Alexis DeJoria knew the instant her powerful NHRA Funny Car hammered the Sonoma Raceway wall like a free-swinging baseball bat that she had suffered a severe injury. cheapjerseysstore .An excruciating pain shot through DeJorias lower back. It was so agonizing that she thought she had broken her back. She managed to unbuckle her harness and pull herself from her damaged Toyota Camry. DeJoria then slid down the side of the car. As soon as her feet touched the track, she experienced a shooting pain unlike anything she had ever felt.I was very upset because I didnt understand what had happened, she said. I looked at my guys when they pulled up in their tow vehicle on the other side of the wall as I was leaning over and I said, What the hell was that?Theyre looking at me stunned because they could see the pain in my eyes; they knew I was hurt. I knew I was hurt. The longer I kinda leaned over the wall, the more I knew there was something really wrong. I couldnt put any weight on my lower back.Initially, DeJoria was told at the hospital in Napa, California, that she would need surgery because her hip was compressed. However, further examination showed that wasnt the case. It was a fractured pelvic bone of the left iliac wing and it would have to heal on its own. She also had suffered some soft tissue damage when her knees hit the steering wheel in the July 31 accident.For four weeks, the 38-year-old DeJoria underwent physical, laser and electromagnetic therapy. It was the first time in her drag racing career she had been injured, and the road to recovery was a difficult one since she was told to rest and let her husband, Jesse James, wait on her.The first week following the accident, DeJoria was on crutches. She began her therapy the second week and continued it for a month before reentering her race car at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. Despite missing two races, DeJoria managed to qualify that weekend for the NHRAs six-race playoff system -- the Countdown to the Championship -- for the third consecutive year.It says a lot for our team that we can miss two races and still make the top 10 [in points], said DeJoria, who has returned to her daily workout routine.During DeJorias recovery time, crew chief Tommy DeLago worked diligently to improve his drivers cockpit.She is so skinny -- from front to back where the normal mounting points for the lap belts in these cars have been for years werent designed for somebody [as small as her], DeLago said. I think weve made some pretty big strides with the seat, the seat insert and the way the belts are mounted to hold her in the car better.We found ways to make the seat wider inside so we can have more safety foam to be able to decelerate the body more in a side impact. Where the elbows are we were able to pocket the seat out around the chassis and add an inch of foam there on each side. Weve also got a new deal that will keep the legs from moving so much and have more padding for her legs.Normally, an injury such as DeJorias takes six to eight weeks to heal. DeJoria healed in five weeks thanks to the three different therapies used by Dr. David Harris at the Center for Healing and Regenerative Medicine in Austin, Texas. Harris wife, Michelle, oversaw DeJorias physical therapy, which involved the Neurac machine, a device that helps a person regain proper neuromuscular control.Ultimately, DeJoria missed the events at Seattle and Brainerd, Minnesota, but due to the point total she possessed, she maintained 10th in the standings. When she returned at the U.S. Nationals, it was the first time she had sat in a race car since Sonoma in late July. Even though she lost to Kalitta Motorsports teammate Del Worsham in the first elimination round, she still emerged 57 points ahead of Chad Head to claim the 10th and final position in the Countdown to the Championship.The NHRAs title run begins Friday at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina.DeJorias best finish in the Countdown came in 2014 when she placed seventh. This year she optimistically notes she has nowhere to go but up in the standings.I mean, were not going to get any lower than 10th, DeJoria said with a laugh. Its going to be exciting; its going to be a fight. Were very grateful that Im able to be a part of it.Deb Williams is a North Carolina-based writer and former editor. She has covered auto racing for United Press International, USA Today and The Charlotte Observer. cheapjerseysstore.net . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. http://www.cheapjerseysstore.net/ .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. http://www.cheapjerseysstore.net/ . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. NAPA, Calif. -- Brendan Steele figured out how to finish at Silverado and won the Safeway Open for his first PGA Tour victory in more than five years.One year after losing a 54-hole lead with a 40 on the back nine, Steele rallied from a four-shot deficit on a rain-soaked course and closed with three straight birdies for a 7-under 65, giving him a one-shot victory over a faltering Patton Kizzire.This is a little bit of redemption from last year, Steele said. Its nice to close it off this way.It was a tough ending for Kizzire, who had a one-shot lead going into the final round and looked like a winner when he stuffed his tee shot into 2 feet for birdie on the 11th hole for a two-shot lead.He struggled to hit fairways, and still managed to drop only one shot on the 12th. He just couldnt keep Steele from gaining ground.Steele holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 17th to tie for the lead, though Kizzire still had three scoring holes remaining -- two par 5s and a wedge into a par 4.Kizzire drove left into the base of trees on the par-5 16th and had to chip out sideways, eventually making a 15-foot par save from the bunker.With a wedge on the 17th, he left it short and watched it spin back off the green, forcing him to save par again. His final chance was a birdie on the par-5 18th. He drove left again, had to lay up and then missed the green with a 9-iron and failed to chip in. Kizzire closed with a 70.Johnson Wagner stayed close to Kizzire the entire back nine but had to settle for pars over the final eight holes. He closed with a 70 and tied for third with Paul Casey (69), former Cal star Michael Kim (67) and Scott Piercy (70). Casey has finished no worse than fourth in his past four tournaments dating to the FedEx Cup playoffs.Steele, who finished at 18-under 270, won for the first time in 141 starts on the PGA Tour dating to the Texas Open in his rookie season. And it was his first victory since the anchored stroke for long putters was outlawed at thhe start of the year.ddddddddddddMaking that transition has been a little tough, Steele said.The victory gets him into the Masters for only the second time, along with a spot in the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua to start the year. And it got rid of that sour memory from last year when he made five bogeys in a six-hole stretch on the back nine.You dont often get that chance in life to really redeem yourself in the same way at the same place, and to basically do just the opposite, Steele said.The final round was delayed two hours by rain that began soaking Silverado on Friday and led to delays the rest of the way.The third round was not completed until Sunday morning, and Kizzire made a birdie on the final hole for a 66 to take his first 54-hole lead.And for the longest time, he made it last. Piercy fell back with a pair of bogeys at the end of the front nine. Casey also dropped careless shots. Justin Thomas, who birdied the last two holes on Friday to make the cut on the number, went out in 32 and was on the verge of getting in the mix until he missed three straight putts inside 6 feet to start the back nine.He still overcame an opening round of 75 -- with two triple-bogeys -- by going 66-66-67 to tie for eighth.Phil Mickelson had his chances, too.In his first domestic fall PGA Tour event in a decade, Mickelson was poised to make a charge on the back nine until missing too many chances. He closed with a 67 and tied for eighth. Mickelson has finished in the top 10 in one-third of his 549 career starts on tour.Kizzire did well to stay in the game. After his bogey from a fairway bunker on No. 12, Kizzire holed a 15-foot par putt on the 14th after driving under a tree, made another 15-footer on the par-5 16th and a nervy 5-footer for par on the 17th to keep his hopes alive. He just couldnt make birdie, and it cost him. 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