3546 replies to this topic

[ReWind]

In your eyes, Michael, this then must also be death pornography? The fact that the commemorative wall shows the names of all victims of the 1998 Eschede accident presumably means that none of their relatives thought it offensive.

But they all must have lacked common sense, mustn’t they?

 

I cannot imagine that you are not old or smart enough to realize that different people have different views on certain things.
Your problem, Michael, seems to be that you do not realize that there is no guarantee that your point of view is the only one that is compelling and conclusive.

 

BTW, embarrassing is the way you convert my question (How many relatives of victims of racing accidents do you know that are offended by entries on the Motorsport Memorial website?) into a statement (I don't know anyone who does, so there can't possibly exist anyone) that is not mine. It seems you misunderstood the reason of that question which refers to the problem I just pointed out.

[Michael Ferner]

It is ridiculously pointless whether I know someone who is offended, and I can see no other reason why you posted that question, but yes, maybe my PoV is blinkered. But so is yours, suggesting that I think the relatives of the Eschede victims must lack common sense. The point is, even if this accident is already almost ancient history, I would guess that the question whether those relatives wanted the names published in that way was almost certainly discussed with them. It has absolutely nothing at all in common with publishing names on a website without consent, but you probably knew that and ignored it to drive home your point.

 

Yes, people have different views and different standards. My problem is not that I think my PoV is the only one with merit, my problem is that MM does not care about those different views and merely shrugs them aside. And I still fail to see the point in publishing specator names. Let's just take, for example, that dark day in Monza history when Wolfgang von Trips and dozens of spectators died in that one big accident. Is it good and meaningful to commemorate the accident with an entry at MM? Yes, of course. Does von Trips's name belong there? Why, yes, perhaps people will take an interest in his life, and in any case he was there to perform before public, so no problem. What about the names of marshals and track workers? A bit more tricky, as you can hardly expect people to take an interest in the individuals, but they were there on duty and died performing a task without which motorsport would hardly be possible; it's good practice to thank and commemorate the 'invisible helping hands' of the 'without whom department', even if it may be impossible to get clearance from relatives. But the spectators? Who benefits from knowing their names? What purpose does that serve? Why would you violate their right to remain anonymous? It's bad enough that those who were responsible for spectator safety did not do a proper job to protect them, why would you then want to drag their names through the mire, without even knowing (or caring) who they were?

 

And before the next one comes and goes on about war memorials with the names of innocent victims etc., let's just take a deep breath and think about why there's a big difference. C'mon, it's really not that complicated!

[Doug Nye]

" My problem is not that I think my PoV is the only one with merit... ".

 

Perhaps that is not a perception that some here - and in the wider world - might always share, Michael?  

 

DCN

[dmj]

I just called a friend who wrote a few books about Preluk races and he confirmed that accident happened. He will send me more details but, in the meantime, I can confirm that accident occurred during the race, at the first bend. Apparently, after some contact a tire was catapulted into the seating area, killing two spectators, a Slovenian boy and a man from Caserta, Italy, who was there on a wedding trip.

 

Adding to thoughts provoked by recent discussion here, newly married Italian couple weren’t racing fans at all, they just rented a room nearby and, with roads blocked due to race, decided to attend it. Wife was pregnant and later gave birth to a son who visited Opatija a few years ago to see where it happened, and met my friend.

 

 

 

In his book "Doctor on the Grid", Tony Goodwin reported a fatal accident involving one (or more?) spectators, during the "Consolation Race" - which he won - of the 1967 Grand Prix Adriatique, international Formula 3 race held at Opatija (he indicated 18 June as the date, but it was 18 August 1967).

 

 

He wrote "... confusion broke out behind and a Melkus ploughed into the crowd, causing some fatalities. The track was filled with ambulances and spectators and on one occasion I had to brake sharply to avoid a child running across the track..."

 

I am unable to find any other available source confirming this fatal accident, who was the driver involved as well as the number and the names of the victims.

 

Any help?

