The Precision Performance Motorsports Driver Returns This Week after Fracturing Three Vertebrae at Road America September 12, 2023By Mark RobinsonIMSA Wire Service Entry List (Click Here) DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – He’s shown that he’s mighty fast on the racetrack, but John Dubets has proven to be a fast healer off the track as well.Just six weeks after sustaining compression vertebrae fractures in a crash at Road America, Dubets will be back behind the wheel again this weekend for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America doubleheader at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 34-year-old American says he’s feeling better than ever and is ready to resume a bid for the ProAm class championship with co-driver Tom Capizzi in the No. 46 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2.They know it’ll be an uphill climb. Dubets and Capizzi trail class leader Keawn Tandon by 37 points with only four races remaining, but the ever-positive Dubets – or “JCD,” as most know him – isn’t giving up.“I know our camp’s going to put in a lot of time to try to maximize the results here in in the final rounds,” he said.Dubets was diagnosed with compression fractures in the thoracic spine (T12) and lumbar spine (L1 and L2) from the incident Aug. 5 during the first race of the Road America doubleheader, when contact with another car while battling through Canada Corner sent his car careening into a concrete barrier. Dubets said it wasn’t the head-on crash that caused his injuries, but rather the force of the car landing back on the ground after it lifted from the initial impact. The safety equipment within the car helped him avoid any internal organ damage or a concussion. Working diligently with specialists and physical therapists – and with extra time on hand since he wasn’t racing or driver coaching – Dubets has made a speedy recovery. While he isn’t listed on the pre-event entry list for Indianapolis, he’s expected to be in the car along with Capizzi when practice begins Friday.“We’re feeling like I’m healthy and, like I said, I’m actually stronger than I was before the injury,” Dubets said, “so interested to see how my performance will be. I’m feeling very confident and I think my competitive drive helped me to get through the injury.”Dubets also believes his past experience racing in several series at Indy will be of benefit in the Lamborghini. He nearly won the Street Tuner class in the 2012 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at IMS until late contact with a teammate’s car in the wet knocked him out of contention. He believes that racing karma could finally shine his way this weekend.“I’m hoping that something good is coming our way,” he said.Forty-two cars are entered this week across the four Super Trofeo classes. The series’ previous record of 38 competing at one event is in jeopardy of falling at IMS.Several class championships may be decided this week, since anyone who leaves the weekend up by 33 points or more will clinch heading to the final round at Vallelunga, Italy, in November. Besides Tandon (No. 42 NTE Sport, Lamborghini Broward Huracán with co-driver Luke Berkeley) in ProAm, other class leaders are: Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal (No. 1 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán), who lead by 44 points in Pro; Anthony McIntosh and Glenn McGee (No. 69 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán), who are up 16 in Am; and Mark Wilgus (No. 50 Forte Racing Powered by US RaceTronics, Lamborghini Beverly Hills Huracán), who leads by 39 in LB Cup.The Super Trofeo weekend schedule begins with two practices on Friday, ahead of qualifying at 8 a.m. ET Saturday. Race 1 starts at 11:50 a.m. Saturday and Race 2 at 10:40 a.m. Sunday. Both races stream live on Peacock and IMSA.com. |
