3539 replies to this topic

[Indy500]

Greetings,

I am a Belgian racing fan and after reading a book (the title escapes me at the moment) about drivers who paid speeds ultimate prize, I am thinking of building a website to honour those who pherished pursuing their dream.

I have started to compile a list of drivers who died in races and in test or qualifing. In all my effort I even stretched beyond F1. I never tought the list would be so enormous. Now I'm looking for some help. I'm still missing a few data in that list and probably made some errors in it. If there are other drivers that are not in the list, but should be feel free to help me make this list as compelete as possible.

Also I would like some articles, bio's, pictures about the drivers in the list. I have already got some material but i haven't got it all worked out yet.

If there are people out there that would like to help, they can drop a note in my mailbox. I will send you the list I compiled (in .XLS format)

I'm not doing this to prove that autoracing is dangerous... i just want to make sure people will remmember those pilots who died with their boots on, doing what the liked. Living life to the fullest.

Greetings

[Nathan]

If I can find my F1 book, I can give you a list of almost every F1 driver that has been kiiled since 1950. But Im sure by the time I do you will have finished your list, but Ill try and help you out.

[Darren Galpin]

Drop me the list and I'll take a look. Perhaps I can add the odd F3 driver etc.

[Hans Etzrodt]

If you want to include Antonio Ascari, Bernd Rosemeyer, Dick Seaman, Achille Varzi, Jean-Pierre Wimille and all the others not so famous before 1950, send me your list.

[alessandro silva]

If you send me the list, I'm willing to help.
alessandro silva

[Flicker]

