Actor Jason Priestley Seriously Injured in Speedway Crash

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What a bummer...


From cnn.com:

SPARTA, Ky. (AP) -- Actor Jason Priestley was seriously injured Sunday when his car crashed head-on into the wall in the final practice for an Infiniti Pro Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

The former "Beverly Hills 90210" television star was in serious condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington but was stable and responding, Indy Racing League medical director Henry Bock said.

The extent of his injuries was not immediately available. Bock said Priestley was undergoing tests at the hospital, where he had been taken by helicopter from the track.

"He got sideways and he corrected and then shot off the track," said former Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, whose son, Arie Jr., also competes in the Infiniti series. Luyendyk witnessed the crash from the roof of the press box.

"He turned right into the wall, and his first impact was basically head-on," Luyendyk said. "What I'm thinking is, that's really the one big hit that he took that might have hurt him."

Priestley's best finish in three starts in the IRL developmental series was second at Kansas Speedway. He qualified second on Saturday behind series leader A.J. Foyt IV.

The 32-year-old Priestley has been racing on and off since 1991. He first raced in the California Rally Series in 1991 and the SCCA Pro Rally Series in 1992-95. He drove in the IMSA Firehawk Series and Magna Enduro Series in 1995-99, with his first victory coming at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in 1998. In 1998-99, he also drove in the Sportscar GTS1 Series.

Last year, Priestley completed an alcohol counseling program he was ordered to attend when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge stemming from a December 1999 car crash in the Hollywood Hills. The accident totaled Priestley's Porsche and broke one of his best friend's arms.

Also last season, he was a broadcast analyst for the entire IRL series, and this year joined the Kelley Racing team for the new Infiniti Pro Series, a developmental circuit with open-wheel cars that are similar but smaller and less powerful than the IRL cars.

Priestley also crashed a powerboat during a race in Miami in April. A crew member cracked several ribs in the accident, but Priestley was not injured. In 1995, he crashed into a ditch during the Michelin SCCA Pro Rally in Olympia, Wash., but recovered to finish the race.

The native of British Columbia qualified Saturday at 179.064 mph on the 1.5-mile track and had a top speed of 178.122 among his eight laps of practice before the crash Sunday morning.

Priestley and fellow heartthrob Luke Perry made "Beverly Hills 90210," about a group of young people growing up in Southern California, a hit for the Fox network.

Priestley was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and later produced and directed a number of documentaries, television dramas, cable network specials and music videos.

In addition to his television work, Priestley's film credits include "Eye of the Beholder," "Calendar Girl" and "Love and Death on Long Island."