad shape but neither site expressed that he was in danger of death.
....His business address for cards and get better wishes is -
Full Blast Engineering,3202 S. Walts, Sioux Falls SD, 57105
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[Offline] TripleR

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Registered: 09/28/06
Posts: 307

   
Old post 10/02/08 at 10:30 AM    Reply #2
Poo - I finally got through to Leo Hess' shop in Sioux Falls South Dakota and the folks there gave me a rundown on Leo's condition. Pretty bad - but not life threatening... He broke both ankles, got a rod in one femur, a shin shield in the other leg and they're still gonna operate on his knees. He's supposedly in good spirits (with all the stuff they've probably got him pumped up on - I imagine he probably is)
...He's in a hospital in Salt Lake City Utah and the address and more updates are on his shop's web site now fullblastengineering.com

..The guy I talked to said that he was most upset about breaking his trigger finger - so I guess he really is gonna be alright.. A card or two from other racers would probably help too..

[PegLeg45]

I'll send up a prayer for his speedy recovery.

[MikeBjerum]

It's a dreary rainy day, and can't do any outside work.  That means lots of desk time, and I ready for distractions ...




Pilot: Leo Hess
•    Leo Hess owns and runs Full Blast Engineering where the streamliner was built and is run out of.
•    Leo currently holds 10 World Land Speed Racing Records.
•    Leo was the first and only Harley rider to be a member of 4 different 200 mile per hour clubs.
•    Leo is the only Harley rider to run over 200 MPH at El Mirage, Murac, and the Maxon Mile
•    Leo has helped other racers and has been instrumental in other teams LSR records.
•    Leo has had a successful Top Fuel Harley drag bike run with the first 180 MPH on a single engine Harley and 4 records set with many races won.

[twyacht]

Prayers and speedy recovery to Leo, it takes a lot to put that much horsepower on a bobsled over 200 mph, and I hope he recovers soon.

Tom W.

[MikeBjerum]

Latest word is that the "last" surgery on the 10th was followed up by another on the 17th.  However, it looks like Leo may be moving to a rehab center in Salt Lake City this week.

Distance still makes it a job of trying to get word from whoever got word last, so know we're missing a lot but know this is tough for him