Don Ermshar Injured @ SDBA race in Texas

Our buddy Don Ermshar was injured while driving his "Lucas Oil" TAF (Top Alcohol Flat) at a SDBA race in Texas. Our Thoughts & Prayers go out to him, his wife Phyllis and the entire team. We hope you have a speedy recovery.

Mark Woz and everyone on our team & at the shop

For more info:
http://dragboatalley.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/2/485.html

http://www.lucasoil.com/articles1-3826/DONERMSHARINSERIOUSCONDITIONFOLLOWINGSPECTACULARBOATWRECK

 

Don is one of the"good guys" get well!

DHM

 

We had the pleasure of meeting Don in 2007 at Fontana when we did a match race at a Lucas Oil Jr Dragster race. Don displayed his boat opposite the area we were pitted with our FC. We sat in his lounge chairs under his "cleaner than new" awning for a while and really enjoyed meeting him and his wife.

Any boat wreck you can live to talk about is a good wreck. We wish all the best for Don and for a speedy recovery.

RG

 

Didn't he have a Brother who raced Boats as well?

 

Yeah his name was Jim, He passed away a few years ago. (Heartattache I think)

 

Don Ermshar

I just retruned from the hospital and I can tell you Don's position is very serious. Indications now are that he had a stroke, probably during the run. He is heavily sedated and they are tending to his injuries, which are many. The full extent of the damage caused by the stroke is still unknown. I have known Don since the 1970s and he has never crashed a boat. Speculation has it that he was probably not in control at the time of the accident due to the stroke. Hopefully he will be able to tell us himself someday soon.

Bill Ancona

 

Thanks, Bill.

 

Met Don in the 90's... He did some Attorney stuff for me.. He's a super guy, and my prayers are with him..
Denny Savage

 

While not the same race that you are speaking of here, Mark Rebilas took some pictures at a race in Augusta, Ga.

Here is the link to his blog.

http://markjrebilas.com/blog/2009/07/smoke-on-the-water-250mph-racing-on-the-liquid-quarter-mile/

I highly recommend subscribing to his blog. This guy takes some incredible photographs and he will be in Sonoma this weekend so his Sonoma pics will be up sometime next week...

 

Don Ermshar update

Again I just left the hospital and here is the update. Don had a sucessful surgery yesterday on his right arm for the dislocated elbow. He is slowly improving but still has a very long recovery road ahead. He is still in Trauma ICU but they are now talking about moving him to a long care facility locally. Probably as soon as tomorrow sometime.

Bill

 

RIP Don Ermshar

Sadly, I must report that Don Ermshar has succumbed to his injuries suffered in his crash at Marine creek. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. There will be a memorial service for Don sometime in the next two weeks in California which I understand Lucas Oil will orchestrate.

Don Ermshar was a great racer, a great friend and more importantly a great man. He will be greatly missed by all.

Bill Ancona

 

end of an era

Don was the last of the 2nd wave of great California flatbottom drivers.