FEBRUARY 25, 2008

A fatal accident in Adelaide

Ashley Cooper, a 27-year-old V8 touring car driver in Australia, has died following an accident during a support event for the V8 Supercar frace on the streets of Adelaide. Cooper was competing in the Fujitsu series when he went off at high speed and went sideways into a concrete wall. He suffered serious head and internal injuries. He was taken by ambulance to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he remained in a coma and on life support until his death.

It is the second fatal accident in the series in the last 18 months. New Zealand driver Mark Porter died after an accident at the Bathurst 1000 in October 2006.

The V8 Supercars chief executive Wayne Cattach says that the cars comply with the highest standards for safety in touring car racing.