Speedfest Brands Hatch - Corvette crash / fire

Speedfest Brands Hatch - Corvette crash / fire

Author
Discussion

markbigears

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

276 months

Friday 23rd June 2023
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Did anyone else here see that poor guys reaction to totalling his fantastic prepared, first time out, vette?
I’ve never seen a driver so distraught.
Can’t find any footage of the incident online or indeed any news about it.

markbigears

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

276 months

Friday 23rd June 2023
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This was it an hour before looking amazing:



By the time I went into the paddock to see the damage, he had packed away and left

Sebring440

2,312 posts

103 months

Friday 23rd June 2023
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markbigears said:
Did anyone else here see that poor guys reaction to totalling his fantastic prepared, first time out, vette?
I’ve never seen a driver so distraught.
Can’t find any footage of the incident online or indeed any news about it.
Well, if you were there, tell us more about it?


roscobbc

3,624 posts

249 months

Saturday 24th June 2023
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I couldn't make Speedfest but talking to someone who was there - who commented that the car was a fresh hi-end build and its first time out - only saved by from a total burn-out by its driver with a fire extinquisher with (seemingly) no marshalls around? - also understood (reading inbetween the lines) that with such a large field of cars at least one driver didn't compete due to zero chance of a 'placing' with so many cars.

Oneball

865 posts

94 months

Saturday 24th June 2023
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I was in the race. It was just one of those things. It was a great effort to get so many Vettes together in this country. To my knowledge no one pulled out due to “not being likely to place”

markbigears

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

276 months

Saturday 24th June 2023
quotequote all
He did indeed put the fire out himself.
Marshall’s were very slow to react on that one.
I was at paddock, so didn’t see what actually caused the crash, just the impact and fire.
Apparently the other vette was involved had historic importance. I couldn’t see the amount of damage to either cars from where I was sitting.
A fantastic day, just a shame about this particular accident, I hate seeing classics having a shunt.
Great racing oneball, see you next year!

newsatten

3,907 posts

121 months

Saturday 24th June 2023
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Must be pretty heartbreaking for the owner driver whatever
But as you say “suck it up” and start again!
For me Speed fest is the V8 racing, great to see these old cars raging it!
Hats off to you guys !

bucksmanuk

2,331 posts

177 months

Saturday 24th June 2023
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I was a Scrute there on the day
It came to Parc Ferme for a look over, but the driver was fine, so not much for us to do
Definitely one of the nicest cars out there that weekend
A real shame

itsallyellow

3,692 posts

227 months

Sunday 25th June 2023
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Tim is a really good fast race driver, don’t think he’s had many big accidents though. The adrenaline can certainly mess with your emotions. You normally find him racing a Caterham or TVR Tuscan challenge car. Felt gutted for him as that vette he has built is beautiful! I’m sure he will have it repaired and back out soon.

We normally compete at Speedfest but just had too much on this year, will be back there next year.

Joeywinkle

250 posts

26 months

Monday 26th June 2023
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I was on post 7 (so Graham Hill) when this happened.

Had a chat with Tim when he pulled into us with an electrical problem on the Saturday - could tell how genuinely excited he was to be driving the car in anger.

On the "marshals being slow to react"; it's sort of rare that at Brands Hatch you'd have marshals on that side of the circuit in that location and even if you did (which weirdly I recall they actually did for this incident) we're not going running onto a live circuit. The race was red flagged a good 5-10 seconds after the car burst into flames, at which point Tim was already out the car and tackling the fire himself.

Genuinely gutted for him but fingers crossed he's able to get it back to where it was, it was an absolutely beautiful machine (and flipping quick aswell!)

Philipbrown77

1 posts

16 months

Sunday 2nd July 2023
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I was watching on Sunday, and saw the end of the accident. I believe 3 cars were involved. The 47 corvette and another trying to go around either side of the green corvette. The 2 outside cars both moving over leaving the green vette nowhere to go!

I got a couple of photos once I saw him get out, which was really quick. So not surprised he was dealing with the fire before the marshals.

I’ve some photos on my Flickr (same username) I’m just not able to post links unfortunately.