June 30th, 2008 by R.J.

Following his crash during the qualifying for the Dutch TT at Assen, Kawasaki’s John Hopkins boarded a flight to Los Angeles where he will undergo further medical evaluations by Dr. Art Ting.

The crash happened near the end of the hour long qualifying session at 230km/h, with Hopkins losing the front of his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR in the Ramshoek corner, the ultra-fast left-hander just before the finale chicane.

Hopkins slid off the bike, througha gravel trap, and feet-first into the tire wall. Unable to walk, Hopkins was transported from the track by ambulance to the medical center where he underwear his initial evaluations.

X-rays shows that Hopkins fractured the bottom of his tibia, as well as opened up a previous fracture that he had sustained early in his racing career. The X-rays also showed a fracture to the lateral malleolus, which is one of the bones at the top of the ankle.

The medical staff also took X-rays of Hopkins’ left knee to check for possible compression injuries after the rider complained about stiffness and pain in the joint, but the x-rays were inconclusive.

Hopkins will undergo a bone scan in Los Angeles to determine if there is any further damage to the malleolus or knee joint, both of which are difficult to x-ray due to their close proximity to larger bones in the leg and ankle.

Only after the extent of the injuries are known will it be determined if Hopkins will be back to ride at the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring.