MOUNT SNOW, Vt. – SnoCross calls Blair Morgan Superman, but the sport's true Man of Steel is Chris Vincent. The 29-year-old Vermont native wasn't about to let a brutal crash in Friday's second semifinal knock him off the track.

Vincent was leading when he landed awkwardly coming off a jump on the fourth lap, burying the nose of his sled in the snow.

"I hit really hard," said Vincent, who rolled over and clutched his chest after being upended. "The thing just went straight up in the air and came straight down on its nose. Nothing I could do about it."

Vincent wasn't going to make the final unless he was able to finish in the top two of the Last Chance Qualifier. Could he continue? Was his sled in one piece? Vincent had to mull things over.

"I don't make a decision until I get back to my trailer, assess everything and get my chest protector off. Once I looked at it, no bones were sticking out."

After a cursory self-examination, Vincent proclaimed himself ready for the LCQ. Vincent, who appeared to be favoring his left side, didn't disappoint his local contingent. He finished second to advance.

"It was just hard hanging onto the sled, but once you start racing you kind of forget a lot about that stuff."

An injured Chris Vincent fought his way into the final.

As Vincent rested on his sled moments before the final, his father snuck up from behind and embraced him. Vincent – his head buried deep into his chest – was in agony as his father hugged him. His father took a step back, left one hand on his son's shoulder, and wiped tears from his eyes.

Much of the drama surrounding the final focused on Morgan and Tucker Hibbert, but Vincent was poised to steal the show.

The storybook ending, however, didn't come true. Vincent got tangled up at the start and was never in contention.

The Man of Steel couldn't control his destiny this time. But it wasn't because he couldn't stand the pain.

After the race Vincent was standing in front of his trailer signing autographs. If he hadn't told you about the injury, you'd never know.

Even with his chest swelling up, Vincent said he wasn't in any hurry to get medical attention.

"I'll wait until morning (to go to the hospital). I don't feel anything crunching or anything so I think its just all muscle."

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