Brazilian Pro Modified owner-driver Sidnei Frigo is out of Houston’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. And on his way back to Sao Paulo with his broken left arm in a sling Sunday, he stopped by Royal Purple Raceway at Baytown, Texas, to watch eliminations of the NHRA SpringNationals.

Doctors inserted a titanium plate and six screws into Frigo’s arm Saturday after Frigo, a six-time champion in his homeland, crashed for the first time in his career during Friday-night qualifying.

Still, he said he’s anticipating rebuilding his car and returning to the NHRA’s J & A Service Pro Modified Drag Racing Series before the season ends. That series has eight races left on the 2016 schedule.

“I’m doing good, considering what happened. I just broke my arm,” Frigo said.

“They put in titanium plates and six screws. Now I have the same thing [that’s] in the car,” he said, laughing. “But I’m OK. The car is really strong and safe.”

His turbocharged Artivinco Corvette is a Jerry Bickel-constructed race car with ProLine power.

Footage of his airborne, over-the-wall, barrel-rolling, wheelie bar-breaking, upside-down-landing accident has aired on major television networks this weekend. But Frigo said he won’t allow himself to watch it.

“I haven’t seen the video yet. I can’t see the video or pictures. I don’t want to see it,” Frigo said. “The guys explained and told me it was a bad wreck.”

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t recall the details of the crash.

“I remember everything,” Frigo said. “When the car started spinning, I counted one . . . two– oh my God– it was a long time. It took forever. When the car stopped, the Safety Safari crew came to me and asked if I was OK, and I told them I was. I just realized my legs and the helicopter. The guys told me, ‘I think you broke your arm.’ I said, ‘No, my arm is OK.’ And they said, ‘No, no. You broke your arm.’ I could move my arm and fingers, but it was still broken. In that moment, you adrenaline is too high.”

Frigo became emotional when he shared that wife Daniella saw the accident live via the Internet while at home.

“She saw it live. She called the guys,” he said, flicking away tears.

What he said he remembers of the accident was that “the car moved to the right. I pedaled it. The car moved to the right again. I pedaled. And the second time I pedaled, the car moved straight to the left. I lost the control.”

Frigo seemed to have torn feelings.

“If they had the car, I’d be in it,” he said with a chuckle. “I need to help rebuild the car.” In another breath, he said, “I go home tomorrow. I tried to go home today, but the doctor said to stay one more day.”

The popular Brazilian businessman. whose homeland fan refer to him fondly as “El Grandão,” or “The Big One,” said his Top Fuel engine explosion at the Winternationals was the worst thing that had happened to him prior to Friday. And he said he wasn’t sure yet how he might react when it’s time for him to get back in the race car later this year.   

“I don’t know. I need to stay in the car. I never crashed. This was my first time. The worst ‘crash’ for me was Pomona, when the Top Fuel dragster exploded. That was the worst,” he said.

He said he expects to be on the sideline for about two months. “I need to stay [immobilized in a sling] five weeks. I’ll miss three or four races.”

Crew chief Anthony Lum said Saturday the team had designs on a Pro Modified championship. But Frigo recognizes that those hopes will have to wait.

“The championship is done,” Frigo said, disappointed because, he said, “The car was really good. The car could have gone to No. 1 [here in this race at Houston]. The car was really good. It would have been a very good run. We have a really great team on this car.” 

Michelle McCullough contributed to this report.

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