 

[Jim Thurman]

My thoughts regarding Jim's experiences would be the survivors looking at their departed as being selfish and throwing their life away in pursuit of some crazy racing dream without regard to the feelings of their loved ones. Could be they are pissed that their friend/relative didn't listen to their concerns and are gone due to the very reasons they feared.

I don't presume to understand what's gone on within these families, but in the few cases where family members contacted Motorsport Memorial, that - at least - is the starting point. Tales of abuse, adultery and general ne'er do well behavior have been shared. In one case, by more than one family member. They literally complained that the subject wasn't worthy of being remembered in a positive light. A sadder case yet was one where there were generational signs of delusion on a grand scale.

 

I've always been a big proponent of "warts and all" reporting. Not all of these racers were first-class citizens, let alone "heroes." But, that's only in cases where we have concrete corroboration via contemporary newspaper reports. I don't judge either. People are complex. I've run across legal issues for some racers that range from comical and minor to quite distressing. C'est la vie.

[Michael Ferner]

A bit of detail on John Sandrock:

 

Series was the ARI (Auto Racing, Incorporated) Championship sanctioned by IMCA, round 47 of 47

 

Event type was the consolation race, fifth and penultimate event on the programme, stopped after four of the five laps because of the accident

 

Venue was Muskogee Fairgrounds

 

Vehicle sub-type Big car/Sprint car

 

Vehicle brand/model Rutherford

 

Vehicle number 62

 

This was the 'house car' of constructor Melvin "Slim" Rutherford from Whiting/Indiana, recently retired as driver but still active as engine and car builder. Sandrock had been driving the Rutherford for about two months, finishing a good sixth at he Nebraska State Fair earlier in September after winning the consy there, but also escaping from a dangerous moment when the car caught fire at the Minnesota State Fair in late August. At Muskogee (a 'pumpkin date' with barely a dozen cars in the pits) he fought for the lead with fast timer Clair Cotter (third in ARI points) in the consy when he lost control. As a footnote, both the IMCA and promoter Frank Winkley had, even before the races, drawn attention to the fact that all the drivers were covered by a special and new accident and life insurance issued by Lloyd's of London. In a local newspaper on the morning of the races, an IMCA official was quoted as saying "that the drivers will be piloting their roaring mounts faster, harder and taking more chances than ever before" because of the new insurance plan - different times!

[Vitesse2]

Four spectators killed, at least eight injured, two seriously, during a rally in Hungary: https://www.theguard...into-spectators

 

https://apnews.com/a...2e8d3f4ee7b5908

[FLB]

According to eWRC, this was the car that went off: János Tóth - Viktor Bán - Esztergom Nyerges Rally - Teszt 2024 (ewrc-results.com)

[john aston]

I worry about rallying . The current generation of WRC cars is mind-blowingly fast and their speed through corners is astonishing(5 minutes on YouTube will confirm this ) . In a forest stage , a spectator can get some cover but elsewhere .....   

[Nanni Dietrich]

Sadly, a fifth spectator, a young girl, succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday morning.

 

It was a black Sunday, 24 March 2024: Peruvian rallyman Juan Carlos Bernaola was killed during the Rally Quilmaná in Peru.

Edited by Nanni Dietrich, 26 March 2024 - 17:30.

[Ray Bell]

I think you have good cause to worry, John...

 

One day a disaster of a real magnitude will take place and all motor sport will be endangered.

[Michael Ferner]

Missing at Motorsport Memorial is German motorcycle racer Peter Hampe, who died following a lap 2 crash at the Ostkurve during the 500cc race at Hockenheim's Maipokalrennen on May 12, 1968. Hampe was born April 5 in 1939, and lived at Eiershausen in Hesse. He was riding a Norton.

 

Source: Das Motorrad 11/1968, p386, article by "Klacks" (Ernst Leverkus).

[DeKnyff]

During the 1979 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the #27 Chevron-ROC driven by Marc Sourd struck a race marshal named Serge Morel at Tertre Rouge.

The fate of the unfortunate marshal is uncertain. A large number of contemporary newspaper/magazines/books reported that he was hospitalized in critical condition.