BTW, You can find a 'basic' list here http://www.askide.co...s/tragedies.cfm
Here it is...
(Off track driving related deaths are not included.)
1950 (1)Raymond Sommer Haute Garonne Formula 3 Grand Prix, Cadours, France
(2)Joe Fry Hill-climb, Blandford Camp, Dorset, England
1952 Luigi Fagioli Sportscar Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, Monaco
1953 (3)Charles de Tornaco Formula 2 Grand Prix, Modena, Italy
(4)Felice Bonetto Carrera Panamericana race, Silao, Mexico
1954 (5)Onofre Marimon German Grand Prix, Nürburgring, Germany
(6)Guy Mairesse Coupe de Paris Formula 2 race, Montlhéry, Paris, France
1955 (7)Alberto Ascari Testing at Monza circuit, Italy
(8)Pierre Levegh 24 hour race, Le Mans, France
(9)Don Beauman Leinster Trophy race in County Wicklow, Ireland
1956 (10)Louis Rosier Coupe de Salon sportscar race, Montlhéry, France
1957 (11)Ken Wharton Sportscar race, Ardmore, New Zealand
(12)Eugenio Castellotti Grand Prix testing, Modena, Italy
(13)Alfonso de Portago Mille Miglia race between Goito & Guidizzolo, Italy
(14)Piero Carini Sportscar race, St Etienne, France
(15)Bill Whitehouse Formula 2 Coupe de Vitesse race, Reims, France
(16)Herbert MacKay-Fraser Formula 2 Coupe de Vitesse race, Reims, France
1958 Stuart Lewis-Evans died from burns received in the Morrocan Grand Prix
(17)Archie Scott-Brown Sportscar race at Spa, Belgium
(18)Peter Collins German Grand Prix, Nürburgring, Germany
(19)Luigi Musso French Grand Prix, Reims, France
(20)Peter Whitehead Tour de France Automobile, Lasalle, France
(21)Erwin Bauer 1000KM Sportscar race, Nürburgring, Germany
1959 (22)Jean Behra Formula 2 race at the AVUS circuit in Berlin
(23)Ivor Bueb Auvergne Trophy race at Clermont Ferrand, France
1960 (24)Harry Blanchard 1000KM sports car race in Buenos Aires
(25)Ettore Chimeri Cuban sports car race, Havana, Cuba
(26)Harry Schell International Trophy at Silverstone, England
(27)Chris Bristow Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
(28)Alan Stacey Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
1961 (29)Giulio Cabianca Testing at Modena
(30)Wolfgang von Trips Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Italy
1962 (31)Peter Ryan Coupe de Vitesse des Junior race, Reims, France
(32)Ricardo Rodriguez Mexican Grand Prix, Mexico City
1964 (33)Tim Mayer Tasman Cup race, Longford, Tasmania, Australia
(34)Carel de Beaufort German Grand Prix, Nürburgring, Germany
1966 (35)Walt Hansgen Testing for 24 Hour race, Le Mans, France
(36)John Taylor German Grand Prix, Nürburgring, Germany
1967 (37)Lorenzo Bandini Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo
(38)"Geki" Italian Formula 3 race, Caserta, Italy
(39)Bob Anderson Testing at Silverstone, England
(40)Georges Berger Endurance race, Nürburgring, Germany
(41)Ian Raby Formula 2 race, Zandvoort, Netherlands
1968 (42)Jim Clark European Formula 2 race, Hockenheim, Germany
(43)Mike Spence Practise for Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis, USA
(44)Ludovico Scarfiotti Hill climb, Rossfeld, Germany
(45)Jo Schlesser French Grand Prix, Rouen, France
1969 (46)Lucien Bianchi Testing for 24 Hour race, Le Mans, France
(47)Paul Hawkins Tourist Trophy Race, Oulton Park, England
(48)Moises Solana Hill climb, Valle de Bravo, Mexico
1970 (49)Bruce McLaren Testing for Can-Am race, Goodwood, England
(50)Piers Courage Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort, Netherlands
(51)Jochen Rindt Practice for Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy
1971 (52)Ignazio Giunti 1,000KM Sportscar race, Buenos Aires, Argentina
(53)Pedro Rodriguez Interseries sportscar race, Norisring, Germany
(54)Jo Siffert Rothmans Victory Race, Brands Hatch, England
1972 (55)Jo Bonnier 24 Hour race, Le Mans, France
1973 (56)Roger Williamson Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort, Netherlands
(57)Francois Cevert Practise for USA Grand Prix, Watkins Glen, USA
(58)Nasif Estefano Turismo Carretara endurance race, South America
1974 (59)Peter Revson South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, South Africa
(60)Silvio Moser 1,000KM Sportscar race, Monza, Italy
(61)Helmut Koinigg USA Grand Prix, Watkins Glen, USA
1975 (62)Mark Donohue Austrian Grand Prix, Österreichring, Austria
1977 (63)Tom Pryce South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, South Africa
1978 (64)Ronnie Peterson Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy
1980 (65)Patrick Depailler Testing at Hockenheim, Germany
1982 (66)Gilles Villeneuve Belgian Grand Prix, Zolder, Belgium
(67)Riccardo Paletti Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal, Canada
1983 (68)Rolf Stommelen IMSA sportscar race, Riverside, USA
1985 (69)Manfred Winkelhock Sportscar race, Mosport Park, Ontario, Canada
(70)Stefan Bellof Sportscar race, Spa-Francorchamps
1986 (71)Elio de Angelis Testing at Paul Ricard, France
(72)Jo Gartner 24 Hour race, Le Mans, France
1994 (73)Roland Ratzenberger San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, Italy
(74)Ayrton Senna San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, Italy

[Racer.Demon]

Rainer Nyberg has a *very* complete list called "Fatal accidents in motor racing", which also covers various other racing categories, apart from GP/F1. Drop him a line at rainer@nyberg.com and he might send you the Word file.

[Barry Lake]

Is it possible that Rainer Nyberg's list could be shown on this thread so we all could see it?
Or perhaps it could go on to one or more of the appropriate web sites. That way he would get full credit for his work.

[Racer.Demon]

Barry, I will get in touch with Rainer about that. He sent me the file some time ago - even if the subject is a bit morbid the list is phenomenal in its quality. I could post its contents right here and now but I want to make sure he agrees on me doing so.

