PWC: Medical emergency sidelines Bushey, SFR team

For SFR Enterprises, the Sonoma Grand Prix marked the final race for its third season campaigning in the Pirelli World Challenge Championships. While the team was already considering not attending the final 2014 race at Miller Motorsports Park due to engine issues at both Mid-Ohio and Sonoma, emergency surgery last week for owner/driver Ric Bushéy sealed the decision.

Less than 36 hours after exiting the No. 51 Nissan Motorsports/Motul 370Z NISMO a few laps into the final race of the Sonoma Grand Prix, Bushéy went to the emergency room thinking he had a hernia. Tests revealed it was an aneurysm in the left femoral artery with a large blood clot and 90% blockage. He was immediately hospitalized and surgery was performed two days later to repair it. The surgeon declared the cause to be a result of substantial and repeat trauma, evidenced by a tear and dissection on the interior of the artery. Bushéy and the doctor traced the original injury to a crash at the 2013 Long Beach race which went undiagnosed at the time, with repeated racing incidents exacerbating the problem.

"I'm glad we caught it when and how we did, without a more serious health situation coming to fruition. While Ric is not happy about missing the final race, he's grateful for the chance to recover during the off-season and enjoy plenty of time to heal and train for 2015," said Danya Bushéy, SFR Marketing Director.

Bushéy finishes the season with six top-10 finishes, a Sunoco Hard Charger award and an Optima
Batteries Best Standing Start award. The team will regroup and prepare this winter for the 2015 Pirelli World
Challenge season.