Several different accounts indicated that he later succumbed to his injuries. 

What did it really happen?

 

Unfortunately, Serge Morel is included in the list of fatalities at the 24 hours of Le Mans.

[Michael Ferner]

Rupert Karner is listed on MM as dying on May 20, 1928, the day of his accident at the Hungarian TT, but he actually died the following Saturday, May 26, after briefly regaining consciousness on Monday. Yes, he was riding a 350cc DSH/MAG, race number #27.

[Darren Galpin]

Seven killed in a Supercross event in Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka: Seven killed as motorsports race car hits crowd - BBC News

[Michael Ferner]

Two corrections for motorcycle racers:
 
Hans Bock - did not die "later that same month", in fact his death was reported October 17 in a newspaper (Innsbrucker Nachrichten, p4) without a specific date, but with words to the effect of "after more than two months of suffering"; he was also listed in a December magazine (Das Motorrad Nr. 448, p3) article "in memoriam" as having died "mid October". He was from Mannheim in Germany and 29 years old, so maybe some of our genealogy experts can find out more specific info. As for additional info on his career, he was a 500cc regular in internationals for the past four years, first on a Norton then later on a BMW, with many good placings and a couple wins, more specific info available if needed.

 

Paul Debaisieux - event date was July 10, not 17; Vincent Glon got that one right.

[LittleChris]

RIP Franck Bajus and Christophe ' Pimpon ' Darras who both passed away on Monday 13th May after their sidecar crashed at Hengelo's Varsselring the previous day. 

 

French sidecar duo Franck Bajus (62) and Christophe Darras (52) died after crash in Hengelo (racesport.nl)

 

Sidecar duo died after crash in Hengelo Varsselring : r/RoadRacing (reddit.com)

 

Link to You tube video of the meeting which doesn't feature the accident but includes a comment from a solo competitor indicating that the accident happened just after the hairpin ( Boschbocht ) which takes the machines back towards the mill corner ( Molenbocht ) which is the final corner on the circuit. 

 

Road racing HENGELO 2024 - IRRC - Moto / Bike - Side car - Crash & Fast (youtube.com)

 

Circuit map 

 

File:Varsselring.png - Wikimedia Commons

[Darren Galpin]

Saw the following on Facebook:

 

MSA is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of 33 year old motorcycle competitor Leighton Thomas following an accident during today’s race meeting at Killarney. MSA extends its deepest condolences to Leighton’s family and friends at this tragic time.

[FLB]

Just saw this: Lorenzo Somaschini: Nine-year-old Argentinian motorcycle rider dies after crash at Interlagos | CNN

[Claudio Navonne]

Just saw this: Lorenzo Somaschini: Nine-year-old Argentinian motorcycle rider dies after crash at Interlagos | CNN

Terrible, but unfortunately true. A child, I am like all of us who participate in this forum, a passionate motorsport fan. We know how dangerous it is, but I take it (that danger) as an accepted risk, even for spectators, but exposing a child, or allowing one to be exposed on a motorbike seems to me a nonsense. A few years ago another child died, but in a go-kart.

[10kDA]

Just saw this: Lorenzo Somaschini: Nine-year-old Argentinian motorcycle rider dies after crash at Interlagos | CNN

I can't grasp what passes for wisdom for some people. A nine-year-old child certainly did not set himself up with equipment and transportation for an event across a border using money from his paper route. Paper routes don't exist any more, do they? Did he monetize his social media content then? Who is/was being indulged here, the child or the parent(s)? Was a nine-year-old really calling the shots? I'm skeptical.

 

When my daughter was in her early teens she showed a bit of interest that maybe she might like to try motorcycle racing like Dad. I felt a little proud and a little apprehensive about it. Then she took a really bad tumble at the bottom of a fast hill while rollerblading. It settled the question for me in an instant. Not long after, a fellow racer who I knew slightly suffered paralyzing injuries in an on-track crash. I saw quite clearly how unfair it would be for my daughter to face losing her father, so I made up my mind to stop racing. Neither circumstance had to play out to get my attention.

