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Tim Brook recovering from mountain bike accident
Trans Am racer Tim Brook is recovering at his Oran Park, NSW home after sustaining heavy facial injuries in a mountain biking incident on the weekend.
The popular driver and former Toyota 86 series champion was riding with family and friends in bushland at Kentlyn when he came off his bike, fracturing his nose and sustaining grazings to his face and neck and upper body.
Doctors performed plastic surgery on Monday to stitch his bottom lip and clean up his upper lip and chin.
Despite the injuries, Brook says that he will be fit and ready for the next round of the National Trans Am Series at Morgan Park Raceway.
The 34-year-old, currently fourth in the hotly-contested Trans Am series, says that a slight miscalculation led to his undoing.
“I just ran out of talent!” he joked after the incident.
“I’ve been loving getting out on the mountain bike. I didn’t get into it for the trials for the jumps or anything like that, it was just for keeping fit, losing weight and staying healthy.
“I think that the crash was a by-product of getting fitter and getting more confident. At that place, there’s a lot off technical riding, rock drops, and that’s what ultimately took care of me.”
Brook crashed off a six foot drop, going over the handle bars of his bike before landing face first into rock and bush debris.
His bike survived without damage. His face and body did not.
“I was following mates, including my brother in law. They are really good at it, and I’m probably still not at the skill level to attack like they do,” he said.
“I’d been hanging onto them on trials that are a little easier, and I was close to them as we were approaching this drop and I was thinking “whatever they can do, I can do” but I got caught in their wheel tracks and realised it was about to go wrong too late.
“The good news is that my bike is as good as new!
“I was actually meant to be in the bridal party of a wedding this week down in Victoria, so I’ve had to pull the pin on that, which was a real shame.”
Brook says that he will be 100 percent ready for the next round of the National Trans Am Series at Morgan Park Raceway, driving his Wall Racing-prepared Tradiepad Ford Mustang.
“I’ll 100 percent be back in the Trans Am for Morgan Park. I wouldn’t miss it,” he said.
“The stitches that I have in my lip are dissolvable, and the doctors will remove the splint from my nose. I’m just taking the recovery as it comes.
“My poor wife has been a real trooper. I was in hospital as my daughter was having her fourth birthday party on Sunday! She’s a trooper.
“I’ve raced at Morgan Park before, and I have really good memories from there. I raced in the Formula Vee Nationals and ended up on the podium.
“I haven’t been there since or prior, but it should be good track for Trans Am. I can’t wait.”
The Morgan Park Raceway event in Warwick, Queensland, will be held on June 25-27. Trackside tickets must be pre-purchased online. CLICK HERE to secure your tickets.