3515 replies to this topic

[ghinzani]

Were Carcasci and Gachot involved in this one? I recall they had a big crash. I also recall a Doctor being involved in the actual crash.

[David McKinney]

My recollection is they were different incidents
Can't access any source material to prompt my memory, sorry

[Muzza]

Originally posted by David McKinney
My recollection is they were different incidents
Can't access any source material to prompt my memory, sorry

Same here, David. I believe that the pile-up in which Gachot was sent upside down towards Paddock Bend with his helmet scraping the pavement is another accident altogether - but I state that from memory.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Muzza


Same here, David. I believe that the pile-up in which Gachot was sent upside down towards Paddock Bend with his helmet scraping the pavement is another accident altogether - but I state that from memory.

Correct-I saw the Gachot incident-helmet rolled down the hill-no one hurt that I recall.

[Simon Arron]

Originally posted by Nanni Dietrich
Don't know if we have already debated:
a fatal accident involving one unknown marshal occurred during practice in sight of the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in November 1985. A German driver cartwheeled over another car on the exit of Paddock Hill bend, hit the barrier and the car was broken in two. The engine flew into the marshalling post killing one marshal and injurying others. The driver escaped unhurt.

Has someone more informations on this sad fact?

The accident occurred on the Saturday of the Festival meeting, during one of the heats.

Paul Bishop (Crosslé) was the driver involved. He was launched after tangling with, I think, Rowan Dewhurst and his car clipped the marshals' posts during its subsequent flight. I was standing trackside at the top of Paddock (courtesy of a media armband) and threw myself to the ground to get out of the way, as did many others. Sadly, one of the marshals was not so fortunate.

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by Simon Arron

The accident occurred on the Saturday of the Festival meeting, during one of the heats.

Paul Bishop (Crosslé) was the driver involved. He was launched after tangling with, I think, Rowan Dewhurst and his car clipped the marshals' posts during its subsequent flight. I was standing trackside at the top of Paddock (courtesy of a media armband) and threw myself to the ground to get out of the way, as did many others. Sadly, one of the marshals was not so fortunate.

Was indeed the Crossle 60F of Dublin's Paul Bishop that was launched over the barriers...however fairly certain the other car involved was the BRP entered Van Diemen FR85 of Kristyan Ingram

Kind regards

Phil Rainford

[Nanni Dietrich]

Reading the last issue of magazine MotorSport (January 2008) José Froilán González said he started racing in 1946, aged 23. In his first issue as racer he used a pseudonym to be anonymous to his father and his family, after his uncle was killed in an accident during an open-roads race in Argentina, about six years before.
Don't know the name of González' uncle.
Fatal accidents happened in Turismo Carretera races in Argentina, in 1940 co-driver Ernesto Barbetta was killed during the Gran Premio Internacional del Norte and in 1941 Carlos Curtessi died in a public road course near the city of Rafaela. Don't know one of them was González' uncle.
Presumably his name was also González (the brother of José Froilán's father?)

[lil'chris]

A link to a map of Peronne showing where on the course the accidents to Louis Trintignant ( in the village of Mesnil-Bruntel ) and Guy Bouriat ( 9th Km ) occurred during the 1933 Picardie GP meeting.

http://memoiresdesta...icardieplan.jpg

I always assumed that the later chicane was put in around the area that Bouriat crashed but this obviously isn't the case.

[Darren Galpin]

On motorsportmemorial.com, Guy Knease is listed as a fatality in May 1915, but circuit is listed as unknown. The circuit was Coffeyville, KS.

Source: Galveston Daily News, 6th May 1915, pg 6

[Hugo Boecker]

Rudi von Windisch-Grätz
http://www.motorspor...hp?db=ms&n=7246
On June 11th 1939 at Vienna-Kahlenberg, the so called Höhenstraße the first run for the German Hillclimb championship took place.Windisch-Grätz could have practiced for this event. But I have no further prove.

[erkelly2]

Regarding Guy Knease:

The Notes section clearly identifies the location of Guy Knease's accident: ".... in or near Coffeyville, Kansas, ....".

Allan Brown's book, the third edition of "The History of America's Speedways - Past & Present", is our default source for identification of race tracks in the United States and Canada in our drop-down for the entries of Venue: and Variant:.