 

My partner-in-crime and vintage race spectating accomplice has three grandsons. Her son-in-law is a high school football and wrestling coach. The kids have been pushed in athletics and each has had broken bones along with the casts that come with them, and one needed shoulder surgery after an injury. It's not my business so I say little to nothing, but I could not be comfortable seeing my kids (or grandkids) lugging around casts through a good chunk of the school year, or worse, summer vacation. Again, whose wisdom is being applied, and what priorities would be wise to observe?

 

Some of my friends have outlived their children and it's such an unnatural situation. These people grieve in ways that are quite different, more intense, and much longer lasting - maybe close to the forefront of their attention for the rest of their lives - than the grieving a person might suffer after a loss which might be more "expected".

 

RIP Lorenzo Somaschini. And may your parents find a measure of peace.

Edited by 10kDA, 21 June 2024 - 22:25.

[Ray Bell]

The sentiment you express is surely present with a lot of us...

 

But there are many who don't look at it this way:

 

Young karters. The six-to-nine year old class, I believe it was, and another class up to eleven, were competing at the Spa Go-Kart circuit when I went by there in 2016, they were from the Netherlands and competing for their national championship in their respective classes.

 

Their parents, of course, were right behind it all. Their fathers and uncles were wheel-aligning the karts as the kids were being fed by their mothers. And there was a greater incentive being put before them as they raced that weekend:

 

The Dream? And whose? You're quite right, the parents living out their dreams through their kids. It's been going on for some time now.

[Rediscoveryx]

Without taking any moral stance in the question of rider age (apart from acknowledging the obviously heartbreaking tragedy in a nine-year old dying in a motorcycle race); but what tends to be the age at when the MotoGP riders started competing? I mean, is it usual to start competing at such young age, or is it an extreme example?

[Vitesse2]

Reading the report I was struck by the similarities between the injuries which caused his death and that of Australian Test cricketer Phillip Hughes. Both due to a blow to the base of the skull and apparently because of inadequate helmet designs.

[B Squared]

While this is definitely tragic news, please keep in mind a 9-year-old can also get killed riding their bike down the street. If one sat around and thought of all the ways that they could exit this Earth on a daily basis by walking out the door and exposing themselves to life outside the house, it would certainly be a very boring and limited life in my opinion.

[Ray Bell]

You're quite right, of course, Brian...

 

My mention was more about the parent living their dream through indulging the child. We had one case here where a prominent photographer put one son after another into race cars, I think there was four of them, only one stuck it out and then not for that long.

[10kDA]

At the age of nine, it often happens that a kid will wake up one morning and decide to become a firefighter or an astronaut instead of a World Champion. Much was made of how Stirling Moss was groomed for racing success, and we've heard it all again with Lewis Hamilton, and many, many more over many, many years, not just involving the sport of racing. My point is that kids have a need to be kids and parents need to have the good sense to draw a line between that need and the child being an ornament to a parent's life.

[FLB]

I know this isn't a part of motosports that's normally covered here, but it's covered by Motorsport Memorial. There was a bad accident at the Vallyfield Regatta on Sunday. The hydroplane driver, François Leroux, died this afternoon. He was trapped under water and unable to breathe for several minutes. There will be an investigation as the drivers sre supposed to be protected by a 'cocoon' of sorts if the boat comes to rest underwater, complete win an oxygen mask.

 

Boat pilot in critical condition after crash at Valleyfield Regattas | CTV News (this is from Sunday)

 

The most recent update: La grande famille des régates est en deuil | Régates de Valleyfield: Décès du pilote François Leroux — 107.7 Estrie (fm1077.ca) (en francais)

 

The Valleyfield Regatta has been held since 1939. AFAIK, Leroux is only the second driver to be killed at the race, after Daniel Brossoit in 1991 (a spectator was also killed in the 1991 acciden that claimed Brossoit's life).

