That Lauda guy won a championship in '75, almost died in '76 (and lapsed in a coma, which almost certainly involves a brain injury) and came back and one another championship in '77? That's pretty insane.
That reminds me of Doug Henry in 1996, a Factory motocross racer for Honda. He was battling with Jeremy McGrath at Bud's Creek?, and his arms were so tired that he fell towards the back of the bike, just before the biggest jump on the track, (a downhill jump) where everyone was just rolling over it. He was wide open, went off the top, and you could see his shadow as it passed Mike LaRocco at the bottom. He came down with a horrific impact, but landed it as any pro would land a huge one--he didn't panic. He broke his back, the bike was fine.
That next year, Factory Honda dropped him (expecting his career was at a near end), Factory Yamaha picked him up, and a year later he won them a Motocross championship, hands down.
Doug Henry, he is the man. Jeremy McGrath is a "bum, or trick" <want to use harsher words, but, gotta protect the kiddies.
Just to add to my story....
Henry wrapped up the 250cc title with a 63-point lead and one race still left on the season schedule (the Sept. 6 season finale at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa.). Henry became the first rider in history to win the title on a four-stroke motorcycle, taking overall wins at Washougal, Wash., Budds Creek, Md., and his hometown track of Southwick, Mass. He has also had four additional podium finishes, and has been in the top five at every 1998 race to date.
Over the course of his 10-year professional career, Henry has also collected the 1993 and 1994 125cc National Motocross championships and the 1993 125cc Eastern Region Supercross title.