Teenager healing after crash

By Rolf Boone | The Olympian • Published July 06, 2008

SEATTLE – The father of an Olympia teen who was injured in a racing-car crash Friday night said he hopes his son can be released from Harborview Medical Center today.

Tyler Knittle, 15, of Olympia was flown by helicopter to the hospital in Seattle after he was injured at South Sound Speedway near Rochester.

Tyler's father, David, said Saturday from the hospital that his son has six cracked vertebrae in his back, a mild concussion and a separated shoulder.

"It sounds like he's going to be OK," David Knittle said, adding that he's hopeful Tyler can be released today.

Tyler also can move his arms and legs but can't get out of bed, his father said.

Tyler has been racing minicup cars for about three years, a racing class that is open to ages 8 to 16, South Sound Speedway owner Butch Behn said.

A minicup car is a small vehicle that typically has a 390cc single-cylinder Honda engine, Behn said. It's about the size of a go-cart but has a full body, he said.

The six-car, 15-lap race had just begun when Tyler's car, moving from third to second place, crashed into another car, and both hit the wall, David Knittle said.

Tyler was "strapped in tight" and was wearing a neck brace and a helmet, but the force of the crash still knocked him unconscious for about five minutes, his father said.

"Not seeing him move in that car was pretty rough," he said.

Behn said the other driver suffered an injured ankle, but the name of the driver and the extent of the injuries were not immediately known.

Racing resumed at the speedway after about an hour delay and ended at 10:30 p.m., Behn said.

David Knittle, who also races at South Sound Speedway, said his son still wants to race. One of the first things Tyler said after arriving at the hospital was, "How bad is the car?" his father said.

Rolf Boone is a reporter for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5403 or rboone@theolympian.com.