by Ken Weingartner, Media relations, Harness Racing Communications

Aaron Merriman not only gets around a racetrack quickly, he heals quickly. Four months after breaking both wrists and his left elbow in a racing accident at The Meadows, the 32-year-old Merriman returned to action October 15 at Northfield Park in Ohio. Merriman thought he would be sidelined at least six months.

“It’s been a long road, but it should have been much longer,” Merriman said. “I’m happy. It was almost miraculous the way it happened. (The doctors) were not expecting it, and neither was I. My body healed amazingly well. My body took care of me.”

Merriman was the sport’s leading driver in wins at the time of his accident, which occurred June 11 at The Meadows. Merriman went winless in seven drives his first night back, but won three of nine the next evening.

“It was weird, to be honest with you,” Merriman said about his return. “It’s almost like living your life again. It’s something I know I’ve done, but it’s been so long and it wasn’t the same. It was kind of surreal.

“Everyone says I look the same. It was nice to be back. I was received really well. I never got nervous and I never got scared. I thought I would be gun shy, but I wasn’t at all. This is what I love to do.”

Merriman tried to maintain a positive attitude throughout his recovery. It was made easier by getting to spend the summertime with his son, Kristopher.

It also provided Merriman with perspective about work and play.

“I never took a day off before. Now, if there’s something I want to do, I’m going to take a day off,” he said. “You never know when you could be sitting at home again.”

Merriman got his first win in 1998 and started driving on a regular basis in 2000. He won a career-best 706 races last year and $5.05 million. He has won 4,372 lifetime races and $18.50 million.

He plans to drive on a limited basis for several weeks as he gets back into his routine.

“I just have to get my body acclimated to driving again,” Merriman said. “My body is healed. There is nothing else to do except go back and try to do what I do. There’s no way of simulating driving horses. But I think it’s going to come back a lot quicker than I expect. I won’t drive full cards for the first couple weeks so I can let my body gradually come back.

“I’m going to try not to overexert myself. I’m excited and ready for the challenge, because it’s going to be a challenge at first. But I’m happy to be back.”