[rainern]

Hi;
I prepared a list sometime ago. It is still "under constuction" and further additions are welcomed.
Any corrections are also welcomed.
I uploaded the .doc file at :
http://w1.859.telia....5900964/F1pics/
So it can be downloaded from there.
Take a look and let me hear your comments.

Rainer

[f li]

rainern,

To fill in a gap:

Ken Miles was killed while testing the Ford-J car at (I believe) Riverside, California. You have him listed without any particulars.

[rainern]

Thanks f li
Keep the updates coming...
I appreciate everyone who can help out:)
Maybe someone can help to straighten out more questionmarks.

Rainer

[Racer.Demon]

Rainer doing the job himself and joining the Forum in the process is of course a lot better than me doing the honours for him.

Welcome around, Rainer!

[Don Capps]

Ah, Rainer! Welcome to the Forum at long last!

[Darren Galpin]

Another driver killed but not listed is Stephane Sallaz. This French driver was killed in a car accident about a year or two ago.

[Flicker]

To fill in a gap:

Silvio Moser died at Locarno,CH after he... sustained fatal head injuries as he toured round to the pits in his Lola T292 sports car during the Monza 1,000km race, having failed to refasten his harness after an incident out on the circuit. (copyright R.Blinkhorn)

Herbert Muller (b.11 May 1940) died 24 of May 1981 during the rainy 1000km Nurburgring race at the wheel of Porsche 908 (9th in Q. with dr. W.Brunn). On the 13th km, just in the same place, where at the first lap had a high speed (~260km/h) crash Bobby Rahal (Porsche), Muller' car collided with Rahal's car. The full tanks (near 110 Litres) of Bobby's Porsche exploded and Herbert Muller's car wrapped in flames. Four safety cars tried to save him, but... have no chance. The flames cover the hole width of the track. The race was stopped for 20 minutes. After all only the burnt, scorched remains of Mullers car was left...

may be...
Thierry Sabine have rights to be included. He was 1974 French champ on Porsche Carrrera, started in 1975-77 participated in LeMans on 'LeCorbier'-Porsche. He died in helicopter crash 14 Jan 1986 due to sand storm in Mali desert.

[Francis]

Here are a few more additions;


The road accident that killed Stephane Sallaz occured near Le Luc, Frace in February 1999. It also claimed the life of Formula Ford racer Anthony Gheza.

Simon Law was killed driving a Rovercraft at the Brighton National Speed Trials on 11 September 1993.

Roger Freeth was killed on the 18 September 1993 during the Rally Australia.

Neil Davison died when his Caterham crashed at the Ragley Hall Hillclimb on the 10 October 1993.

Neil Shanahan was driving in a Formula Ford race when he died at Oulton Park last year.

Gerry Birrell was killed during the Rouen GP F2 race on the 23rd June 1973.

Shingo Tachi was fatally injured testing his Toyota Supra GT car at the TI Circuit on the 11 March 1999.

Bobby Baird died after an accident in his Ferrari at Snetterton on the 25 July 1953.

Ivor Bueb crashed at the Trophee d'Auvergne at Clermont-Ferrand in July 1959 and succumbed to his injuries on the 1 August.

[Darren Galpin]

And Tim Mullen lost his life in a Caterham race two weeks ago.

[rainern]

Thanks for the updates!
They are now incorporated into the file found at :

http://w1.859.telia....5900964/F1pics/

Thanks also for the warm welcome to this section of Atlas that has been unknown to me previously...!

Rainer

[Barry Lake]

Thank you everyone, and welcome Rainer.
I wish you people - and the Internet - were around to help me when I used to do lists of all these sorts of things 20-odd years ago.
Unfortunately, a lot of it is scribbled notes on bits of paper, filed away in various places. If only I'd had a computer back then...

[Barry Lake]

Rainer
I notice you have Bruce McLaren as "AUS". That should be NZ.

Darren
Did you read about Mullen in a magazine report? If so, it shouldn't be difficult to trace the actual date (easier now than later!).
We should try to get rid of as man "00" entries as we can in Rainer's list.