[Bob Riebe]

I know this isn't a part of motosports that's normally covered here, but it's covered by Motorsport Memorial. There was a bad accident at the Vallyfield Regatta on Sunday. The hydroplane driver, François Leroux, died this afternoon. He was trapped under water and unable to breathe for several minutes. There will be an investigation as the drivers sre supposed to be protected by a 'cocoon' of sorts if the boat comes to rest underwater, complete win an oxygen mask.

 

Boat pilot in critical condition after crash at Valleyfield Regattas | CTV News (this is from Sunday)

 

The most recent update: La grande famille des régates est en deuil | Régates de Valleyfield: Décès du pilote François Leroux — 107.7 Estrie (fm1077.ca) (en francais)

 

The Valleyfield Regatta has been held since 1939. AFAIK, Leroux is only the second driver to be killed at the race, after Daniel Brossoit in 1991 (a spectator was also killed in the 1991 acciden that claimed Brossoit's life).

He may have had a health problem that did not allow him to engage safety measure.

Sad, very sad as that is the boat race I hope to attend before I am too old to get there.

They do/did not run he Unlimied or Mod U hydros where deaths in Eighties were as bad as the old days of sprint cars.

[Nanni Dietrich]

An Australian rally co-driver, whose name was not released, was killed during a special stage of the Shannon's Rallysprint Mid-Year, held at Perth Motorplex on Sunday, 28 July 2024.

[Ray Bell]

I don't have a name, but found this:

 

Male passenger - it was during the morning ride day session ahead of the competitive Rallysprint in the afternoon.

 

So it occurred outside of the competitive event. I'm told that this kind of allowance of passengers in competing and non-competing cars goes on quite a lot with little attention paid to safety concerns.

 

Meanwhile, the CAMS (sorry... MSA) rules pertaining to safety in competing cars are becoming more and more restrictive, requiring F1-type standards for very low-level competitive events.

[Nanni Dietrich]

Another quite obscure fatality.

 

On 20 December 1935, the Parisian weekly L'Aéro published an article about the history of the Linas-Montlhéry racetrack, which also included a list of racers who had died on that track up until that time. The list includes a certain R. Dupré, the circumstances of whose accident remain completely unknown to this day.

 

A racing driver named Dupré, who participated in the Rallye des Alpes Françaises driving a Chevrolet in 1932 and 1933, has been identified, but the most likely candidate at the moment is Madame Dupré, a female motorcyclist in the 500 cm3 and 750 cm3 classes, who competed in various editions of the Coupe de l'Armistice and also a championship of the Motocycle-Club de France, held right on the Linas-Montlhéry track in 1925. Her last known appearance was at the Coupe de l'Armistice on 11 November 1926.

 

Any clue?

[LittleChris]

RIP Louis O'Regan.  

 

Manx Grand Prix© - Statement: Louis O'Regan

[Nanni Dietrich]

Another French obscure case from the early years of XX Century.

 

In late January 1907 several French newspapers published a short article reporting that René Pierret, a Joinville native who worked as an automobile driver in Paris, was killed in a race near Monte Carlo. It is not explained which kind of race this was, not even mentioning if it was a motorsports event.

 

We are unable to find records of a car race near Monte Carlo in early 1907.

 

The most likely conclusion is that Pierret was injured during the Paris-Monte Carlo-Paris regularity automobile race, which took place from 25 November to 05 December 1906, and died some days/weeks later.

 

More information?

Edited by Nanni Dietrich, 21 August 2024 - 08:14.

[LittleChris]

RIP Ryota Haga. 

 

R.I.P. Ryota Haga, Son Of Noriyuki Haga - Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News

[Nanni Dietrich]

A brief appendix to the discussion of the last weeks, regarding the spectators honored in the Motorsport Memorial. Only for your information.

 

We have received some e-mails from a young man, who told us several corrections to make in the page of the Motorsport Memorial dedicated to his late uncle, who was killed aged 14 by flying debris caused by an accident, while spectating a race.

A young spectator not a competitor.

