Drake Bitetti seriously injured in mountain biking accident

Short course modified kart racer Drake Bitetti suffered severe head injuries in a mountain biking accident on Monday, resulting in hospitalisation. His team Davis Motorsports has set up a GoFundMe to raise support.

Bitetti has competed in Great American Shortcourse‘s Mod Kart class since the series’ founding in 2021. After placing eighth in points that year with a best race finish of seventh on four occasions, he sits sixth in the 2022 standings across six rounds with a highest run of fifth at the SBC Fairgrounds in June.

He also races in the GBC UTV/Quad/Trophy Kart Short Course Series at Glen Helen Raceway, winning the second round in late February. Glen Helen is too a GAS track, and Bitetti’s Saturday GAS race there in March saw him come back from getting turned and flipped after starting on the pole to finish sixth.

“We are putting this together to help the Bitetti family is this tragic time,” reads a statement from Davis Motorsports owner Brian Benites. “Drake has had a major accident on his mountain bike on Monday he is in Loma Linda hospital with severe brain trauma! He is a great kid and has a long road to recovery!! We all need to come together and help anyway we can.. thank you.”

As of this article’s publishing, the GoFundMe has garnered $3,850 from nine donors, with the goal being set at $25,000.

Many of Bitetti’s peers offered their support on social media. Fellow Mod Kart racer Dane Culver‘s team Knuckles Up Racing wrote on Davis Motorsports’ Instagram post, “Lord, God wrap your angels wings around Drake and his family.”

“Praying for Drake, if there is a kid that will bounce back it’s him,” commented Production Turbo points leader Oliver Golding.

The next GAS round is scheduled for 1/2 October at Glen Helen.