[rainern]

Barry;
Of course it should be NZ...
The Tim Mullen Darren mentioned was Tim Miller in the AUTOSPORT of 07SEP and 14SEP.
He was seriously injured at the 02/03SEP meeting.
However he did later so we don´t have an exact date, at least not from that source.

Rainer

[tombe]

Rainer

Two from your own country.

Sture Selander, killed in his Effyh 500cc F3 at Gardermoen
in Norway in summer 1949.

Ørjan Atterberg, killed in his Focus FJ at Djurgårdsloppet, Helsinki, Finland in may/june 1963.

I'll give you a notice if I can find the exact dates.


BTW Roland Ratzenberger's age is incorrect. In an interview with Christopher Hilton in F1 Racing may 98,Roland's father Rudi reveals that Roland shed two years of his age by advancing his birthdate from 4 July 1960 to 4 July 1962. This because he was worried that he was taking too long to get to Formula 1.


Tom

[rainern]

Thanks for those two, Tom;

Yes, I was aware of the DOB for Roland. This file was originally prepared circa 1995 and this error had not been corrected. I noted the year the change to 1960 in my friend JP Cunha site FORIX and questioned him about it.
And he gave me the same answer as you did...
Thanks for pointing it out.

Rainer

[tombe]

More fatalities.

Peter Revson's brother Douglas was killed racing his F3 car at Ring Djursland in Denmark 30.07.67. He aquaplaned off the track and also hit and killed track-owner and former FJ/F3 driver Jens Chr. Legarth.

The Finn Hans Laine was killed practicing his Porsche 908 at Nurburgring 30.05.70.

Derrick Williams (GB) burned to death when his F5000 Lola overturns and catch fire during a race at Anderstorp, Sweden 28.06.70.


Tom

[Francis]

And more,


Tom Cole(USA): Le Mans 24 Hours, 14 June 1953.

Bill Smith, Jim Mayers and Rupert Mainwaring (all GB) died during the Tourist Trophy at Dundrod, 17 September 1955.

Bob Sweikert was killed at Salem in 1956.

Ricardo Rodriguez drove a Lotus-Climax at Mexico in 1962.

Lex Davison(AUS): Australian GP practice, Sandown Park. 14 February 1965

Rocky Tresise: Tasman Cup at Longford, 1 March 1965.

Arensio Laurel(PI): Macau Grand Prix, 19 November 1967.

Chris Lambert(GB): Formula 2 race at Zandvoort, 28 July 1968.

Friday Hassler(USA): Daytona 500 Qualifying Race, 17 February 1972

Larry Smith(USA): NASCAR Winston Cup, Talladega, 12 August 1975.

Tiny Lund(USA): NASCAR Winston Cup, Talladega, 17 August 1975.

Michael Giddings(GB): FF1600 race at Brands Hatch, 26 December 1976.

Ricky Knotts(USA): Daytona 500 Qualifying Race, 14 February 1980.

Markus Hottinger: Formula 2 race at Hockenheim, 13 April 1980.

Hans-Georg Burger: Formula 2 race at Zandvoort, 20 July 1980.

Terry Schoonover(USA): NASCAR Winston Cup, Atlanta, 11 November 1984.

Mike Burgmann: Bathurst 1000, October 1986.

Hannes Wustinger: 16 October 1994 at Osterreichring.

Peter Rudder(GB): 53 year old Jaguar driver killed during the JCC Jaguar Challenge Race at Oulton Park, 18 October 1997.

Alfredo Melandri: F3 Test at Mugello, 9 March 1998.

Raffaele Fortunato: 43 year old Italian killed during the Renault Sport Clio Trophy test day at Jarama on the 22 April 1999.

Neil Shanahan was 19 years old and driving a Van Diemen RF99 when he was killed.

[Indy500]

OK,

I think I've got something started here.

I haven recalled the title of the book I reffered to :'Grand Prix Requiem' but I can't recall te author.

Now I'm updating my list with the ones form Rainern..