We enter "unknown" in these drop-downs if we have no information regarding the specific site of the accident.

The three newspaper articles do not clearly identify the specific site of the accident, other than "in the last event of the motor day program" "here", datelined Coffeyville, Kan.

Coffeyville is located very close to the Oklahoma - Kansas state line, and Brown's report about race tracks in (or near) Coffeyville include a track immediately across the state line in Oklahoma. HOWEVER, none of the dates of operation of any of the tracks included any date near the year of 1915.

Motorsport Memorial deals in facts, not fiction. At present we cannot identify the track or the details of the track as being anything other than "in or near Coffeyville, Kansas".

I will be contacting Bob Lawrence, a specialist in Kansas racing events, and Allan Brown, whose book mentioned above is highly recommended to anyone who has any interest in the history of U. S. auto racing. Hopefully oneor bothof them can solve this puzzle.

Rick Kelly
Oklahoma City, OK

[fines]

May I add that Allan Brown's book, as good (phantastic!) as it is, is slightly lacking when it comes to tracks in the south, especially the Tex-Okie area - I have come across a number of tracks that weren't listed as operating at the time, or weren't listed at all in his directory. If you have sources stating the accident to have happened "in Coffeyville, KS", I'd suggest you accept that piece of information.

Allan Brown's book is a goldmine of information, in fact it is one of the seven wonders of the world - but it's still not enough to cover every racing venue in the USofA!

Motorsport Memorial deals in facts, not fiction.

That's a statement I'd be careful with, it might come back to haunt you...;)

[Terry Walker]

The Motorsport Memorial shows the incorrect date of death of Sig Schlamm. He didn't die 1 November 1930, but at 2 am 2 November 1930, of injuries received the previous evening - ie, received 1 November. Source: news clip (see Post 2329) and Western Australian cemetery records.

[Darren Galpin]

Originally posted by fines
May I add that Allan Brown's book, as good (phantastic!) as it is, is slightly lacking when it comes to tracks in the south, especially the Tex-Okie area - I have come across a number of tracks that weren't listed as operating at the time, or weren't listed at all in his directory. If you have sources stating the accident to have happened "in Coffeyville, KS", I'd suggest you accept that piece of information.

Allan Brown's book is a goldmine of information, in fact it is one of the seven wonders of the world - but it's still not enough to cover every racing venue in the USofA!

That's a statement I'd be careful with, it might come back to haunt you...;)

Through the searches I have been doing the past couple of years, I've sent along at least 100 updates to the book - earlier use dates, a lot of tracks not mentioned, especially from the earlier years. Send your info to Allan so that the next edition can be better.....

I hadn't read the notes for Knease on motorsportmemorial.org - I looked at the 1915 year page where it was listed as unknown......

Other sources:
Waterloo Times-Tribune, IA, 6th May 1915, pg 1 - Says race was in Coffeyville, KS.
There are other sources too, but they all seem to be quoting the same newswire piece.

[Darren Galpin]

PS - Digging through old e-mails, Bob Lawrence sent details from the Coffeyville Daily Journal, dated 5th May 1915 - a 1/2 mile oval in Coffeyville was used. This was the track at which Knease was killed.

[Darren Galpin]

Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, 22nd July 1915, pg 2

"Both of the cars that figured in the automobile race near South Whitley last Saturday [17th] which resulted in the death of Carl Bowdy, once of the principles, have a local history. The car driven by Lyman Compton, with whom Bowdy was racing, was formely the property of Ellwood George of this city. Two years ago the machine stalled on the Vandalia tracks at Churabusco while Mr and Mrs George were on their way to Wawasee lake. A swiftly moving switch engine was approaching and Mr and Mrs George jumped from the car in time to save their lives. The machine was wrecked."

[Nanni Dietrich]

Originally posted by Terry Walker
The Motorsport Memorial shows the incorrect date of death of Sig Schlamm. He didn't die 1 November 1930, but at 2 am 2 November 1930, of injuries received the previous evening - ie, received 1 November. Source: news clip (see Post 2329) and Western Australian cemetery records.

Record updated, Terry:
http://www.motorspor...hp?db=ms&n=3525

Originally posted by Terry Walker


...

Please Terry, do you remember what newspaper this article come from?

