86 replies to this topic

[repcobrabham]

...reportedly killed in targa crash in western australia

awaiting confirmation, seems odd that he'd be there so soon after racing at goodwood, hope it's a mix-up

edit: news link

[gerry nassar]

everyone is talking about it here at work

[gerry nassar]

So has it been officially confirmed that he was the one killed?

[theMot]

http://www.news.com....75524-2,00.html


..........................

hope not...

[rfus]

whoa if so we are not having a good week

[doohanOK]

Channel 9 had a 'Breaking News' update a few minutes after 3pm, saying there were reports Brock had been killed at a Western Australia Rally.

regards,
doohanOK.

[theMot]

Crock Hunter and Brock in one week. :/

[gerry nassar]

Originally posted by theMot
Crock Hunter and Brock in one week. :/

: crap week

[doohanOK]

This week hasn't been a good one for adventurous danger-seekers.

regards,
doohanOK.

[silver fan]

Yeah just got back from the Gym, walked in the door and the GF was standing there saying "Your not going to believe this but..." Not a good week for Aussie icons.

[Bernd]

We Aussies don't exactly have a great many icons and we've lost two in one week.

[Pole Position]

It appears it was Brocky that died one of the nicest gentleman to ever meet

RIP Pete

http://www.v8superca...=M&gid=11559244

[A Wheel Nut]

RIP Brockey..

[repcobrabham]

confirmed i wonder if jetlag was a contributing factor? more likely mechanical failure, but let's wait and see...

FWIW i did a phone interview with him right before he went to the UK for goodwood: i'd emailed his website a day or two before to make the request and his PA called back to OK it when i was out, so she left a message.

when i called back the next day, he happened to be in the office and jumped straight on the phone for a highly informative and professional 20-30 min interview. just like that. he was no doubt very busy and the story wasn't actually about him (it was a piece on how V8 supercars is becoming more like NASCAR) but he was happy to answer every question, and threw in some more info gratis.

my dad was a holden man when i was growing up and brocky was my favourite driver - at 31, i'm too young to remember AJ actually racing for williams and i preferred touring cars until group A came along anyway - and this encounter only raised him even further in my estimation.

the other thing is that my mag has already gone to press, and will be hitting the streets with the piece - including one page where the pics are 80% brocky and the text is in present tense. composing a valedictory piece for the next edition right now, hoping our readers understand.

[Daveofoz]

RIP Pete

I just can't believe this week... this is insane.

[doohanOK]

I saw Brock heaps of times at the Australian GP in Melbourne for so many years. One day I realised I never had his autograph and went to get it. He was patient, kind, and his signature was actually legible.

If anything, I can hardly remember someone in the public eye (and in particular, motor racing), who was so welcoming.

Also, the Croc Hunter Steve Irwin died on Monday, which gave the news media an entire week to report all about him - it's been the lead story all week. Unfortunately, Brock has died on a Friday, the worst day for news, and which means (even though both deaths are only a few days apart as well) that the impact won't be as great in the news media because of the weekend.

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Peter_Brock - has a photo of the car he was driving, taken yesterday.

By the way, is Brock's co-driver alive? Is he injured?

regards,
doohanOK.

[repcobrabham]

weekend papers are the big sellers and they tend to have the least news... i confidently predict nationwide front pages both days. electronic media will also lead with it, obviously.

DOK: co-driver mick hone taken to hospital in a stable condition - brocky took the brunt of the tree

[doohanOK]

repcobrabham:
true, weekend papers sell more.

Taking a look at a photo of his car on wikipedia, he wouldn't have much of a chance with a tree. I'm amazed at how narrow the cockpit is.


FROM news.com.au:
=================

Peter Brock killed in road smash
September 08, 2006

MOTOR racing champion driver Peter Brock has been killed in a racing accident in Western Australia.

The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) said in a statement the accident occurred at about 1.50pm (AEST).

Sixty-one-year-old Brock's co-driver, believed to Mick Hone, has been taken to hospital in a stable condition. CAMS said it will conduct a full investigation into the incident.

In the meantime, CAMS and event officials are working with the relevant civil authorities.

"On behalf of the motor sport community, CAMS offers its sincere sympathy to Peter's family and many friends," the statement said.

=================


regards,
doohanOK.

[AussieF1]

Originally posted by doohanOK

By the way, is Brock's co-driver alive? Is he injured?

Apparently in hospital in a stable condition....

[clipper]

Passing on the news at work, and one of the guys told me that the car he crashed was a replica of the original shelby daytona which was designed by a man named Peter Brock!

[boost]

RIP Peter, died what u loved doing.