When I'm done with that i will mail my list to you guys

[Treeface]

Dick Ralstin's site has a story about 3 Indianapolis 500 winners being killed at Altoona Pennsylvania.

[Barry Lake]

The book you are referring to is:

Grand Prix Requiem by William Court, published in 1992 by Patrick Stephens Limited

[alessandro silva]

A moment's thought reading Rainer's list:
Ugo Sivocci - 1923 (Alfa Romeo P1) Monza testing
Giulio Masetti - 1926 (Delage 12V) Targa Florio race
Luigi Arcangeli -1931 (Alfa Romeo 12C) Monza GP practice
Carlo Felice Trossi - 1949 cancer illness
Giulio Cabianca - 1961 Modena
A book on Mille Miglia can add a dozen, maybe more. For instance: John Heath, HWM, 1956. (Talking of personal destinies, what an HWM car was doing at the Mille Miglia?).
I think this is an endless job. What about the Italian road races of the period 1946/56? And the Liège-Rome-Liège, the Dundrod TT, the Carrera Panamericana, the Formula Junior?
Where do you draw the line? I feel very uneasy both for the subject and for its hopelessness and I do not know if I like this thread.
alessandro silva

[rainern]

alessandro;

you are right i suppose, you can add every clubman driver in the world and the list could go on forever.
still it is a (black) part of motorracing history and if someone still feels to add names, feel free to do so.

i agree that it might not be the happiest if themes but still think it is important for historical reasons.

rainer

[alessandro silva]

Rainer,
I am not saying that it is not important, but that I have a problem with it. In any case I'll give our Belgian friend information privately as long as it occurs to my memory.
alessandro silva

[Darren Galpin]

Sadly we need to add two rally drivers to this list, both being killed last weekend. Marco Massarotto of France, driving a Subaru Impreza, slid into an electricity pole on the Rallye de l'Yonne, knocking the pole over. The driver and four spectators were killed, and five others were seriously injured, including the co-driver.

Austrian Herbert Lettner fatally crashed on the Forstinger Rally, sliding his VW Golf TDI into a concrete wall at speed. His co-driver (and cousin) escaped with minor injuries.

[Ray Bell]

Tim Mayer died in practice for the Tasman Cup meeting at Longford, that practice being the last session of the day on the Friday. He went over the slight hump in the straight leading to Longford (or 'Pub') Corner, the scene of Lex Davison's big crash two years before. A witness to the event told me that he was sure that the little Cooper would mow down a bunch of schoolboys, but instead it hit a small plane tree at broke in half. I spent an hour or so with Mayer the week beforehand at Lakeside.... I'm currently doing a comprehensive story about his last race at Lakeside, which will naturally include detail about his death etc.

The following year at Lakeside there was a crash involving Davison's protege. The race was run in the wake of Davison's death (referred to previously) at Sandown Park the week before... Rocky Tresise wasn't sure he wanted to carry the responsibility of going on, but ultimately decided to get into the car for the race. All meeting he had been troubled getting into low gear at Mountford Corner, and he got a bad start, too.

Out of Mountford at the end of the first lap, well back with the 1.5 cars (his was a 2.5), he got the gear right and boomed out of the corner in great style, carving his way past the smaller cars. But he still had cars in front of him as he crossed the start line and approached the part of the circuit where the road narrowed.

Robin D'Abrera was taking photos the other side of the fence past the start, standing there with Ray Simpson. Robin had taken pics of the leaders completing the first lap, and was watching the cars disappear over the brow on their rush towards the Viaduct when Tresize ran out of road and barrelled through the fence towards them. Simpson yelled out "Duck!" as he hit the ground, but Robin was not to know anything about it.

At the McLaren party that night, where much champagne was flowing, Graham Matich (Frank's younger brother) was drunkenly raving about Rocky's girlfriend being around other blokes...
There'll be more on this subject when I complete my story about this race. The greatest race I ever saw.