[Darren Galpin]

Piute Chieftan, UT, 13th December 1917

“J.H.Cohan, mechanician for T.B.Haynes, was killed when the car driven by Haynes in an automobile race at Casper, WY, struck a plank in the track and crashed into the fence, overturning. Haynes was uninjured.”


Exact date not given.

[Darren Galpin]

Manti Messenger, 10th August 1917
Davis County Clipper, 10th August 1917

Milwaukee, WI - Mechanician Karl Healy was killed and five others injured when three cars collided during a race at the state fair track.


Again, not date given.

[erkelly2]

Carl Healey was a spectator. The five injured people were mechanicians or drivers. Accident happened at the Milwaukee mile on Sunday, 05 August 1917.

[NANNI - I have this one.]

Rick Kelly
Oklahoma City

[Nanni Dietrich]

Originally posted by gdecarli
I found short info about another accident (from Autosprint 17/1981, page 54) .

• Lastra Rodriguez - 27 years old Spanish driver died at 14th Rally San Telmo (Spain, I think). He was driving his Seat 124 2000, when he had a crash due to heavvy rain, he hit a tree and he died immediately. His brother in law and codriver, Benjamin Gonzales, was a little injuried.
  I have no more info or pics; even exact date is unknown, but consider that Ausprint #17/1981 was issued on April 22, 1981.

Ciao,
Guido

Was Lastra the first name of the unfortunate driver? Was it a male name?

[lil'chris]

From page 875 of the November 1962 Motor Sport.

During morning practice at Silverstone for the final races counting towards the Motor Sport Trophy, C.J Hicks overturned Rennys Lotus XI at Woodcote suffering severe injuries to which he succumbed shortly afterwards.

[Ray Bell]

Ashley Cooper died today... February 25, 2008.

27 years old, and from Ulladulla on the south coast of New South Wales, he was taken to hospital with critical head and internal injuries on Saturday February 23 when he slid his Holden V8 Supercar sideways into the concrete wall at about 200kmh. The car then bounced back and rolled into the wall on the opposite side of the track.

[Haggis 2]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Ashley Cooper died today... February 25, 2008.

27 years old, and from Ulladulla on the south coast of New South Wales, he was taken to hospital with critical head and internal injuries on Saturday February 23 when he slid his Holden V8 Supercar sideways into the concrete wall at about 200kmh. The car then bounced back and rolled into the wall on the opposite side of the track.

Sad news indeed. I really hesitate to politicise this tragedy, and whilst not an avid fan of the V8 taxis, they are (contrary to the opinion of some) a valid part of Aus motorsport.

What I can't accept is the ideology of the organising body (V8SCA and AVESCO) led by Messrs Cochrane and Cattach which is biased towards street circuits to the detriment of permanent facilities around Australia. Street circuits are immensley more dangerous than purpose designed facilities with properly designed run-off areas, no man hole covers and a generally smoother surface... I'm sure everyone who watched the event saw the "rollercoaster" bumps in the braking area to turn 4?

In addition the push towards street circuits is draining the permanent facilities, and hence the grass roots competitors, of funding (from both the corporate area and government) to ensure a viable future for our sport. If the money spent on infrastructure by both the government and the corporate sponsors to enable street racing was directed to the permanent circuits to enable upgrading to the standards dictated by Cochrane and co we would have world class facilities able to be enjoyed by both the privileged few in the "professional" (and I hesitate to use that term given their behaviour at times) ranks and all the rest of us at grass roots level.

There were at least 3 seperate serious incidents at this event which saw drivers hopitalised. It is time the controlling body - supposed to represent us, the competitors, stopped sleeping with the corporate whores (Messrs Cochrane and Cattach included) and took action to ensure that motorsport is both safer and sustainable. To see the comments made by various "interested parties" in the media that safety is a prime concern and all aspects of the Adelaide street circuit comply with safety guidelines is sickening. Any fool can see that racing at 200km/h in a concrete tunnel (whether it complies or not with safety standards) has an infinitely higher risk than an open circuit with run-off provisions and gravel traps in front of impact risk areas.

[eldougo]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Haggis 2
[B]



Sad news indeed. I really hesitate to politicise this tragedy, and whilst not an avid fan of the V8 taxis, they are (contrary to the opinion of some) a valid part of Aus motorsport.

