INDIANAPOLIS – Famed orthopedic surgeon and biomedical innovator Dr. Terry Trammell has been honored for his groundbreaking work as the recipient of the 55th annual Louis Schwitzer Award at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Dr. Trammell is responsible for saving both of Rick Mears’ badly shattered feet from amputation after a crash at Sanair Speedway in St. Pie, Quebec in 1984. He also successfully performed an operation that kept Danny Ongais’ legs from amputation after a serious crash in the 1981 Indianapolis 500.
Trammel currently specializes in biomedical engineering for IndyCar Driver Safety. Friday’s announcement at Indianapolis Motor Speedway honored Dr. Trammell’s numerous contributions have advanced motorsports safety and prevented driver injuries. Utilizing a data driven approach, engineering principles and medical expertise, his efforts have been recognized across multiple motorsports safety organizations throughout the world.
“We are proud to once again sponsor the Louis Schwitzer Award – a program that goes beyond honoring the racers behind the wheels and instead highlights the innovation and engineering excellence behind the scenes of this world-class motorsport event,” said Frédéric Lissalde, President and CEO, BorgWarner Inc. “Just like IndyCar, BorgWarner is committed to maintaining and continuously improving our safety culture and Dr. Trammell has made some impressive strides in optimizing the vehicle safety for these drivers.”
In addition to Dr. Trammell’s renowned orthopedic abilities, his undergraduate degree is in chemical engineering with a specialization in biomedical engineering. From the early 1990s he has worked to develop definitive data from racing crashes using the latest technology. From the earliest accident data recorders to later units like the new ADR4, Dr. Trammell has been integral to their development. The resulting G-force database has been used to continuously develop improved race car materials and design.
Presented by engineers to engineers, this annual award memorializes the innovative spirit of Louis Schwitzer, an automotive engineer and pioneer who won the first automobile race at IMS in 1909. Each year the award is presented to innovative engineers who have developed cutting-edge concepts that improve competitive potential and focus on advancements that increase the safety, performance, or efficiency of Indy 500 racecars. Award recipients receive $10,000 and their names added to the Louis Schwitzer Award trophy, which sits at the IMS Museum.