Update on injured drivers

One driver was in a coma Monday and a second underwent eight hours of surgery in the after math of a violent accident at Road Atlanta in Sunday's International Motor Sports Association Grand Prix.

Fabrizio Barbazza was unconscious in stable but critical condition at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center Monday, suffering from swelling in the brain, a severely broken arm, a punctured lung and a wound in his leg. His race team owner, Antonio Ferrari, said Barbazza would remain unconscious under sedative for at least 72 hours

Jeremy Dale remained in critical but stable condition after surgery to repair what were described as "complex orthopedic injuries" to his lower legs and feet at Georgia Baptist Medical Center. A separate team of surgeons under Dr. John Harper worked on each limb.

The doctors consulted with Dr. Terry Trammell of Indianapolis, a specialist in such procedures because of his experience with drivers injured at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dale is expected to be moved to the Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis once his injuries are stabilized.

A third driver injured in a separate incident, Steve Millen, remained in intensive care with fractures in his skull and neck at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

Barbazza's Ferrari had spun out and was resting sideways on the track's front straight when Dale's Porsche slammed into the side of his car, shearing it in half.

Ferrari and Dale's team owner, Harry Brix,were critical of the track's safety efforts, but Road Atlanta's medical co-ordinator, Maureen Evans, pointed to the fact all three drivers were delivered to medical facilities without further complications. "We do this every day for our jobs and we've been doing it for years at Road Atlanta, "she said of the track's trauma units.

An unidentified fan suffered a wrist injury from debris in the incident where Millen's car was hit on the back straight by another competitor.