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Tanner Thorson suffers multiple injuries in highway crash in California

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series JEGS 200

DOVER, DE - MAY 03: Tanner Thorson, driver of the #20 Go Share Chevrolet, during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series JEGS 200 at Dover International Speedway on May 3, 2018 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Tanner Thorson, who drove in 11 Gander Outdoors Truck Series races last season, was injured in a highway crash Monday morning, according to a release from the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP report states that its Modesto, California branch was alerted at 3:56 a.m. PT of an incident on State Route 99. The report states that when emergency personnel arrived at the scene, a 2019 Ford pickup towing a hauler was “fully engulfed” and three additional vehicles were involved in the collision.

The report states that Thorson was transported to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto, California, with “major injuries.”

U.S. Auto Club Racing reported Tuesday that Thorson had surgery Monday night for a broken left arm. USAC Racing also reported that Thorson suffered a crack sternum, broken ribs and a punctured lung. Thorson is expected to make a full recovery.

Speed Sport reported that Thorson’s parents confirmed he was involved in the accident and that their son was scheduled for surgery. KCRA, an NBC affiliate in Sacramento, California, reported that Thorson suffered broken bones.

According to a preliminary investigation by the California Highway Patrol, Thorson was driving the 2019 Ford pickup when it approached slower moving traffic. Thorson’s truck struck the rear of a vehicle, which KCRA reported was a milk truck.

The impact sent the milk truck into another lane where it was hit by another vehicle and then came back across the road and was struck another car. The driver was uninjured. A passenger in the truck struck by Thorson’s pickup was transported from the scene with minor injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol. Thorson’s vehicle came to rest on the shoulder and caught fire.

KCRA, citing the California Highway Patrol, reported that Thorson didn’t slow down in time upon entering a construction zone.

The 22-year-old Thorson won the 2016 U.S. Auto Club national midget championship. His best finish in the Truck series last year was 13th at Iowa for Young’s Motorsports. David Smith ranks Thorson 34th on his top 60 NASCAR prospects of 2019 at Smith’s site motorsportsanalytics.com. Thorson finished 10th in the Chili Bowl Nationals in January.