Big crash at QR

Crash Test · 16 Feb 2004, 05:06 (Ref:875336)

At QR on Saturday there was a big shunt in the opening race of the day between Vern Hamilton and Russ McBurnie. Just after the start the two cars touched, with Russ flipping out to the infield to the right, and Vern hitting the wall on the left at a bad angle. Anyways, it seems Vern isn't in the best of shapes, and is in hospital with a couple of cracked vertebrae. I think he is in ward 2A at the PA hospital (please correct me if I’ve buggered that up, as he if allowing visitors to go and see him, and it would be pointless rocking up to the wrong hospital). Anyhoo, a speedy recovery to Vern, we need you back out there at Mt Cotton!

pete55 · 16 Feb 2004, 05:15 (Ref:875345)

Correct me if i'm wrong Crash, but is Vern a school teacher or at least was.

Crash Test · 16 Feb 2004, 05:17 (Ref:875347)

Not sure, he's mostly retired these days, running Vision Projects with wife Elaine these days. Especially sad considering that it was Vern's first proper circuit race in a few years after selling the Bulant, and the Elfin had just undergone a massive rebuild.

pete55 · 16 Feb 2004, 05:24 (Ref:875354)

Yes, get better soon Vern. He's been around motorsport for a long time. I remember him in the late 60's at Lakeside an Surfers in an Elfin 600 and later i think an Escort sports sedan.

RaceTime · 16 Feb 2004, 05:29 (Ref:875358)

Crash - what race meeting was this as there have been no results for the day/weekend posted...

Crash Test · 16 Feb 2004, 05:31 (Ref:875360)

RT- it was the Top Gear Classic AASA meeting, and I was told that the results for the weekend wouldn't be posted.

RaceTime · 16 Feb 2004, 05:36 (Ref:875362)

Any idea why? QR decision or AASA - either way looks like we are starting to slip back to the 1970's as far as results are concerned...

Crash Test · 16 Feb 2004, 05:36 (Ref:875363)

Pete- yeah, Vern's raced pretty much everything.

http://freepages.misc.rootsweb.com/~hamil/default.htm has some classic pics of all of his race cars

Crash Test · 16 Feb 2004, 05:40 (Ref:875367)

Not entirely sure.. the heat probably melted the phone lines, at least it killed all of the flies!

jetsetter · 16 Feb 2004, 11:43 (Ref:875646)

All the best to Vern, i've had the pleasure of seeing him race quite a few different sorts of cars over the years.

Crash Test · 16 Feb 2004, 21:43 (Ref:876228)

Good news this morning is that Vern is feeling a bit better, and it should be about 6 weeks before he is up and at em again. He's also cracked some ribs which punctured a lung, so if you go and see him, expect some jokes involving cracked chassis and deflated tyres

He's in room 5.2 in ward 2A at the PA.

hotgemini · 17 Feb 2004, 08:01 (Ref:876613)

Where did the crash occur? I was out there on monday and offhand I didn't notice any new smears on the concrete except perhaps one a little further down from where I went in just after the flag point on the exit of turn 2 (2a?).

Was it into the wall on the front straight? Before or after the pit exit? That little strip of concrete always makes me a *very* nervous man.

Crash Test · 17 Feb 2004, 21:26 (Ref:877589)

Yeah, it was on the pit straight. The latest is that they are still deciding whether or not to operate on both breaks. Anyways, best of luck Vern for a speedy recovery!

spook · 18 Feb 2004, 00:30 (Ref:877804)

hotgemini, where exactly is the "strip of concrete" that concerns you?

Are you talking about a wall or kerbing?

If your concerns are valid you should be talking to the CAMS National Track Safety Committee.

Vern impacted the pit exit wall 1/2 way between pit exit and the flagpoint approaching Turn 1. He left the straight & crossed the pit exit lane before hitting the wall.

RaceTime · 18 Feb 2004, 01:11 (Ref:877831)

Wouldn't he be better off talking to the track concerned? Surely they would listen to competitors if they have a genuine concer - and better to be pro-actice than re-active..

mmciau · 18 Feb 2004, 01:26 (Ref:877848)

Did something on the car fail and if so, what does the wall have to do with it - spook said he was off line to a considerable degree!

Mike

Crash Test · 18 Feb 2004, 01:33 (Ref:877849)

Nah, contact with another car put him into the wall.

spook · 18 Feb 2004, 01:43 (Ref:877856)

It occurred just after the start of the race, approaching Turn 1.

Apparently Vern lost drive, and was tagged by Russ from behind. Vern was turned hard left towards the wall, while Russ barrel rolled to the right sliding upside down for some 50m before flipping back on to his wheels when the roll hoop caught the edge of the track.

I did not see the incident myself, and the above was compiled by reports from a lot of the parties involved or those who witnessed the incident.

RT - you are correct, hotgemini should talk to QR about his concerns, but also if he is happier to just voice is opinion within this forum, I am sure that the message will be passed on to QR.

These forums achieve more open communication than letters, phone calls and emails. I don't know why, but may it always continue.

RaceTime · 18 Feb 2004, 02:01 (Ref:877868)

Hear what you are saying about maybe using the forums - but I think people here should realise they are NOT official channels to anyone. I am sure, if he has a real concer, contact the track - Rob Colgan or John Tetley - as long as he doesn't become 'angry', that they will listen to him calmly and respond the best way they can.

If they see a potential problem, I would be sure they would look at how to rectify it.

spook · 18 Feb 2004, 04:22 (Ref:877932)

RT - again I agree. But if people wish to discuss an issue openly and gather other's opinions before going through proper channels, than this is the best place to do that. In the end their concerns may simply be satisfied by opinions of others here, while others may become aware of an area of concern they were not aware of.

What am I trying to say - "If you have a safety concern, you should use whatever communication you want to convey your message". We can't be shy about safety.

hotgemini · 18 Feb 2004, 04:26 (Ref:877933)

I'm just talking about the small piece of kerbing seperating pit exit from the front straight. It isn't even the slightest bit of concern for any basically competent race driver and if I was in the driver's seat it wouldn't worry me at all. It certainly worries me a lot less than say parts of eastern creek. It just keeps me on my toes, you never know how the complete stranger beside you will react when they nick it.

RaceTime · 18 Feb 2004, 04:28 (Ref:877936)

So the 13 cm high special kerbing they are thinking of putting there won't be a problem? It is, after all, designed to keep the cars 'on the black stuff'

hotgemini · 18 Feb 2004, 04:40 (Ref:877939)

Its okay, I'd have no objection to that kerbing as long as john would make it a little taller and wider, so it'd be big enough to go in OVER MY DEAD BODY.

RaceTime · 18 Feb 2004, 04:57 (Ref:877945)

- nice comeback - wasn't expecting that...Take a bow....

hotgemini · 18 Feb 2004, 05:09 (Ref:877952)

I'll take this one, but do you have it in a large?

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