Sean Edwards killed
Discussion
Race Track Owner said:
"It's a piece of road, it doesn't do anything,"
"It's what people do on it that counts.
I hate to risk derailing a solemn thread but I can't let this one pass uncommented."It's what people do on it that counts.
I can understand the guy being protective of his livelihood but as a driver I find that attitude pretty offensive. There are a multitude of situations where a driver can be minimally at fault or not at all at fault, such as a brake failure which I've experienced more than once myself.
Fair enough that no-one had been killed at that track up until that point but they now have, and to dismiss any shortcomings of the circuit that have been highlighted in this accident is short sighted in the extreme.
The Wookie said:
Race Track Owner said:
"It's a piece of road, it doesn't do anything,"
"It's what people do on it that counts.
I hate to risk derailing a solemn thread but I can't let this one pass uncommented."It's what people do on it that counts.
I can understand the guy being protective of his livelihood but as a driver I find that attitude pretty offensive. There are a multitude of situations where a driver can be minimally at fault or not at all at fault, such as a brake failure which I've experienced more than once myself.
Fair enough that no-one had been killed at that track up until that point but they now have, and to dismiss any shortcomings of the circuit that have been highlighted in this accident is short sighted in the extreme.
The track was woefully under standard in terms to what we would regard as good safety levels. I'm told that some drivers won't go there because of their concerns.
I suspect that there was a complete brake failure and the novice driver couldn't slow down before hitting a 2 layer tyre wall that was infront of a concrete wall. Makes me shudder - i had a front wishbone failure at Brands this year - 120mph little or no steering or brakes. Thankfully the gravel dramatically slowed me down - here it looks like a dirt or sand area. It would have done nothing.
woof said:
Hey Ollie
The track was woefully under standard in terms to what we would regard as good safety levels. I'm told that some drivers won't go there because of their concerns.
I suspect that there was a complete brake failure and the novice driver couldn't slow down before hitting a 2 layer tyre wall that was infront of a concrete wall. Makes me shudder - i had a front wishbone failure at Brands this year - 120mph little or no steering or brakes. Thankfully the gravel dramatically slowed me down - here it looks like a dirt or sand area. It would have done nothing.
Hello mate. I have to say I didn't want to pass judgement from some pixelated shots of the track, but I suspected as much.The track was woefully under standard in terms to what we would regard as good safety levels. I'm told that some drivers won't go there because of their concerns.
I suspect that there was a complete brake failure and the novice driver couldn't slow down before hitting a 2 layer tyre wall that was infront of a concrete wall. Makes me shudder - i had a front wishbone failure at Brands this year - 120mph little or no steering or brakes. Thankfully the gravel dramatically slowed me down - here it looks like a dirt or sand area. It would have done nothing.
I sympathise, I had effectively total brake failure last year in the Golf heading down to Cascades at Oulton; 130mph+ on the approach, hit the pedal and nothing. Eventually with a massive amount of force I managed to lock a rear wheel and spin it (we'd put rubbish pads in the back as I'd been complaining of iffy bias for the last few rounds with no problem found...) but I still ended up hitting the barrier absolutely head on.
Not only did I walk away totally unscathed but the boys actually had the car fixed and back out for the next session, despite hitting the barrier at a high enough speed that I was pummelling at it expecting to get knocked out.
A proper gravel run off, 5 or 6 rows of tyres with an Armco (that did its job and detached from the ground) behind it, the car ended up with it mid point over the post holes! If it had been a couple of loose tyres and a concrete retaining wall I'd have probably suffered a similar fate.
Not sure this speculation from 12k miles away helps at all. However for balance, one of my clients, Erebus Motorsport, use the track as their regular test track for the V8's; and I'm sure as many people in the UK will not race at circuits like Coombe, Thruxton & Mallory for the same reasons you voice.
Also the driver wasn't a complete novice - driving in the Oz equivalent GT3 Challenge with his family team.
It appears to be, and remains, a tragic accident and the motorsport community is substantially worse off for losing Sean. Its over used, but he was a real talent and his ability to move between machinery and win races across the globe, of all lengths, showed all that followed his career, that his stock was in the ascendancy.
Also the driver wasn't a complete novice - driving in the Oz equivalent GT3 Challenge with his family team.
It appears to be, and remains, a tragic accident and the motorsport community is substantially worse off for losing Sean. Its over used, but he was a real talent and his ability to move between machinery and win races across the globe, of all lengths, showed all that followed his career, that his stock was in the ascendancy.
MMC Andy said:
and I'm sure as many people in the UK will not race at circuits like Coombe, Thruxton & Mallory for the same reasons you voice.
You're right, I apologise and it probably isn't helpful but I just couldn't let the appalling attitude of the circuit owner pass. Also FWIW I would consider Coombe in a slower car but wouldn't race at either of the other circuits you mention if I had an easy choice.
woof said:
I suspect that there was a complete brake failure and the novice driver couldn't slow down before hitting a 2 layer tyre wall that was infront of a concrete wall. Makes me shudder - i had a front wishbone failure at Brands this year - 120mph little or no steering or brakes. Thankfully the gravel dramatically slowed me down - here it looks like a dirt or sand area. It would have done nothing.
I was looking at some of the overhead shots trying to work out what had happened and brake failure would seem to be a sensible option as I couldn't see any skid tracks leading to the impact point. Also the fact that the run-off area has fire engines etc standing on it would seem to indicate that it was not a gravel runoff area.I do believe there are a number of circuits where gravel traps have been replaced with tarmac, problem is there are pro's and cons of both.
Hopefully lessons will be learned from this incident which will benefit other users of race circuits around the world.
Tribute from his mother in the Evening Standard
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/mothers-tribute-...
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/mothers-tribute-...
Drive /Shakedown for Sean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaMM6fhNuF8
Rude-boy said:
I really want a couple of stickers like that. Not fussed about the AMR bit but the wrapped car and logo just gave me a jolt.
Thanks I was abit iffy when I was designing it on how other people would react, i sent Jeroen Bleekemolen a message before I finished it off to see what he thought and he like it. Nice to see the BBC mention Sean as one of the fallen of 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/sports-personality/25...
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