Danny Knoll Jr. Remains Hospitalized After NAPA Spring Sizzler Qualifier Crash At Stafford Sunday

Veteran modified racer Danny Knoll Jr. remained hospitalized Monday following a hard crash during the last chance qualifiers heat for the NAPA Spring Sizzler 100 Sunday at Stafford Speedway. 

Knoll was involved in a multi-car wreck coming off of turn four with eight laps remaining in the last chance qualifier heat. 

Knoll, of Amherst, N.Y., remained at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford on Monday for treatment after sustaining a coccyx fracture (broken tailbone) in the crash. The 61-year old Knoll is a longtime veteran of both Tour Type Moified racing and full-bodied divisions.

With eight laps remaining in the last chance qualifiers heat, Knoll was in a group at the rear of the pack running tightly through turn four.

As Knoll was coming off of turn four, Jeffrey Battle spun to the inside of the track in front of Knoll. As Knoll went under Battle, Battle’s spinning car drove into the side of Knoll’s car, hooking Knoll’s car nearly head-on into the frontstretch wall. 

Knoll’s car rode the frontstrech wall past the start/finish line before spinning to the infield grass and coming to a halt. 

Safety crews at the track removed the roof of Knoll’s car and used a backboard to remove him from the car.