[repcobrabham]

Originally posted by clipper
Passing on the news at work, and one of the guys told me that the car he crashed was a replica of the original shelby daytona which was designed by a man named Peter Brock!

yes, amazing isn't it? that's why i defined which peter brock i was talking about in the thread title.

in fact, the brock05.com website has a movie clip of aussie PB rocketing off the line in the replica of US PB's machine - which he may well have been driving in perth.

i will be interested to hear what ray bell has to say: he wrote a highly-regarded book about brocky back in the '70s

[nigel red5]

Extremely sad news

Yep, the two-in-a-week angle was also one of my first thoughts on hearing the news. Such a shame. My best regards to all you aussie motorsports fans, and the countless touring car & Bathurst fans all over the world....

I hope Australia has something to smile about again soon

[duncanjn]

What a crap week this has been for us aussies. I am absolutely devestated that this has happened to one of the great racers in australia. Rest in peace dude

[rmhorton]

An eyewitness talking to Sky News states that he lost control at a hairpin bend and the car made heavy contact with a tree on the driver’s side. The tree appears to be no more than a few meters from the edge of the road.

The road was slightly damp at the time. According to this eyewitness Peter Brock’s body is still in the car.

What a terrible waste

[Gilles4Ever]

the world has lost a legend

Condolences to his friends and family.

[repcobrabham]

without meaning to be critical, rmh, i wouldn't describe it as a waste. a tragedy, to be sure, but PB achieved so much in his life. even his trip to goodwood was a huge success: coming 4th in the st marys race in a FX that had been modified only for safety reasons, and being awarded the spirit of goodwood trophy to boot. as boost said, he died doing what he truly loved.

[Breadmaster]

RIP Brocky

[Melbourne Park]

Heck, very sorry. A great driver, with some masterfull drives. His second at one Bathurst when he was not so young, he came back with a sickish car, it started to rain, and he was sliding the car around all the hairy corners, and going so much faster than all the cars in front of him, he ended up second. I always was a Ford guy, but he won me over completely that race, he was great.

I loved the way he could talk to the in car camera as cool as a cucumber, and then the camera would switch to the on track view, and he was pushing the be-jeezus out of the car, then back to the inside and he'd be chatting away. I recall once he slowed down talking for a bout 5 seconds, and he apologised, but he'd just had to thread through a couple of quick cars. Quite freaky at that really. He won some rallies too, that round Australia thing. He had a big ego, but earned I reckon.

Damb shame ... I don't like those narrow special cars; I presume its a tubular chasis, I wonder if its backbone - he appeared to be sitting very close to the edge of the car. Trees are killers. Bye bye to one of our very greatest, he's up their with only a couple of others.

[kamix]

RIP Peter Brock. One of the finest racers Australia ever produced!

[Isamu77]

Very sad news

Always a shock when a champion passes away in motorsport. I feel the same sort of hollow empty i felt upon hearing Senna's passing.

[AdrianM]

I can't believe it

[Doug Nye]

Having played cricket with Peter just a week ago at Goodwood - having run with him often in recent years in the Classic Adelaide Rally in South Australia - and having spent some time with him last weekend generally during the Goodwood Revival - I find this morning's awful news barely believable.

The heroic efforts put in by him and his friends who brought the Holden FX to England last week earned them the Goodwood Road Racing Club's coveted 'Spirit of Goodwood' Award - especially since their efforts ended with considering a non-start in race two due to uncertainty over the engine's lubrication and the possible risk of larding a track already damp from persistent rain. Their attitude throughout was unselfish thought for others personified - rare indeed in a high-profile motor sporting context, moreso by a high-profile motor sporting celebrity. We admired them for it hugely.

Right now I'm taking it upon myself to speak for all involved with the Goodwood events which Brocky supported so enthusiastically in recent years, to extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathy to his family and to all his friends, and fans. Most, most sincerely....

DCN

One thing is for certain. Peter Brock never ran out of skill - he just ran out of luck. But why is it so often the good blokes...?

[Suzy]

Shocking news and I'm deeply saddened (having seen him at Goodwood only a few days ago). My condolences to his family, his friends and his fans all over the world.

[wiligates]

Absolutely tragic. Another one of the good guys gone . RIP

[GreenMachine]

Godspeed Brocky, and commiserations to his friends and family.

It is some consolation to know he died doing what he loved, but not much. A great loss, both to motorsport and to those he helped along the way.

As others have said, two in one week, though if we are talking icons as opposed to celebrities, I'll rate Brocky over the croc hunter (not to disparage Steve Irwin, but to give Brock his fair due).

