BUFFALO TWP — When 2006 World of Outlaws Late Model champion Tim McCreadie crashed at the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Okla., in January, he was left with a broken back — and no insurance.

McCreadie, 35, of Watertown, N.Y., has since returned to racing. A few fundraisers have helped with his medical bills, but they are still coming in.

McCreadie is one of an estimated 25,000 drivers competing on about 800 dirt tracks across the United States. The Associated Press recently reported that as many as 80 percent of those drivers do not carry insurance coverage.

"It's something you don't really think about — until something happens," said defending Lernerville Speedway Modified points champion Brian Swartzlander.

Something happened to him two months ago, when he suffered a serious concussion in an accident at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.

"Yeah, that woke me up, so to speak," Swartzlander admitted. "My work covered everything there and covers my racing in general.

"But I can see where some guys wouldn't be insured. The possibility of a serious accident is always there, but it's never on your mind. That's not the mentality. None of us thinks that way.

"I'll say this. If I didn't have insurance, I'd be leaving this sport after what I went through," Swartzlander added.

Lernerville general manager Gary Risch Jr., a race driver himself, said the racetrack carries an insurance policy through Rand Sports & Entertainment Insurance Inc., a Florida company that insures racetracks and other sports venues nationwide.

While Risch didn't know how much Lernerville's policy would be worth to a seriously injured driver at the facility, Sprint driver Danny Holtgraver estimated the amount to be $15,000.

Holtgraver broke his neck in a Sprint car accident last year.

"The track's policy doesn't kick in until after the individual's policy is used," Risch said. "We're here to help, but the driver still has the prime responsibility of coverage.

"That's why people sign the waiver form — drivers, crew members, everybody — before they enter the pit area. There is an inherent risk in this sport that everyone assumes," he added.

Dennis Huth, president of American Speed Association, estimated to The Associated Press that typical track policies offer $20,000 to $30,000 in medical coverage for injured participants, though some offer as little as $5,000.

Holtgraver's injuries last year were covered by his mother's policy. He is 19 years old.

Frequent drivers at Lernerville buy a DIRT membership card for $125 a year. Pit crew members can get a DIRT membership for nearly $80.

"You get $50,000 worth of coverage with that," Holtgraver said. "That eases your mind a little bit.

"If you think about the worst that can happen when you're on the track, you wouldn't be able to race. But the worst can happen," he added.

Longtime Modified driver Tom Winkle of Mars said the worst injury he's encountered in racing is bruised ribs.

"You get hurt seriously doing anything, your insurance rates are going up," Winkle said. "You hope it doesn't happen, of course, but you have to keep yourself adequately covered."

Sportsman Stock driver Randy Hanovick of Mars got banged up three years ago when his car flipped during a race.

"These cars are pretty safe, but you still get pretty sore," Hanovick said. "I wear a neck collar every time I go on that track.

"I've got insurance, but I want to be proactive. Prevention is the best way to deal with risk."

Lernerville SpeedwayPoints Standings(top 15 through July 10)SprintsRod George 280, Ed Lynch Jr. 256, Kevin Schaeffer 233, Jack Sodeman Jr. 210, Brent Matus 187, Scott Priester 187, Charlie Holben 185, Carl Bowser 184, Danny Holtgraver 163, Bob Felmlee 158, Todd Bauer 156, Dan Kuriger 152, Mike Lutz 129, Pete Miller III 120, Lindsay Enscoe 105

Late ModelsAlex Ferree 246, Lynn Geisler 226, Doug Horton 207, Gary Lyle 198, John Garvin Jr,. 196, Gregg Satterlee 190, Todd Bachman 167, Dave Murdick 164, John Flinner 156, Chuck Sarver 152, Jared Miley 150, Mark Booth 116, John Mollick 108, Mike/Davey Johnson 106, Michael Norris 104

ModifiedsJermiah Shingledecker 243, Kevin Bolland 240, Brian Swartzlander 240, Dave Murdick 223, Del Rougeux Jr. 222, Tom Winkle 179, Mike Turner 158, Dean Pearson 150, Steve Feder 140, Carl Murdick 139, Mike Miller 120, Erik Martin 118, Shawn Fleeger 110, Phil Evans Jr. 91, Jim Weller Jr. 90

Sportsman StocksBob Lipinski 313, Joe Kelley 270, Pat Hanley 248, Wayne Carbo 247, Bob Egley 245, Ryan Moyer 237, Jim Fosnaught 224, Corey McPherson 195, Shawn Thorn 194, Terry Young 188, Paul Schreckengost 171, Randy Hanovick 166, Mike Miller 133, Eric Piotrowski 132, Kevin Haas 131