What I can't accept is the ideology of the organising body (V8SCA and AVESCO) led by Messrs Cochrane and Cattach which is biased towards street circuits to the detriment of permanent facilities around Australia. Street circuits are immensley more dangerous than purpose designed facilities with properly designed run-off areas, no man hole covers and a generally smoother surface... I'm sure everyone who watched the event saw the "rollercoaster" bumps in the braking area to turn 4?

In addition the push towards street circuits is draining the permanent facilities, and hence the grass roots competitors, of funding (from both the corporate area and government) to ensure a viable future for our sport. If the money spent on infrastructure by both the government and the corporate sponsors to enable street racing was directed to the permanent circuits to enable upgrading to the standards dictated by Cochrane and co we would have world class facilities able to be enjoyed by both the privileged few in the "professional" (and I hesitate to use that term given their behaviour at times) ranks and all the rest of us at grass roots level.

There were at least 3 seperate serious incidents at this event which saw drivers hopitalised. It is time the controlling body - supposed to represent us, the competitors, stopped sleeping with the corporate whores (Messrs Cochrane and Cattach included) and took action to ensure that motorsport is both safer and sustainable. To see the comments made by various "interested parties" in the media that safety is a prime concern and all aspects of the Adelaide street circuit comply with safety guidelines is sickening. Any fool can see that racing at 200km/h in a concrete tunnel (whether it complies or not with safety standards) has an infinitely higher risk than an open circuit with run-off provisions and gravel traps in front of impact risk areas.


[/COLOR] Well said these redneck V8 officials needed straighting out....all they wants $$$$$$.

[Nanni Dietrich]

http://www.humanite....OUVEAU-A-LA-CAR

<<
...
Un mort et un blessé dans l’Eure après une sortie de route pendant un rallye à Saint-Germain-La Campagne
...
>>

Spectator? driver?
The Rally du Muguet is organized at Saint-Germain-La Campagne. Don't know if it could be held in 1999.

[Darren Galpin]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Emmetsburg Democrat, 30th September 1914, pg 3 (IA)

“F.E.Voorhees of Cedar Falls was killed in an auto race at Marshalltown a few days ago.”

The Hospers Tribune of the 25th September 1914, pg 37 says that this was a motorcycle race, not an auto race.


Also, more on the Shoup incident. Looking at the Digital Colorado Newspaper archives, the Shoup injured was Verner Shoup - a different brother. The Boston Daily Globe seems to have reported the wrong brother as having suffered.

[erkelly2]

Herbert Shoup, a resident of Lafayette, Indiana, is the name of the spectator killed at the 1923 Indy 500.

The other two spectators injured by Alley's car were William Goetz and Charles Elliott.

Verner Shoup, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was alive and well in 1910 and 1920, and had married and fathered a daughter, Anne Shoup, by 1930.

Rick Kelly
Oklahoma City

[fines]

The Times Recorder, Zanesville (OH), July 19, 1949

'HOT ROD' DRIVER KILLED
DAVENPORT, la., July 17 —
—John Fitzgibbons, 24, of Davenport,
was killed in the featured
"hot rod" race today at a new
track west of Davenport.

[fines]

The Post Standard, Syracuse (NY), October 31, 1949


Swedish Motorclycle .
Ace Killed in Crash
STOCKHOLM. (AP) — Fritz
Loefqvist, Swedish motorcycle ace
was killed in a crash yesterday
immediately after winning his
greatest victory.
In International races at Stockholm,
Loefqvist, after a splendid
performance, won the main heat,
defeating among others the "speed
king of Scandinavia," Basse Hveem
of Norway.
After passing the finish line,
Loefqvist skidded into a fence. He
died instantly, probably from a
broken spine.
Among the spectators was Prince
Bertil of Sweden, an ardent motor
fan, who stood only 20 meters from
the crash site. After the accident
all further races were cancelled.

[bpratt]

John Shoemaker, nostalgia fuel racer, died Saturday March 8, 2008 at Bakersfield, CA, while qualifying for the March Meet at Famoso Raceway.
http://dragracecentr...153377#indextop

[Darren Galpin]

Autosport, 13th March 2008, pg 27

"Belgian rally engineer Hans Houdezeune, 25, was killed in a testing accident on Monday [10th]. Larry Cols, who was driving the VW Polo S2000, remains in a medically induced coma after the crash. The pair were making final preparations for the East Belgium Rally."

