Youth To Serve as Honorary Team Athlete of Violation1.com/Shea Racing
March 30, 2011 10:10am
Dillon Terry, who suffered a closed head injury at an amateur
motocross race in Texas, to be honorary team athlete of
Violation1.com/Shea Racing/Travisa/National Switchgear
during Monster Energy AMA Supercross this Saturday
The 14 year-old suffered the closed head injury in June 2010
from a crash at a Ponca City qualifier in Texas
motocross race in Texas, to be honorary team athlete of
Violation1.com/Shea Racing/Travisa/National Switchgear
during Monster Energy AMA Supercross this Saturday
The 14 year-old suffered the closed head injury in June 2010
from a crash at a Ponca City qualifier in Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas – Last year during the annual cancer benefit event at River Valley Motocross in Boyd, Texas, the Shea Racing team was introduced to Dillon Terry who had suffered a closed head injury during an amateur motocross race. Team Violation1.com/Shea Racing/Travisa/National Switchgear, powered by Munn Racing KTM, will make Dillon an honorary team athlete at this Saturday’s round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM Championship, at Cowboys Stadium.
It has been Dillon’s dream since he was three years-old to be a pro motocross racer. He got his first motorcycle at age five and entered his first race at age nine. Dillon was winning local races in the 85cc class. He won the 2008 Kidz Adrenaline Series 85cc Open Class. Dillon started to break out into AMA regional races and hoped to qualify for the AMA Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Nationals. However, at this time he had setbacks with injuries including a broken wrist, broken legs and then a broken collarbone.
Dillon was determined to get back in form and on the track, aspiring to be even faster to meet his ultimate dream of becoming a pro motocross racer. Falling short of making the 2009 Loretta Lynn’s nationals, he was ready to take another shot at qualifying in 2010. Dillon was at the qualifying round at Oakhill Raceway in Texas for the Ponca City Nationals where was riding faster than in past years thanks to support from Stadium Yamaha of Irving and their local pro rider Tommy Miller. He was second overall in the 85/150 Open class and had 7th and 13th place finishes in two other classes. The next day, Dillon was determined to do even better. During a moto later in the day, he got cross-rutted on the finish line jump, his fork compressed and he was thrown 15-feet into the air with his head hitting the jump and immediately knocking him unconscious.
When Dillon regained consciousness on the track during the crash on June 27, 2010, he didn’t know who he was, where he was at and that the man speaking to him was his dad. He was airlifted to the hospital and it took several days before he recognized who he even was. Upon returning home from the hospital, Dillon didn’t recognize anything there either.
Fourteen year-old Dillon is now on the road to recovery after learning again to walk, eat, write and put on clothes.
Dillon’s mom, Diana Terry, shared more about her son, “Dillon’s prognosis is good. His brain should heal in 1-2 years, leaving small scars where the tears from the crash are. The doctors and therapists are not sure what residual affects he will have at that time. Each person’s brain is different therefore it is hard to determine the outcome. We are hopeful Dillon will regain his memory from before the time of the accident. We do know if he sustains another head injury there will be permanent damage or immediate death. He may seem and appear ‘ok,’ but he isn’t independent in his care needs. He can’t prepare his food, other than cereal, wash clothes or plan and carry out daily tasks.”
Diana Terry continues, “Dillon says he will ride again! He knows he should never race again, play football or any other contact sport, but he won’t let this injury stop the love and passion he has for motocross. It is still his dream.”
Team Violation1.com/Shea Racing/Travisa/National Switchgear is providing Dillon and his parents all-access passes to this weekend’s AMA Supercross round at Cowboys Stadium, team pit clothing, opportunity to participate in the track walk, and hang out at the team’s hospitality area.
“I was immediately impressed by Dillon’s perseverance when I first met him,” said Adam Tappe, team facilitator. “To go through what he and his family has experienced in the past eight months is both heart-wrenching and inspirational. We honor Dillon and his family this weekend. We also want to shine more light on closed head injuries – that people can live very productive and active lives, highlighted by our charity partner the James Marshall Project.”
Team Manager Tim Shea added, “We are honored to have Dillon as part of our team this weekend. We encourage the fans and the industry to stop by our team pit to meet and talk with Dillon and his family this Saturday at Cowboys Stadium.”
Team Violation1.com/Shea Racing/Travisa/National Switchgear, powered by Munn Racing KTM, heads to round 12 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross this Saturday, April 2 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This will be round five of eight of the AMA Supercross Lites East Region. Fans come out to see athletes Ricky Renner #94 and Vernon McKiddie #129 in their FLY Racing Evolution gear and Violation Goggles on DeCal Works-emblazoned KTM 250 SX-F race bikes. During the pit party stop by the team’s purple and yellow semi hauler to meet honorary team athlete Dillon Terry, the riders and the Violation Goggles girls. The Supercross class will be broadcast on CBS at 12 noon EST on Sunday, April 3. Supercross Lites will be on SPEED at 6 p.m. EST on Sunday, April 3. Keep posted to the team at www.sheamoto.com.