People I've seen die:
Ray Heffernan (Cooper, Oran Park)
John Marchiori (Lotus 20, Oran Park)
Bevan Gibson (Elfin 400 Repco, Bathurst)
Tom Sulman (Lotus 11, Bathurst)
Emmanuel Xuereb (Ford Anglia, Oran Park)

People I've known who've died:
Bruce McLaren (McLaren, Goodwood)
Glynn Scott (Lakeside, Elfin 600 Waggott TCV4)
Max Stewart (Calder, Lola T400)
Colin Trengove (Lola T330, Adelaide Int. Raceway)
Len McDonough (Mini, Sandown Park)

And another couple, who died pursuing his career in racing in a different way, as engineers and designers etc:
Carey Thompson (Sprite - road accident - Larry Perkins' Manager)
Tony Alcock (With Graham Hill in the plane crash, Birrana creator and designer of the Hill GH1)

There are others... I'll come back some time and expand this. Trengove was driving the car owned by Terry Hook, who later died in a Holden in a charity rally.

[Indy500]

Ray,

Have you got any dates on those ?


Has anyone got a good website URL where I can find information and stats on F5000, F2, F3, Nascar, TransAm, CanAm etc.

[Barry Lake]

This is probably broadening the parameters somewhat but I just came across these in "Man Against the Salt" a book about the Land Speed Record that doesn'y impress me with its completeness nor accuracy but does have some information I haven't seen elsewhere.

1960.08.01 Bonneville Salt Flats Utah USA. Athol Graham age 36 killed trying for the LSR in Spirit of Salt Lake City.

1962.09.10 Bonneville Salt Flats Utah USA. Glenn Leasher was killed trying for the LSR in Romeo Palimedes' Infinity.

1970.12.?? Bonneville Salt Flats Utah USA. Noel Black was killed trying for the wheel driven LSR in Motion 1.

I, for one, believe it is important to record the passing of drivers. To me, this is a very valuable thread.

I feel bad that I have not even managed to record all the dates of drivers killed in Australia (although I think I have most of the names). I was hoping Ray Bell might have helped me fill in the gaps. Falcadore gave me one - for Paul Collins, killed at Winton in a Formula Holden 19 June 1994.

[Ray Bell]

Didn't Paul Collins die of a heart attack?
I know he gave a lot of people heart attacks... Len Goodwin, Warwick Brown and Pat Burke among them.
Dates... dates....
I have to add Mike Burgmann to my list of 'seen die.'
Barry, RCN records them all, but for those who weren't able to get 'the bible,' here they are:
Heffernan (31) and Marchiori (27) (separate accidents, different races, same corner) November 20, 1966
Bevan Gibson and Tom Sulman both died in races at Bathurst, so Easter Monday 1969 and 1970 were the dates.
Len McDonough is too hard to find.
Glynn Scott was July 26, 1970... that's the 'unalloyed goodness' obituary referred to elsewhere.
I'll come back to this some time.
Here's another one: Jack Wilson, engine builder and tuner, connected with Len Lukey, workshop accident, Nov 23, 1965. Tom Geoghegan was another, March 5, 1965. Rally driver Graham Stafford, May 22, 1965.
John Delbridge was another victim of the incredibly dangerous Oran Park, September 1, 1970 being the date of his death ten days after crashing there in private practice.
Tim Mayer was 29.2.64, if that was the Friday.

[Barry Lake]

Ray
Sorry, I slipped up there. Yes, I think it should read, for Paul Colins, died of heart attack while racing a Formula Holden.
I think he pulled off the track and stopped but was dead when helpers reached him - if I remember correctly.

Thanks for the other dates. Otherwise I would just have to have waited until I stumbled across them while researching other things.

Len McDonough is a new one on me though. Give me some clues and I will see if I can find something on him. If it wan't published, someone must know and, as we know, easier to learn now than later.
Do you know what John Dellbridge was driving? And is that one "l" or two?