[fines]

Nevada State Journal, Reno (NV), Aug 23, 1969:

Driver Dies In Inferno On Salt Flats
WENDOVER, Utah (UPI)- Racing driver Robert (Bob) Herda, 43, died in a blazing inferno Friday afternoon when his Class C-streamliner burst into flames as it roared at 282 mph down the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Herda, of Portola Valley, Calif., was accelerating his specially designed bullet-shaped racer through second and third timed mile markers on the salt crusted track when flames flashed through the vehicle's interior.
Herda's wife and daughter reportedly were standing some eight miles away at the starting line when the mishap occurred during the 21st annual Bonneville National Speed Trials.

[Carles Bosch]

I've just found a fatality in Cimarosti's 'CARRERA PANAMERICA "MEXICO"' not consigned here:

'52 Carrera Panamericana "Mexico"
3rd leg, Puebla - Mexico (20-Nov.-52), near Texmelucan
Santos Letona (an egineer born in Puebla), @ the wheel of a Jag' XK120 crashed into a bridge parapet, rolling over.


Carles.
(former "jarama")

[Darren Galpin]

Washington Post, 21st May 1916, pg 2

"Havana, May 20 - The 14th anniversary of the Independence of Cuba was enthusiastically celebrated today by the unveiling of a monument to General Maceo, the black hero of the revolution. There were automobile races on the race track. Maximo Herrera, in a Stutz, the winner of the recent Guanajay automobile race, was killed in one race when he collided with a National, driven by an American, Albert Guillot, who, because of the collision, came in second. Colored men who regard Herrera as a racial hero, sought to lynch Guillot. The rurales and police reserves were called out to protect him from the infuriated blacks."

[Pablo Vignone]

Yesterday, in Argentina: during the race of TC Pista, the Turismo Carretera feeder series, at San Luis track, one of the cars, the Gabriel Zughella's Ford Falcon, lost the left rear wheel at some 200 km/h. The wheel travelled no less than 250 m, crunched the fence and impacted a fans group in the grandstand. One guy was instanctly killed. His name was Emilio Alcobinga, he was 40. Three other fans were bruised; one of them is still in hospital.
The race was stopped but started again half and hour later.

[Lemans]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THOMPSON, Conn. — Shane Hammond, a 27-year-old race car driver from Halifax, died Sunday following a collision with another car during a race at Thompson International Speedway.

Hammond, a 1999 graduate of East Bridgewater High School, died at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, Conn.

Witnesses said Hammond was catapulted out of the track on the fourth lap of the scheduled 25-lap feature race of the NorthEastern Midget Association. His car struck a billboard and lodged into the right side of the wooden structure.

Rescue crews were able to free him from the racecar and place him in an ambulance.

Chris Leonard of Pelham, N.H., the driver who collided with Hammond, said Hammond’s car may have suffered a mechanical failure.

He said Hammond’s car hit his right rear tire, sending Hammond’s car flipping over a wall and into the billboard.

“We started going into the corner and I think his throttle stuck,” Leonard told the Norwich Bulletin. “He caught my (right rear) tire and when he started going up, I could still hear the motor screaming.”

Hammond was racing in another competitor’s backup car when the crash occurred.

According to his grandfather and mentor, Jack Glockner of Halifax, Hammond had driven his No. 37 racecar on Saturday during qualifying rounds but the car had mechanical problems.

“We broke a rocker arm in the engine yesterday (Saturday) in qualifying,” Jack said.

He was able to switch into another car, which he was driving when the crash occurred Sunday.

The race was canceled following the accident.

Glockner, the racer’s grandfather, was visibly shaken after the crash.

“My daughter, his mother, went to the hospital to check on his condition. Other than that I have no idea. I’m just hoping for the best, ” he said.

At 3:39 p.m. Sunday the announcement came that Hammond had died.

“Everyone at the Thompson Speedway is saddened by this tragic loss,” said speedway owner Donald Hoenig. “Words can not express how we at Thompson and the entire racing community feel at this time. We extend our deepest sympathies to Shane’s family, friends and to his many fans.”