[Garagiste]

Terrible news, hard to take in having seen him in action just last weekend. RIP.

[Pilla]

A sad sad day, he was almost an honorary Kiwi.

[C.K.]

Today is truly a sad day in Australia’s History.

My condolences and best wishes to all his family and to all Australians for loosing such a great Motor sport Legend. The King of the Mountain will be sorely missed

[TDC Racing]

Auctually its the third famous Australian to die this week, there was also author Colin Thiele, most famous for Storm Boy has also passed on. But he was 85 so it was not so instant as the other two.

But Brocky and Steve, died doing what they love and what they did best. Both sesational in their choosen fields and great representatives of their industry and Australia as a whole. It has been a **** week

RIP to both these men

[Wilko]

R.I.P Brocky

what a week for us Aussies

[Option1]

Damn! It's like losing a mate. RIP Brocky.

Oh and nice interview with Bev here.

Neil

[GhostR]

There goes the first driver I ever followed as a kid. He was a legend from start to finish. As far as I am concerned, no one will ever be Brock's equal on the mountain and few will ever come close in motorsport in general.

RIP

[911]

OMG - I'm so sorry to read about this. Peter Brock was a legend. Very tragic, indeed. RIP, Peter.

[Alfisti]

Bugger. ****.

OK he got a tad fruity and sold everything from cars to clothes lines but ... **** ... real child hood hero of mine (though I jumpe din the Larry Perkins camp since).

Man i remember the 87 Bathurst on slicks in the wet ...... great stuff.

I had a little O5 Marlboro Commodore that I filled with sewing machine oil and it would SMOKE then take off for about 10 feet ... man I loved that thing.

Jesus what a downed.

[Mat]

Im still struggling with this news. Im sure i will get a phone call saying its all been a mistake. I got to see Brocky a fair bit and he was always a good friend, always supportive.

He was always more than willing to help support me in my work. Just having him around at our events, smiling, meeting spectators and media was invaluable support for us. And he did it because he wanted to help. Nothing more.

I remember last May, he and Mick Hone were competing at the Lake Mountain Sprint in the same Daytona. Mick wasnt feeling well that day, and as they crossed the finish line PB had to jump on the brakes and let Mick out asap so he could throw up! He came 2nd outright that weekend, to a Gallardo!

We will all miss you Brocky. Your a ****ing legend.

[Mat]

Originally posted by repcobrabham
confirmed i wonder if jetlag was a contributing factor? more likely mechanical failure, but let's wait and see...

You can never be sure with these things but i doubt very much there was a mechanical failure. Those Daytona's are immaculately buit and they havent been having any problems with them that im aware of.

[Melbourne Park]

Originally posted by Mat


You can never be sure with these things but i doubt very much there was a mechanical failure. Those Daytona's are immaculately buit and they havent been having any problems with them that im aware of.

I think they are a kit car, so it depends who put it together, R&D Concepts mae the kits in the USA, who sold out I think, or is this another car? But if Brocky had it put together there would be no problem.

Jim Richards reckons 4WD is the go for such events, despite his Porsche being slower in theory, the 4WD makes it forgiving. As soon as you hit the gravel your a passenger, and from the sound of Brocky just lost the tail, easy enough to do, and then his luck left him. His wife said she had a preminition of this happening. I think he had a stack in the Targa Tasmania last year too, mat you would know about that or am I wrong?

[Nasty McBastard]

my first ever memory of motorsport involved brocky.

infact my first 'car' memory is of brocky.
i remember being....**** all... must of been grade 1, and some kid came to school with a holden '05' toy car, and a ford '17' car....and this kid layed down the gauntlet....your either with ford or against.

i remember looking at that dead sexy marlbro commodore and ive been a brock, holden, and motorsports fan since.

i can safely say that it was my fascination with '05' that brewed my motorsports addiction.

i came in here with the intention to make some heartfelt post about it all but...i dunno what to say.


damn shame.... especially as hes 'retired' and all.

[Alfisti]

Originally posted by Nasty McBastard
my first ever memory of motorsport involved brocky.

infact my first 'car' memory is of brocky.
i remember being....**** all... must of been grade 1, and some kid came to school with a holden '05' toy car, and a ford '17' car....and this kid layed down the gauntlet....your either with ford or against.

i remember looking at that dead sexy marlbro commodore and ive been a brock, holden, and motorsports fan since.

i can safely say that it was my fascination with '05' that brewed my motorsports addiction.

i came in here with the intention to make some heartfelt post about it all but...i dunno what to say.


damn shame.... especially as hes 'retired' and all.

Well said, exactly how I feel.