heathlawsonphotos.com

Leading Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association rookie driver Mason Oberkramer of Brosely, Mo., expects to be out of action through the end of June after suffering serious burns to his right hand in a fiery accident while trying to start an old pickup truck.

The 28-year-old Oberkramer was holding the choke and trickling fuel into the carburetor of his father-in-law's pickup June 17 when it backfired and briefly caught his hand, shirt and beard on fire.

"I was trying to pat it all out, and finally I just had to stop, drop and roll to get it to smother out," Oberkramer said. "Then finally I got my shirt off me."

Oberkramer, who called it probably "the scariest day in my life," suffered the most serious burns on the top of his right hand, including the middle three fingers, along with minor burns and blisters on his neck, forehead and left hand.

He attended June 18-19 MLRA events at Salina (Okla.) Highbanks Speedway, starting and parking both feature events to log points, but Oberkramer doesn't expect to compete in next weekend's events at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.

He's been careful to keep the burns clean but didn't immediately seek medical treatment. He plans today to visit a burn rehab center in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Oberkramer, who works at his family's dump truck business, is fourth in the MLRA points chase.