“Can’t find a better person,” said Mike Scrivani, president of the NorthEastern Midget Association.

Connecticut state police are investigating the crash with help from NASCAR officials.

Hammond started his racing career at a very young age in the go-karts and quickly moved up the racing ladder into Quarter-Midgets, Mini Sprints and then into the highly competitive NEMA open wheel series.

His grandfather, who is originally from Canton, raced Modified and Sportsman stockcars at Lonsdale, R.I., Thompson, Conn., Seekonk and Westboro Speedways during the 1960s.

[FLB]

Originally posted by Lemans
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THOMPSON, Conn. — Shane Hammond, a 27-year-old race car driver from Halifax, died Sunday following a collision with another car during a race at Thompson International Speedway.

Hammond, a 1999 graduate of East Bridgewater High School, died at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, Conn.

Witnesses said Hammond was catapulted out of the track on the fourth lap of the scheduled 25-lap feature race of the NorthEastern Midget Association. His car struck a billboard and lodged into the right side of the wooden structure.

Rescue crews were able to free him from the racecar and place him in an ambulance.

Chris Leonard of Pelham, N.H., the driver who collided with Hammond, said Hammond’s car may have suffered a mechanical failure.

He said Hammond’s car hit his right rear tire, sending Hammond’s car flipping over a wall and into the billboard.

“We started going into the corner and I think his throttle stuck,” Leonard told the Norwich Bulletin. “He caught my (right rear) tire and when he started going up, I could still hear the motor screaming.”

Hammond was racing in another competitor’s backup car when the crash occurred.

According to his grandfather and mentor, Jack Glockner of Halifax, Hammond had driven his No. 37 racecar on Saturday during qualifying rounds but the car had mechanical problems.

“We broke a rocker arm in the engine yesterday (Saturday) in qualifying,” Jack said.

He was able to switch into another car, which he was driving when the crash occurred Sunday.

The race was canceled following the accident.

Glockner, the racer’s grandfather, was visibly shaken after the crash.

“My daughter, his mother, went to the hospital to check on his condition. Other than that I have no idea. I’m just hoping for the best, ” he said.

At 3:39 p.m. Sunday the announcement came that Hammond had died.

“Everyone at the Thompson Speedway is saddened by this tragic loss,” said speedway owner Donald Hoenig. “Words can not express how we at Thompson and the entire racing community feel at this time. We extend our deepest sympathies to Shane’s family, friends and to his many fans.”

“Can’t find a better person,” said Mike Scrivani, president of the NorthEastern Midget Association.

Connecticut state police are investigating the crash with help from NASCAR officials.

Hammond started his racing career at a very young age in the go-karts and quickly moved up the racing ladder into Quarter-Midgets, Mini Sprints and then into the highly competitive NEMA open wheel series.

His grandfather, who is originally from Canton, raced Modified and Sportsman stockcars at Lonsdale, R.I., Thompson, Conn., Seekonk and Westboro Speedways during the 1960s.

Another article about Hammond: http://www.courant.c...0,2588413.story

[Hugo Boecker]

April 5th 2008
Austrian rallye driver HERBERT BREITENEDER killed during rallye
http://de.wikipedia....ert_Breiteneder
http://kaernten.orf.at/stories/268606/
http://www.motorspor...tikel_2356.html

[Nanni Dietrich]

A pretty obscure accident:
it happened in the 1946 to 1950 period at Knocknacarra Cross, a tee-junction approximately three miles west of Galway City, in which a woman passenger was killed in a Lagonda participating in the Circuit of Ireland Rally which took place over the Easter weekend.
Any clue?

[Hugo Boecker]

From "Collector's Car" May 1980 article: Brand new - John Bridges looks at the first 30 years of Brands Hatch Circuit

" ... The 1955 motor racing season was the blackest in the sport's history with terrible accidents at Le Mans, Dunrod and elsewhere. Brands Hatch did not escape, Michael Klein, better known as a motorcyclist, being killed after his Austin-Healey crashed into a marshals' post at Paddock Bend in Oktober."

