Brake lever may have triggered crash

From Team M4 EMGO Suzuki

An out-of-position aftermarket folding front brake lever may have played a role in Martin Cardenas' crash on the first lap of the AMA Supersport race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA on Sunday.

Cardenas collided with Steve Rapp on the approach to the corner where he crashed, ultimately sliding into Tommy Hayden and causing him to crash as well.

"We went through the big left from second gear to fourth gear at full throttle next to each other and we hit," said Cardenas late Monday night, shortly after he awoke following hours of successful surgery to insert a titanium rod in his broken left femur. "When I reached the braking zone and went for the front brakes there was no lever, I am sure there was no lever. I didn't have front brakes. There was no lever.

"I tried to do the best I could. I didn't have anywhere to go because I was on the inside and there were a lot of people on the outside. I tried to hit the rear brake very hard and turn to avoid as many people as possible and I slid the bike but as soon as I touched the grass I crashed and then I don't know what happened. I am very sorry."

When the bike came in off the crash truck and was examined by AMA tech officials the front brake lever was in position and the front brake system functioned normally.

But closer examination by team mechanics on Monday revealed that the lever's forward-travel stop was broken near the pivot point, raising the possibility that the lever either folded up or was knocked forward during the contact with Rapp's machine, and was out of position when Cardenas reached for it with two fingers on his right hand.

The lever may have been knocked back into position as the bike tumbled through the dirt or as it was picked up and loaded onto the crash truck.Folding levers are hinged in the middle and are supposed to fold instead of break in the event of a crash, increasing the chance that a crashed rider can rejoin a race after picking up his machine.

Cardenas should be released from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, CA later this week and plans to return home to Medellin, Colombia to recuperate. Well wishes can be sent to him through his website, http://www.martincardenas.com/ .

Cardenas will return to AMA Formula Xtreme and Supersport competition with M4 EMGO Suzuki when he has recovered from his injuries. In the meantime, Cardenas' Formula Xtreme racebikes will be ridden by his teammate, Cory West, who up to this point has been racing in the Supersport class only.

Negotiations are now underway to have Cardenas' Supersport bikes ridden by Michael Barnes until Cardenas returns to action, and the team expects to reach a final agreement with Barnes this week.