Porter death casts shadow over Bathurst.

[SlickHolden]

It might be very hard but can they move the drivers closer to the centre and maybe slightly to the middle for more protection from front and side hits?.
Another thing maybe it's about time they looked into DTM style. But that would take away the road car look i guess?.

Herd Murphy is going TKR next year?? To ford.

[whiteballz]

i didnt manage to watch the race unfortunately, nor see any footage of the entire event..

my heart goes out to porter's family and friends.

[blackhonda]

First of all, condolences to the family and friends of Mark Porter. If you get a moment today, spare a thought for parents who have lost a son, a wife who has lost a husband and a son who won't have his Dad around for all those things he'll need and want him for. Also think of David Porter, he will have those images and their terrible consequences on his mind forever, thankfully he looks like he will pull through, but the mental scars might never heal.
Our sport can be incredibly cruel at times.
To touch on some things that others have mentioned, hopefully our governing motorsport body CAMS will be able to have a steadying influence on those who would want to knee-jerk react to this terrible incident and attempt to either alter the character of the track, or modify or detune the cars (as happened after to F1 and Monza after Senna's death). There could be some merit in the idea of making the cars more like DTM cars, with the drivers closer to the centre line of the vehicle. It would mean that the cars would look less like their production parents, but given that they are basically a facsimile anyway, it probably won't be too much of an alteration. On the track side of the issue, to take away or alter significantly that part of Mt Panorama would gut the track of it's carisma (for want of a better word), it is a tough place to race at and asks a lot of those who go there. But would anyone really want it any other way?
Sad as it is, I hope some good will come of it.

[Monty_Burns]

There are so many accidents in motorsport - and these days, with all the safety gear and technology, it almost seems like the drivers are invincible - they always walk out of the wreckage and they're perfectly fine. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case for Mark Porter - my condolences to those close to him. To be honest, I thought he was going to be fine, but sadly, it wasn't to be. I also hope that David Clark can recover from this both physically and mentally.

Hopefully, there will be some sort of advance in driver safety to prevent anything like this happening again.

I think a lesson for all of us in this, is that if anything, is it's just a sport - we all love it when our favourite wins, and hate it when they lose, but at the end of the day it all has to be put into perspective. Things could all be a hell of a lot worse than going 7 years without winning Bathurst!

[fpv_gtho]

Theyve already looked at a control floorpan, which Holden wanted so they could homologate the VE supercar with the longer wheelbase but Ford knocked it back. I dont think it involved moving the drivers position or alterations to the crash structure.

A story from Chris Alajajian here: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=150395

[2ndclasscitizen]

I thought he would pull through to be honest, I haven't heard of fatalities in V8 supercars before, RIP

None in V8 Supercars before this, but this is now the 4th death at the Mountain.

[HSVLVR]

Oh my God. That is terrible. When was the last time a driver was fatally injured in V8 supercars. My thoughts go out to his family.

Well, the closest thing to what you said would be Lowndes in '99 at Calder Park(from what I recall).

[nota]

Our sport can be incredibly cruel at times.
To touch on some things that others have mentioned, hopefully our governing motorsport body CAMS will be able to have a steadying influence on those who would want to knee-jerk react to this terrible incident and attempt to either alter the character of the track, or modify or detune the cars (as happened after to F1 and Monza after Senna's death). There could be some merit in the idea of making the cars more like DTM cars, with the drivers closer to the centre line of the vehicle. It would mean that the cars would look less like their production parents, but given that they are basically a facsimile anyway, it probably won't be too much of an alteration. On the track side of the issue, to take away or alter significantly that part of Mt Panorama would gut the track of it's carisma (for want of a better word), it is a tough place to race at and asks a lot of those who go there. But would anyone really want it any other way?
Sad as it is, I hope some good will come of it.

Agreed, including your mentions about the knee-jerk and nobbling what is a magnificent race circuit

I know they're not always served up on national TV as was this accident, but to put things in perspective how many lives are lost week after week through seemingly placid activities like fishing, horse riding and heart attacks at lawn bowls? Peter Brock is quoted as believing that motor racing should include consequences, as a component, and adjudged against other banal sports or leisure pursuits it comes up as a pretty safe activity by comparison

[henk4]

I know they're not always served up on national TV as was this accident, but to put things in perspective how many lives are lost week after week through seemingly placid activities like fishing, horse riding and heart attacks at lawn bowls?

It is even more frightening to realise how many people die from being alive....

[nota]

It is even more frightening to realise how many people die from being alive....

... and as the saying goes, you've got to be in it to win it


Dunno if this still holds true, but an annual Oz medical statistic from some years ago revealed that more Aussies suffered a serious 'aquired brain injury' through horse riding, than through (the supposedly more perilous) riding of motorcycles

[SlickHolden]

First of all, condolences to the family and friends of Mark Porter. If you get a moment today, spare a thought for parents who have lost a son, a wife who has lost a husband and a son who won't have his Dad around for all those things he'll need and want him for. Also think of David Porter, he will have those images and their terrible consequences on his mind forever, thankfully he looks like he will pull through, but the mental scars might never heal.
Our sport can be incredibly cruel at times.
To touch on some things that others have mentioned, hopefully our governing motorsport body CAMS will be able to have a steadying influence on those who would want to knee-jerk react to this terrible incident and attempt to either alter the character of the track, or modify or detune the cars (as happened after to F1 and Monza after Senna's death). There could be some merit in the idea of making the cars more like DTM cars, with the drivers closer to the centre line of the vehicle. It would mean that the cars would look less like their production parents, but given that they are basically a facsimile anyway, it probably won't be too much of an alteration. On the track side of the issue, to take away or alter significantly that part of Mt Panorama would gut the track of it's carisma (for want of a better word), it is a tough place to race at and asks a lot of those who go there. But would anyone really want it any other way?
Sad as it is, I hope some good will come of it.

We lost my father yesterday the on the 9th it's been 26 years long. Every time Bathurst comes around we remember him as he loved it so much with a huge Passion, But in 1980 he was very ill and wasn't able to watch it my mother said.
My brother and i went to Bathurst last year and race day was the 9th, My brother and i got a little emotional, Our father never went to Bathurst but he was with us there.

[henk4]

We lost my father yesterday the on the 9th it's been 26 years long. Every time Bathurst comes around we remember him as he loved it so much with a huge Passion, But in 1980 he was very ill and wasn't able to watch it my mother said.
My brother and i went to Bathurst last year and race day was the 9th, My brother and i got a little emotional, Our father never went to Bathurst but he was with us there.

Thanks for the courage and wisdom to post this, it got me rather emotional too.

[SlickHolden]

Thanks for the courage and wisdom to post this, it got me rather emotional too.

I'm sorry if i upset you, I usually don't be so open about things like that. it's just it's been one of them weekends that has made it stand out more.
I usually hide bad things behind bad jokes.

[henk4]

I'm sorry if i upset you, I usually don't be so open about things like that. it's just it's been one of them weekends that has made it stand out more.
I usually hide bad things behind bad jokes.

You did not upset me at all, I (contrary to most of my contributions) tried to be sincere as well.

[Peter PaP]

Oh man i to was expecting him to pull through bad news.............. RIP Mark Porter

Wasnt there another bad crash in which Mark Skaife was involved in?