 

He also sent us a picture of his (baby) uncle (he was not even born when the boy was killed).  Today, we've received a message from his mother, the deceased young spectator's sister. This is (part) of the text:

 

""I really want to thank you for your thoughtful and friendly help in correcting and adding to your website, the revision regarding my late brother. Since the accident, I have been saddened and frustrated by the incorrect information gleaned and reported by our newspapers at the time. I found it particularly disrespectful and undignified that my brother did not have the correct attribution he deserved as a spectator.

I did not realise that your website existed, until my son found it, so was thrilled to have the correction made and a photograph added. I do feel it is important to have the correct information and I thank you for ensuring this has been implemented.

Much gratitude

XXX XXX

""

Edited by Nanni Dietrich, 10 September 2024 - 06:22.

[Ray Bell]

Nanni, that is truly an indication of the value of the work of all contributing...

 

The human family exists to reflect God's love, these people recognise that and see great value in what you are doing.

 

John Medley once related to me about one of the survivors of the 1955 Bathurst tragedy, a story which belongs here. I cannot tell it and I don't know what the subsequent outcome was, but it related to the survivor carrying the scars of what they'd seen into the autumn years of his life. That story should also be told.

 

I related once before, I'm sure, how I was present for all but two of the deaths in Australian road racing over several years, that I felt that I personally knew two or three of those who died. Tim Mayer, Glyn Scott and (a little later) Max Stewart and Colin Trengove among them. Another seriously aging friend, Terry Cornelius, tells a story about Bill Stephens and the car in which he died which brings to light the human emotions which become stirred when thinking of the fate of members of this vast human family.

[LittleChris]

RIP Luca Salvadori , caught up in someone else's accident at Frohburg yesterday ( Sat 14/09/24) 

 

News, Tragedy in motorcycle racing with the death of Luca Salvadori, successful rider and YouTuber | GPone.com

 

Only became aware of this when, after finishing a rather unaccustomedly low, 3rd in the Sportbike race today at Oulton, a clearly downcast Edoardo Colombi mentioned that Luca was one of his sponsors.    

[Nanni Dietrich]

Chris Mudge, an American driver who raced in British Formula Ford events in 1975, was killed at Mosport on the weekend of August 21-22, 1976. He was a passenger in an Jaguar E-type that was hit head-on by another vehicle.

 

Another mystery, finally solved, thanks to Chris Mudge's widow who got in contact with the Motorsport Memorial researchers. A quite obscure, old fatal accident which happened at Mosport Park in 1976.

 

A freak non-racing accident occurred at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, on Sunday night, 20 June 1976, at the end of a racing weekend. After the meeting program was ended as scheduled, the organizers allowed racing drivers, team members and special guests - not spectators - to run the circuit driving their private cars. Ian Johnson, a mechanic for a Formula Ford driver who had previously raced, was allowed to carry a passenger in a Jaguar E-type, for one lap around the track and Chris Mudge, 26-year-old, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, joined him.

A successful Canadian racer, Chris Mudge had completed a "Jim Russell Racing School" course at Snetterton in the late 1960s and returned to England in the early 1970s to compete in Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic in Britain for several seasons. He returned home to Canada in 1976, with the intention of joining a Formula Super Vee team in the United States for the next season.

Almost twenty car started their laps, including Ian Johnson at the wheel of the Jaguar E-type, with Chris Mudge on board. While traveling at high speed on the backstretch, coming out of a blind corner, the Jaguar was hit head-on by a speeding station wagon coming from the opposite direction! It was the car driven by a drunk 19-year-old man, Michael Barry of Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, who had broken through a barrier to enter the track, driving in the wrong direction. The force of impact was so fierce that the passenger in the Jaguar, Chris Mudge was killed almost instantly, when a piece of the car cut his jugular vein.

Michael Barry was charged with criminal negligence causing death. Of the four teenager passengers in the station wagon, three received minor injuries and one girl had a broken leg. 

[Jim Thurman]

Another mystery, finally solved, thanks to Chris Mudge's widow who got in contact with the Motorsport Memorial researchers. A quite obscure, old fatal accident which happened at Mosport Park in 1976.