Date could be October 9th. There was a F3 race at Brands Hatch on that date.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Hugo Boecker
From "Collector's Car" May 1980 article: Brand new - John Bridges looks at the first 30 years of Brands Hatch Circuit

" ... The 1955 motor racing season was the blackest in the sport's history with terrible accidents at Le Mans, Dunrod and elsewhere. Brands Hatch did not escape, Michael Klein, better known as a motorcyclist, being killed after his Austin-Healey crashed into a marshals' post at Paddock Bend in Oktober."

Date could be October 9th. There was a F3 race at Brands Hatch on that date.

Yes,I was there,my second ever visit to Brands,I seem to remember supporting sports car races,but don't recalll any deaths being reported.

[David McKinney]

There were two sportscar races at the 9 October Brands meeting. Klein died after hitting the concrete barrier inside Paddock on his second lap
(This was the race won by Archie Scott Brown in a borrowed C-type Jaguar, if you remember that Rob )

[Nanni Dietrich]

Need help from Argentine friends.

Two fatal accidents occurred during the 1962 Gran Premio Standard in Argentina.

During 2nd leg of the 11-day race Mercedes-Benz works driver Hermann Kühne lost his life near Mendoza, on 27 Oct. 1962.

Two days earlier another huge accident had happened, when the Chevrolet Impala 62 driven by "Cacho" Ibarra went off the road and crashed.
According to the "Historia del Automovilismo Argentino" by Alfredo Parga, page 749, co-diver José A. Antelo was killed upon impact. This is confirmed by website Portada Los Tuercas
http://www.los-tuerc...link=gp1962.htm

According to first press reports the deceased person was Cacho Ibarra instead of José A. Antelo. This has not yet been confirmed.

We have found several American newspapers, issue of 26 to 30 October 1962 in which is reported the death of Ibarra.

For example, newspaper "The Cedar Rapids Gazette" (Cedar Rapids, IA, United States), issue of Sunday, 28 October 1962, page 7D, Associated Press wire service, article "2nd Death Crash in Argentina Grand Prix" [Fatality identified as Herman (sic) Kuehne, driving a Mercedes Benz, killed on Saturday. First fatality identified as Cacho Ibarra, who died two days earlier on Thursday.].

And also newspaper "Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, CA, United States), issue of Friday, 26 October 1962, page 48, Associated Press wire service, article "Argentine Driver Dies After Crash" [Fatality identified as Cacho Ibarra, who died in Rio Cuarto hospital later in evening. Co-driver, Coco Antelo suffered minor injuries. Site of accident between towns of Venado Tuerto and Rio Cuarto in Cordoba Province. This was first day of event, which was won by Miss Rosquist. The event runs for eleven days.].

Very controversial.
Possibly this was a case of mis-identification of a body after an accident with
more than one occupant in a car. Presumably the American newspaper's article were based on the same wire
press service from Argentina, so if the original source was wrong they
have probably simply replicated the error. The issues were edited shortly after the accident.

The "Historia del Automovilismo Argentino" by Alfredo Parga, which was edited 14 years later in 1976, could have been more "verified".
So, more reliable in my opinion.


Can some Argentine friend help us?
Thank you.

[erkelly2]

A third newspaper article, dated 30 October 1962, stated "Joint funeral services were held for drivers Herman Kuehne and Cacho Ibarra in Buenos Aires, . . ."

More contradictory than controversial . . .;)

- - - -

Several articles state that Billy Arnold, the winner of the 1930 Indianapolis 500 race, "raced some in France, Morocco and England" after leaving AAA competition in 1932.

Does anyone have any information about any such appearances from 1932 to 1941?

The sources have many errors, so I have little confidence regarding this statement.

I am trying to put together a short biography of Billy Arnold for MM's Lest We Forget section.

Any additional information would be appreciated.

Rick Kelly
Oklahoma City

[fines]

I have nothing on Billy Arnold after the Indy crash in '32, except for one very questionable entry at Langhorne on Sep 24 that year. I also don't have much on him before entering AAA in 1928, but I'd guess he'd have a few years of running independent events in the Chicago area. My earliest note of him is competing at Roby Speedway in Hammond (IN) in early 1926, and on May 30 of that year he fast timed for a meeting at Frontier Park (later Hawkeye Downs) in Cedar Rapids (IA) in a 16-valve Fronty - the feature event was rained out.

