Isle of Man TT star Davey Todd speaks publicly following Daytona 200 crash
Davey Todd says damage from an earlier incident caused his bike’s steering to jam during Daytona 200 qualifying, sending him into the wall and leaving the TT winner with several broken bones.
Davey Todd has spoken publicly for the first time about the heavy crash that ended his Daytona 200 weekend.
The Isle of Man TT winner says a steering failure sent him into the wall during qualifying for the iconic race, leaving him hospitalised with multiple fractures.
Todd was competing in the Daytona 200 alongside TT rival and team-mate Peter Hickman with the PHR Performance squad, but his event ended on the opening day of qualifying after a violent accident.
He later revealed he suffered breaks to his leg, nose and foot.
Posting an update on Instagram on Tuesday, Todd explained that damage sustained in an earlier incident during the same session ultimately caused the steering to jam.
“Daytona didn’t go super well for me”, said the three-time TT winner. “[I] Only got as far as the first qualifying session.
“Basically, the first lap of qualifying, I ended up getting cleaned out by another rider.
“The bike… in America, you are able to ride it back to the pits (unlike in BSB, where rules prohibit remounting crashed bikes). So, got the bike back to the pits. It was a bit bent, twisted, but the boys worked at it to get it right again. We thought the bike was all spot on. We got out on track for the last 10, 15 minutes of qualifying.
“We did three laps, and then, unfortunately, coming out of Turn 2, due to the previous crash, something on the steering jammed, basically to do with the lockstops of the bike.
“It jammed and turned me straight into the wall. I tried to jump off it, but couldn’t really get off it properly in time.
“So, it took me into the wall. I didn’t end up so well. Broke my left femur, my right tib’ and my right foot, broke my nose - as if it wasn’t big enough already, it’s now even worse!
“But, had surgery on both legs already to put a rod in my femur and screw my tib’ back together.
“So, we’re positive now that we’re on the mend and just trying to make steps to get healthy again.
“We’re just taking it day by day and trying to get mended as quick as possible.
“I’ve already started standing on the left leg, which I’m allowed to do since the surgery.
“I can’t give you an ETA of when I’ll be back, but I’m going to try and be back as soon as possible.
“I’m going to work really hard. I’ve already been in touch with a lot of good people, and a lot of great people have been helping me and advising me on what to do in the coming weeks and months to be as fit as possible as soon as possible.”
Fourteen-time TT winner Peter Hickman also suffered a major crash during Qualifying 2, when he tucked the front as he came off the banking and was sent sliding for what seemed like hundreds of yards across the asphalt. Hickman's bike broke through a low tyre wall, but thankfully didn’t make it to the live track beyond.
Thankfully, Hickman was quickly to his feet and was seen giving thumbs up to the marshals as they arrived on the scene.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