 

A freak non-racing accident occurred at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, on Sunday night, 20 June 1976, at the end of a racing weekend. 

So, another non-racing accident. Would make it eligible for Lest We Forget.

[Darren Galpin]

From the Cemetery Gardens 2022 race programme:

 

Moutoa Gardens, NZ - Boxing Day 1963 (so 26th December) - sidecar competitor Bill Linton of Hawkes Bay was killed.

[GregThomas]

From the Cemetery Gardens 2022 race programme:

 

Moutoa Gardens, NZ - Boxing Day 1963 (so 26th December) - sidecar competitor Bill Linton of Hawkes Bay was killed.

 

Motua Gardens circuit in Whanganui was only used in one year - 1963.

 

The Cemetery Circuit - Whanganui - continues in use today every Boxing Day.

[D-Type]

My computer raised a security alert when I tried to access the Motorsport Memorial website so I am adding this extract from Facebook here., which I think is more appropriate than "Mentioned In passing".  This is a Facebook entry verbatim.

 

"The Ireland born James Feeney, "Jimmy" Feeney as he was known, lived most of his life in East Africa, where he moved in 1948 working in the motor trade. He obtained the franchise for Peugeot cars in Tanganyika. The Tanganyika Motors Ltd., which he founded in Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (from 1964, Tanzania) in the early 1950s, was a successful Peugeot dealership and a great rally team.

Jimmy Feeney himself started his rallying career, becoming one of the best known drivers of East Africa, competing with some success in several editions of the East African Safari, then called Coronation Safari Rally, with Nick Nowicki in a Peugeot 203. In the late 1950s Feeney scored a win in the Tanganyika 1000, a thousand miles tough rally, and also came back to England, taking part in the RAC Rally.

In 1963 Feeney hired a promising Dar es Salaam rally driver, the Scotland born Bert Shankland, to join his Tanganyika Motors rally team. Shankland who also worked as service manager for the company, gained a begrudging respect from Feeney and the pair became firm friends. Driving Peugeot cars prepared and entered by Tanganyika Motors, Shankland achieved success for almost two decades in the country, scoring outright victories in the East African Safari in 1966 and 1967.

Jimmy Feeney lost his life at age 55, in an accident which occurred during a displacement stage of the 1000 miles Rally of Tanzania, formerly known as the Tanganyika 1000 Rally. While following the rally in a service Peugeot of the Tanganyika Motors rally team, Feeney collided with a parked truck and was killed instantly. Place of death is still uncertain, it happened in territory of Tanzania on Saturday, 03 August 1968 evening."

 

To clarify Jimmy Feeney's Safari record:

1953 Finished 7th in Class B, No Overall placings that year, (Peugeot 203)

1954 5th overall and 1st in Class B (Peugeot 203)

1955 DNF - minor accident damaged the fan and radiator leading to overheating (Peugeot 203)

1956 I'm not sure. He isn't listed as a finisher and gets no mention in the report I have.

1957 4th Overall and 1st in Class C (Peugeot 403)

1958 3rd in 'Leopard' Class (Class B), No Overall placings that year (Peugeot 403)

1959 5th Overall and 1st in Class A (Peugeot 203)

1960 I'm not sure. He isn't listed as a finisher and gets no mention in the report I have.

1961 20th Overall and 4th in Class D (Peugeot 404)

1962 9th overall and 2nd in Class E (Peugeot 404)

1963  DNF (Peugeot 404)

 

I don't have any results after that so he may well have retired from active driving in favour of driving a support car.

 

 

 

Edited by D-Type, 19 February 2025 - 00:14.

[Nanni Dietrich]

 

My computer raised a security alert when I tried to access the Motorsport Memorial website so I am adding this extract from Facebook here., which I think is more appropriate than "Mentioned In passing".  This is a Facebook entry verbatim.

