APRIL 26, 2006

A reminder in New Zealand

There are some who think that motor racing has become so safe that the issue is no longer important, but racing at the Pukekohe Park Raceway in New Zealand over the weekend gave a clear reminder that safety cannot be taken for granted. The local Porsche GT3 Cup series witnessed an extraordinary accident in which the car driven by Dean Fulford took down a three metre high safety fence and ended up in the lower part of the grandstand, where fortunately the crowd was not allowed to stand. However part of the car did end up in the spectator area and a barrier to keep back the people was bent backwards. Fortunately no-one was injured in the accident.

The circuit has an international safety rating and the safety measures did what they were supposed to do but ultimately forces of nature and an unusual accident combined to give everyone a fright.