Official PR: DeCotis to GEICO Honda

January 10, 2011, 3:40pm

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After a scary crash Saturday at Anaheim Stadium during the opening round of the 2011 AMA Supercross season, GEICO Honda Supercross Lites West rider Wil Hahn has been released from the hospital and is back on the mend.

Hahn, in his first year with GEICO Honda, flipped over the handle bars during the first practice session at Anaheim 1 and landed squarely on his back. Scans and X-rays revealed Hahn had suffered a compression fracture of his T-5 vertebra.

"I'm definitely sore, but it could have been a lot worse," Hahn said. "The pain isn't that bad, so I'm not complaining."

Hahn was rushed to the hospital by the team and said he was thankful for everything his new teammates did for him.

"They drove the Mule to the hospital," Hahn said. "That's pretty daring. I can say enough about the support I've got from Ziggy and Jeff (team co-owners Rick Zielfelder and Jeff Majkrzak) and the rest of the team. I feel so thankful they were around me like that and were full of positive things to say."

Hahn said his prognosis is good and that doctors say after a couple of months of recovery time, he should be able to resume his training routine.

"I do anything to be out there riding right now," Hahn said. "Your back is something pretty serious to be missing with, so the priority now is getting better. I'm thankful it's not as bad is it could be, and I know I've got plenty more time to ride."

Jimmy DeCotis, a 19-year-old from Peabody, Mass., who is sponsored by Zielfelder's Factory Connection Suspension company, will join the team as a temporary replacement rider for Hahn. DeCotis already has flown to the team's shop in southern California to get fitted for a bike and ride some test laps in preparation for this weekend's race at Chase Field in Phoenix.