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IRL: Knapp out for three months after successful surgery

22 July 1999

INDIANAPOLIS - Pep Boys Indy Racing League driver Steve Knapp will be sidelined at least three months after undergoing successful surgery Tuesday to repair a fracture of his C-7 vertebra suffered July 17 during the Kobalt Mechanics Tools 500 presented by MCI WorldCom, said Dr. Henry Bock, Pep Boys Indy Racing League director of medical services.

Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Terry Trammell performed the operation, an anterior fusion to repair the vertebra, at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. It is anticipated that Knapp will be released from the hospital by Friday, Bock said.

Knapp was transported Monday via air ambulance from Atlanta Medical Center to Methodist.

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