 

"The Ireland born James Feeney, "Jimmy" Feeney as he was known, lived most of his life in East Africa, where he moved in 1948 working in the motor trade. He obtained the franchise for Peugeot cars in Tanganyika. The Tanganyika Motors Ltd., which he founded in Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (from 1964, Tanzania) in the early 1950s, was a successful Peugeot dealership and a great rally team.

Jimmy Feeney himself started his rallying career, becoming one of the best known drivers of East Africa, competing with some success in several editions of the East African Safari, then called Coronation Safari Rally, with Nick Nowicki in a Peugeot 203. In the late 1950s Feeney scored a win in the Tanganyika 1000, a thousand miles tough rally, and also came back to England, taking part in the RAC Rally.

In 1963 Feeney hired a promising Dar es Salaam rally driver, the Scotland born Bert Shankland, to join his Tanganyika Motors rally team. Shankland who also worked as service manager for the company, gained a begrudging respect from Feeney and the pair became firm friends. Driving Peugeot cars prepared and entered by Tanganyika Motors, Shankland achieved success for almost two decades in the country, scoring outright victories in the East African Safari in 1966 and 1967.

Jimmy Feeney lost his life at age 55, in an accident which occurred during a displacement stage of the 1000 miles Rally of Tanzania, formerly known as the Tanganyika 1000 Rally. While following the rally in a service Peugeot of the Tanganyika Motors rally team, Feeney collided with a parked truck and was killed instantly. Place of death is still uncertain, it happened in territory of Tanzania on Saturday, 03 August 1968 evening."

 

To clarify Jimmy Feeney's Safari record:

1953 Finished 7th in Class B, No Overall placings that year, (Peugeot 203)

1954 5th overall and 1st in Class B (Peugeot 203)

1955 DNF - minor accident damaged the fan and radiator leading to overheating (Peugeot 203)

1956 I'm not sure. He isn't listed as a finisher and gets no mention in the report I have.

1957 4th Overall and 1st in Class C (Peugeot 403)

1958 3rd in 'Leopard' Class (Class B), No Overall placings that year (Peugeot 403)

1959 5th Overall and 1st in Class A (Peugeot 203)

1960 I'm not sure. He isn't listed as a finisher and gets no mention in the report I have.

1961 20th Overall and 4th in Class D (Peugeot 404)

1962 9th overall and 2nd in Class E (Peugeot 404)

1963  DNF (Peugeot 404)

 

I don't have any results after that so he may well have retired from active driving in favour of driving a support car.

 

 

 

 

 

D-Type, Jimmy Feeney's page was already entered in the Motorsport Memorial and someone copied the notes to FB. Thank you for additional information.

http://www.motorspor...p?db=ct&n=10694

Edited by Nanni Dietrich, 24 February 2025 - 10:32.

[Dick Dastardly]

Just heard that Bill Price...synonymous with the BMC / BL Competitions Department in the 1960s and 70s...passed away yesterday..

Bill was involved in the department throughout most of its existence. He was Deputy BMC Competitions Manager throughout the 1960s, Manager of Leyland ST in the 1970s and finally BL's Competitions Manager in the early 1980s.

He also wrote a book The BMC/BL Competitions Department - Bill Price 1998 edition - rare book Mini | eBay  chronicling the history and achievements in those years.

[Nanni Dietrich]

According to an article published by newspaper Daventry Express (Daventry, Northamptonshire): "Three fatal accidents occurred in Northamptonshire hillclimbs during and after the years of World War I. A boy was killed at Doddington [Kenneth Brindley, 1921:  http://www.motorspor...p?db=ms&n=12103 ], a rider at Moulton Grange [James Hooton, 1914: http://www.motorspor...hp?db=ms&n=9220 ]

and a race car driver was killed at Castle Ashby"

 

The latter is still uncertain. No year, no name, nothing is known.

Edited by Nanni Dietrich, 31 March 2025 - 17:58.

[Vitesse2]

The Autocar listed 'Speed trials' at Castle Ashby on August 13th in 'Club fixtures' in its issue of August 8th 1908. It's been used much more recently for concours and club gatherings, but that description suggests a sprint rather than a hillclimb.