Drivers critical after smash
By staff writers and wires
October 06, 2006 HOLDEN driver Mark Porter has been critically injured after a 200km/h crash involving three cars on a blind corner at Bathurst today.
The 31-year-old New Zealander was directly hit by Ford driver David Clark at the top of the Mount Panaorama circuit during the Fujitsu series race.
"Porter clipped the wall, and Dave had nowhere to go and hit the drivers door at about 200km/h as Porter had come to rest in a blind spot," a witness at the scene said.
Stable ... Clark hit Porter hard. File pic
The pair were airlifted to hospital after being pulled unconscious from their cars following their 180kph crash in the second tier Fujitsu V8 Supercar series race.
Crowds cried "no, no get up" as paramedics performed CPR on Porter after taking at least 10 minutes to cut him free through the passenger's door of his Holden Commodore.
He was immediately taken by ambulance to Bathurst Base Hospital where he was stabilised before being flown by helicopter to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney in a critical condition.
After Clark was taken from his Ford Falcon on a sled stretcher and brought down from the mountain by ambulance, he was loaded onto the NRMA Careflight helicopter behind a white sheet.
Clark finally took off for Nepean Hospital in Penrith also in a critical condition.
Confederation of Australian Motorsport president Colin Osborne said CAMS and V8 Supercars Australia had initiated support services for the families of both drivers.
Porter spun sideways near Reid Park on the climb up the mountain. He then stalled his car and was left stranded in the middle of the track in an area blinded to oncoming traffic.
Chris Alajajian put his car sideways and ripped the rear of both his and Porter's car.
Clark, who also put his Falcon sideways in an attempt to escape collision, then crashed directly into the driver's side door of Porter on his driver's side.
Clark's Falcon was a total mess. Pic: Cameron Tandy
Police closed the circuit immediately after the accident, which happened on the 12th of the race's 14 laps.
Racing resumed after a one-hour delay with the Bathurst 1000 qualifying session.
Gemma Jones, a reporter for The Daily Telegraph who witnessed the accident on big screens at the event, said: "A third car had nowhere to go, lost control and slid sideways into one of the stricken cars.
"The impact was enormous due to their speeds. They were
doing about 200km/h on that part of the course. It threw the cars in opposite directions.
"The first marshal to one of the cars appeared to check the driver's pulse.
"He was unable to open the doors and motioned to other marshals nearby that he needed the 'jaws of life' to get the driver out."
Porter is based with the Gold Coast Msport Racing team. He celebrated his 31st birthday only last Monday. He is married with a one-year-old son.
Western Australia-born Clark, 26, lives in Adelaide and is married to Leah with three children - Kyle, Ashleigh and Reese. He is making his debut in the Fujistu series this year.
Porter was scheduled to partner Dale Brede in Sunday's main race, diving for Team BOC Falcon.
In the week in which motorsport prepares to honour the late Peter Brock who died in a rally crash last month, defending Bathurst 1000 champion Mark Skaife said the accident was another reminder of the dangers all race drivers face.
"We always go in there understanding motor racing is dangerous and we understand the risks," Skaife said.
"V8 Supercars are, by world standards, incredibly safe and this circuit over a long period of time had spent huge amounts of money on safety.
"I think Bathurst is as safe as any big fast circuit.
"We wish those guys well and their families too, there was a lot of concern up and down pit lane."
Ford driver Jason Bright, who qualified second fastest for Sunday's Bathurst 1000, said he hoped drivers would learn from the accident.
"You learn from every incident you see," he said.
V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane said the accident reiterated the dangers of the sport.
"Motor sport is an inherently dangerous sport," Cochrane said.
"It's a terrible accident and our thoughts are with the families and we just hope for a good outcome.
"We just have to wait and see."
Aftermath ... the scene at the top of Mount Panorama today following the 200km/h crash where three cars collided in a V8 Supercar supporting event at Bathurst.
Stable ... Clark hit Porter hard
Wreckage ... Porter's Holden was hit at 200km/h
