By Bruce Martin SportsTicker Contributing Editor

SPARTA, Kentucky (Ticker) -- Actor Jason Priestley suffered serious head injuries Sunday in a crash during a practice session for an Infiniti Pro Series race at Kentucky Speedway but is in stable condition.

Priestley, the former star of the television show "Beverly Hills 90210," is a competitor in the developmental series for the Indy Racing League. He also fractured both feet and his thoracic spine.

During the practice session, Priestley approached a portion of the track where oil dry had been laid down after Ronnie Johncox's car leaked fluid on the course. While other cars were able to avoid it, Priestley apparently did not know the slick substance was on the track and ran right through it.

A rooster-tail of dust came from the back of Priestley's car as it lost traction. His Dallara/Infiniti hit the outside wall in the second turn, heavily damaging it, then veered across the course and smacked into an inside retaining wall.

Priestley was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, about 75 miles away. According to Dr. Henry Bock, the IRL's director of medical affairs, Priestley is responding to commands.

"Jason is still undergoing evaluation at the hospital and will probably undergo evaluation for the next 12 hours or so," Dr. Bock said. "These things change in a hurry sometimes from good to bad to bad to good. The most recent information was that Mr. Priestley was responding more to questions.

Priestley was intubated immediately after the accident and remained that way at the hospital. However, he is able to speak on his own.

"I would not consider the injuries life-threatening, but you can't see inside the head, and little bleeds in that can become big bleeds after a while," Bock said. "That is why he will be monitored in the intensive care unit throughout the night."

Bock said Priestley's condition has stabilized since he left Kentucky Speedway and his vital signs remain good.

The crash occurred at 8:42 a.m. EDT during the 30-minute Sunday morning warm-up for the Infiniti Pro Series Kentucky 100. At the time of the accident, Priestley was wearing a head-and-neck support system known as a Hutchens Device.

"He certainly has a closed head injury and time will tell the severity on that when he does wake up," Bock said. "He has fractures to both feet and a fracture to the T-8 spine. He did suffer some damage to his face. He broke his nose in the crash and that is all being evaluated at this time."

Bock indicated that paralysis does not seem to be an issue and that Priestley has use of all his extremities.

"It looked like his second angle was directly into the inside wall while his first angle was more of a 20-degree impact," Bock said. "It was a stopping injury with a severe stop.

"He has his eyes open, he looks around and he follows commands when somebody asks him something."

According to two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, who was spotting for his son, Arie Luyendyk Jr., Priestley "turned right into the wall, and his first impact was basically head-on."

In three Infiniti Pro Series starts, Priestley's best finish was third at Kansas Speedway. He was the second-fastest qualifier for Sunday's race during Saturday's qualifications with a lap at 179.064 miles per hour. He ran a fast lap of 178.122 mph in eight laps of practice Sunday morning.

The 32-year-old Priestley began racing in the California Rally Series in 1991 and competed in the SCCA Pro Rally Series from 1992-95. He drove in the IMSA Firehawk Series and Magna Enduro Series from 1995-99, earning his first victory at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in 1998. In 1998-99, he also drove in the Sportscar GTS1 Series.

Priestley did show promise as a driver in the Infiniti Pro Series and was hoping to become a serious racing competitor in addition to an actor.

"We're happy where he is at this point, and somewhere within the next couple of days, we will know more about his recovery," Bock said. "Both of his fractures to his feet are rather complicated fractures. One involves the base of his foot and ankle and the other is his mid-foot."

A native of British Columbia, Priestley is no stranger to accident. He wrecked his Porsche in December 1999, later pleading no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge, and crashed a powerboat during a race in Miami in April.

There also were several injuries in Sunday's Belterra Casino Indy 300 IRL race. Richie Hearn suffered a broken right foot when he crashed into the second turn wall on lap 23 and was transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he will under surgery Sunday night.

Three crew members for Kelley Racing also were injured when driver Tony Renna lost control of his car entering the pit area. The most serious injury was to Bernie Hallisky, the left rear tire changer for Renna. He suffered a broken right leg -- where both bones broke through the skin -- and also was transported to Methodist Hospital for surgery.

"It's an open fracture where both bones are broken and the bone is sticking out through the skin," said Dr. Steve Stapczinski, the track physician for Kentucky Speedway. "Otherwise, he is very stable, and other than some bumps and bruises, he's fine. We were able to reduce the fracture, treat him for pain and ship him off to the hospital.

"It will be several weeks before he is able to put any weight on that leg."

Others injured in the pit road crash included Jeff Horton, the fuel man for Renna's car who was checked and released from the infield care center, and Rusty Hurford, who complained of neck pain and was transported to Carroll County Hospital in Carollton, Kentucky.