I was racing in the same events as Heffernan and Marchiori around the time they were killed. Both were quiet, unassuming people. Lack of money kept me from racing on the weekend they died. I wasn't there - I used to drive a taxi on the weekends I wasn't racing in an endeavour to make enough money to get the next meeting. I knew Marchiori very well but only first spoke to Heffernan on the dummy grid before a race on Warwick Farm short circuit one or two weeks before his death.

[Ray Bell]

Delbridge was with one 'l' I'm sure, and he was in a Mazda 1300 (who needs to go fast to get killed?).
Len McDonough was in a Mini at Sandown. His plastic windscreen had got cracked and he was black flagged, I think, but before he came in he had a crash... between 1979 and 1982, ask Greg Stanfield.
Another one I count in Oran Park's grim tool is Brian Pugh, for although he wasn't killed in the accident with Michael Rock (c 1967) he did suicide as a direct result of it, being made a paraplegic. The other paraplegic from Oran Park was Bruce Moxon's father, don't remember his name now. Backed the Vee into the wall and the crank pulley did no good at all to his spine.
Trying to think of the guy who died at Hume Weir in a Cooper(replica) Peugeot... Bill somebody, friend of Terry Cornelius. Got a nice story in my Newsletter by Terry about it.
Gregg Hansford hasn't been mentioned... Ian Cook was another, that was July 8, 1973, Sandown in a Brabham on his 32nd birthday. Max Stewart, of course, I knew quite well, died Calder in the Lola T400 after eating a heap of sandwiches (quote: Alan Jones) when the front stay of the roll bar went through his visor after nosediving into the Armco after hitting Chas Talbot's car, March 19, 1977.

[MattFoster]

I might be wrong but I think I can shed a little light on the Len McDonough crash. I clearly remember a Mini steering off the start finish straight and plowing into the bushes there.

I was probably about 10-12 years old so the memory on whom it was who crashed is a bit patchy. I don't have any info on the aftermath of the crash as my Dad said to me that it was time we headed home, which hints at the worst.

Cheers
Matt

[Ray Bell]

I think you may be confused with another one, Matt. There was a Mini went off there and clobbered a marshal or someone who was on the spot, just outside the fence to the old pits... I don't think they were seriously hurt, though. Not sure, but I think McDonough went off at the Causeway.. as I said, Greg Stanfield will know.. he's in Rosanna.

[Ray Bell]

Brian McGuire and Mike Parkes both died in late August, 1977. Kevin James 'Toby' Bent went on Sept 26 that year... aged 67.
Here's one I wanted to remember but couldn't... Peter McCabe died at Lakeside when he crashed his MGB V8, October 9, 1977. Really nice guy, only 28, a farmer, I think, friend of Ray Winter.

[Hans Etzrodt]

Gaston Chevrolet (USA) died on 29-11-1920 when he crashed his Frontenac at the Beverly Hills Board Track.

Ernst von Halle (D) crashed his Amilcar at the German GP for sports cars and died two days later on 17-7-1928.

[Ray Bell]

Thomas Rich, TR2 or 3 at Catalina, April or May, 1963... John Ward (NZ) at Catalina, too, Lotus Cortina, August 18, 1968.
Hugh Bryson, road crash in Jaguar near Gunnedah, August 13, 1966.
Ken Miles, Riverside, Ford J, August 17, 1966, crashed and burned.
Wally Mitchell (another I was talking to shortly before his death), RM-1 Sports Car, Symmons Plains, crashed March 12, died of burns April 18, 1967.. Lorenzo Bandini died May 9 after crashing May 7 at Monaco.
Bill Stephens was the friend of Terry Cornelius at Hume Weir, June 11, 1967.
A different one... Lionel Schwartz died when the midget he was tuning slipped into gear and took him out into the traffic on Parramatta Road, July 26, 1967.
Peter David and his bride, Kaye Whiteford, daughter of triple AGP winner, Doug Whiteford, September 5, 1967 near Gunning. They were entered together for the Bathurst 500 that year.
Mike Spence, May 7, 1968, Indianapolis, Lotus 56.
Ludovico Scarfiotti, practising for a German hillclimb, June 8, 1968.
David Carter, Formula Vee, January 14, 1969, Warwick Farm. Ran off at Causeway and drowned in dam while practising.
Lucien Bianchi, Le Mans practice in an Alfa, March 1969.
Paul Hawkins, Oulton Pk, Lola T70 (fire), May, 1969.

