BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A tire specialist for Earl Pearson Jr.’s new Black Diamond house car crew suffered serious forearm injuries Thursday at Golden Isles Speedway while inflating a tire before the opening weekend on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. | Complete Speedweeks coverage

J.C. Wright, 35, injured his inner right forearm when a beadlock ring separated from the wheel as he inflated a tire on practice day for the Rhino Ag Super Bowl of Racing. Wright was taken to a Brunswick hospital and underwent surgery Thursday evening. Two muscles in his arm were sewn back together as surgeons repaired nerves and tendons.

Pearson, who was outside the trailer when the incident happened, said Wright is recovering well, but he doesn’t expect the Stuckey Enterprises employee back before the end of Speedweeks.

“I just hate it,” the four-time Lucas Oil Series champion said, “but it’s part of it and we’ve got to move forward.”

Correction: Clarifies how the accident happened.