You probably have his National Championship resumé? He drove a couple of Woodbury/Boyle-owned Millers (actually a Miller-Locomobile and a 91) and the fast Duesenberg/Miller of Bill White with some success, before ending up with the Miller-Hartz and a couple of starts in the Hartz-owned Duesenberg two-man car. Not much in the way of non-championship success, except for wins in a Langhorne 100-miler on May 9 in 1931 (presumably with the Duesenberg) and a Roby event almost exactly a year later (May 8). He also had a few starts on the Pacific Coast (Ascot, Oakland etc.), driving the Danny de Paolo Miller, for example, and tracks such as Mineola (NY) and Woodbridge (NJ).

[David McKinney]

...and of course followed all that with a distinguished military career

[lil'chris]

Another bad day for the Irish road racing fraternity.

http://news.bbc.co.u...kes/7382870.stm

RIP #45

According to the forum at Paddock Gossip, his organs will all be used to help someone else so maybe something good has come out of this.

Following John Donnans accident last year, hopefully this won't spell the end for Tandragee.

[GrzegorzChyla]

another sad news from eastern Europe...
http://www.dovrchu.c...06-6f397096f1be

"On sunday May 4th during hill climb race Zamecky vrch 2008 in Namesti nad
Oslavou died driver from Krnov Miroslav Fajkus.

His racing career starter in 1989 when he first started a hill climb. His
first car was single-seater Metalex MTX 1-05, and Mira [Miroslav] sticked to
open cars for his entire 12 year career. He had in his hands cars like Ralt
RTS, Dallara 393 or beautifull prototype Lucchini P3 and he allways ranked
amongst fastest drivers in the field.
His successes are a Czech champion in class E-1600 in 1995, and a runner-up
in the same class during following 4 years, then 3rd place in Czech
Trophee - group E in 2002 or also thirs in international FIA Challenge in
2007 (with Lucchini prototype).

For 2008 season he prepared a new weapon - three litre singleseater Lola
T99/50 Zytec, in which Faja (as his friends called him) planned to attack
top positions in general classification. Unfortunately second race became
his last and following a huge accident despite quick medical help he lost
his last fight - fight for life.

Faja stays in hearts of all who knew him as a great driver, smiling friend
and above all a great man."

see also:
http://www.faja.cz/parte_eng.jpg
and a photo gallery:
http://www.dovrchu.c...849efab2a3&gp=1
and also:
http://www.vrchy.com/faja08.php
"During first sunday drive crashed Miroslav Fajkus, on a straight just
before finish he hit a tree. His new Formula 3000 car was very fast and
there is no chance for a driver to survive such accident.
Unfortunately this very friendfull and perhaps most liked by fans driver
died."

his resume:
http://www.vrchy.com/pilot_71.php

[nikmondo]

Originally posted by AlesiUK
it has probably been mention before in this thread,but i havent had time to read it all.there are a number of drivers who have been killed in RAC officail Karting races/events over the years.

The one that imediately springs to mind happened about 6 years or so ag at buckmore park.a young lad,second name was Davies,his older brother is Mathew davies who raced in formula renault i think.

cant remember may details,except that he crashed and was told by the doctor at the time that he was ok,just a little sore,the next day he died of punctured lung.

After that it became mandatory to have paramedicts at all RAC karting events.

Sorry, old thread I know but the above story is some what inaccurate.

The young boy who died was in fact Daniel Spence who was 9 years old, he was the brother of former F3 and BTCC driver Jamie Spence.

He was very good friend of mine and I unfortunately witnessed the accident. I wont go in to major details but the accident wasn't that horrific but poor Dan received a punctured lung from the impact. The so called paramedic which wasn't actually a paramedic and didn't have a clue what was wrong with him.

My mum accompanied Dan in the Ambulance to the hospital where he later died due to the lack of oxygen. It turned out that if they had laid Dan on one side, his good lung would've drained enough for him to breathe. That's why paramedics are a must at any RAC kart event.

The crash happened at Kimbolton in Northampton during the month of December in 1994, the funeral was tragic. The wake back at Dan's was so upsetting as he had Xmas presents sitting under the Xmas tree plus the advent calendar was opened all the way up to the day of the accident.

A certain Lewis Hamilton in fact won the race, which I believe was his first ever karting victory.

(original thread was from page 13 I believe)