[fines]

Along with Gaston Chevrolet Eddie O'Donnell and his riding mechanic, Lyall Jolls were killed. I think I could add quite a lot of Indycar drivers, given time...

[fines]

Oh, and it was Nov 25, 1920, BTW!

Hans, what about the date format ;)!

[Ray Bell]

One not to be ignored... the ever stupid Clyde Hodgins, motoring journo of great disrepute... May 23, 1971.
Of greater note... Jo Siffert, October 24, 1971, Brands Hatch, BRM.
Emanuel Xuereb, as mentioned previously, Anglia sports sedan, Oran Park.. crashed into the end of the safety fence at the pit entry August 6, 1972, during a shower in the middle of a race, died two weeks later. Service Station proprietor at Granville.
Hengkie Iriawan, 32, Indonesian, died on a go-kart April 23, 1972, at the Singapore Malaysian-Singapore GP festival. Former winner of Malaysian GP.
Couple of oldies... Bud Luke, Bugatti campaigner and photographer of the forties, died two weeks after a hit-and-run accident in Fivedock (Sydney), early 1972, aged 63.
D. A. 'Bill' McLachlan, died aged 54, December 26, 1971.
Forties car-owner Lex Denniston died November 30, 1971.

[Barry Lake]

Well done Ray. I am impressed.
I thought I had all the names of Aussie drivers killed (in Oz, that is), but you've come up with a couple I hadn't remembered.

[Ray Bell]

Jack Myers isn't listed, nor Reg Smith, Ian Mountain, ?? Hough (Lowood, 1962, I think, Cooper Maserati), what others?

[Barry Lake]

Ray
Bruce Moxon’s father was John Moxon. I was talking to Bruce about the crash at Oran Park the last meeting there. A car went off in the Esses and he said, “Same place my Dad went in”.
I am almost certain he said it was the alternator pulley not the crank pulley that went into his back, but I will double check that. I also am fairly confident I asked Bruce for a date on it. I will check my notes of that meeting to see what I can find. Or I will ask Bruce next time I see him.

You have the Max Stewart crash all awry - possibly due to mistaken reporting at the time (Whoops! Hope it wasn’t you!). I had always wondered about this so asked Vern Schuppan about it at the Australian Grand Prix a few years back. Tears came to his eyes when he was telling me the story.
It was practice/qualifying. Max was on a hot lap, coming up to pass Chas Talbot. He dived out from behind Chas and ran into the back of Vern’s (unsighted) car that was limping to the pits with some sort of engine problem (this is from memory – I have it all noted exactly somewhere). Max went under the back of Vern’s car and the wing end plate of Vern’s car sliced straight through his helmet and into his face and skull - through an eye.
Max and Vern were good friends and Vern was distraught, as you could imagine.
This is gory stuff, I know, but I always wanted to know, when I was racing, exactly how people died or were injured because I believed it gave me some chance of avoiding having the same thing happen to me.
I used to become very angry when people would try to sweep it under the carpet, or say nothing. That way, the rumours start and everyone has a story – none of them correct. What do we learn from that? Nothing!

Regarding the Mini crash at Sandown, it does sound like the memories of two different crashes are becoming entangled. I only have vague memories of the McDonough crash you’re talking about. The windscreen story rings a bell.
The other one I saw live on TV and it was horrific. The Mini went off on the wet grass and the officials ran. Unfortunately one ran the same way as the car was going. It hit him in the legs from behind and he flew backwards onto the bonnet, hitting the back of his head (on the windscreen?).
I was told years later by a friend of the official (who was well known in motor racing circles I think – as an official) that he received serious head injuries and, though he lived, he was never quite the same again.
I think this is the crash Matt is referring to.