Injury puts McFarland out at least two weeks

By Bob Pockrass

Thursday, June 29, 2006

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - JR Motorsports driver Mark McFarland says he will miss at least two weeks with a dislocated right shoulder suffered in an accident last Saturday in the AT&T 250 Busch Series race at the Milwaukee Mile.

McFarland said Thursday that he went to the emergency room the morning after the race, but that X-rays didn't disclose any problems, and it was thought he had just pulled a muscle. But a magnetic resonance imaging test on Tuesday showed his shoulder had popped out.

"My shoulder came out of socket and tore some muscles and went back in socket," McFarland said as he stood by his car in street clothes just prior to practice at Daytona International Speedway. "The only thing that's really [bad] is my muscle back in the back [of my shoulder]. We're just waiting for that to heal."

McFarland has limited use in lifting his right arm. Standing up, he cannot lift his arm to his head.

"It's more maneuverability," McFarland said. "I can't raise my arm [fully]. It kind of restricts me. If I do get in a little trouble with something, I can't [for sure] get out of it.

"Then again, if I do move it real quick and pull it out of socket again, it could cause more damage. We'd like for it to heal for two weeks."

The injury occurred when McFarland got caught up in an accident where he was sliding on the track and then hit by the car of Jon Wood.

"I had such a tight grip on the wheel because I thought I was going to hit the inside wall," McFarland said. "He hit me before I got to the inside wall, and it turned the wheel and jammed my arm back."

Martin Truex Jr. will replace McFarland in the No. 88 car for the race Friday night at Daytona, and McFarland said he hopes Truex can fill in at Chicagoland next week as well.

"Maybe we can learn something to get our mile-and-a-half program a little better," McFarland said.

Truex is a two-time Busch Series champion and has won the last three restrictor-plate Busch races he has entered. The race could be interesting with Truex's Nextel Cup teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr - the car owner of the No. 88 car - also competing in the event.

"I finished seventh in this car at Talladega with me driving it, so he should be able to win," McFarland said.