Two Spectators Injured in MINI Challenge Crash
While battling for position a MINI Challenge race car (while contesting a race in the Australian series) was bumped and went airborne landing and then sliding on it’s roof. However things got ugly when it dug into the gravel trap and begin cartwheeling end over end into a spectator area. Shockingly only two spectators were injured with only cuts to their face and hands. The driver was uninjured.
Official Release: There has been an incident involving a MINI Challenge race car leaving the race track at the City of Ipswich 300 at Queensland Raceway this afternoon.
A MINI Challenge car lost control and rolled over a protective barrier into a crowd gathered at turn six of the track. Medical crews and Police were on-site immediately.
Two spectators were injured and transported to Ipswich Base Hospital. The extent of their injuries appears to be relatively minor, pending full medical evaluation. Both were conscious whilst being treated at the scene. There were no other reported injuries.
The Mini driver was also transported by Ambulance to Ipswich Base Hospital for precautionary tests but was reportedly not injured.
No further information is at hand. More details will be released as they come to hand this afternoon.
Via AUSmotive
<p>Not only that, but another one crashed today!</p>
<p>That video was floating around Twitter yesterday. Reports at that time was that no one was hurt. Seemed impossible: I could not believe how fast that MINI cartwheeled, and how perfectly it went over the barrier. Bizarre to watch.</p>
<p>Footage of the second accident, at the same corner, can be seen on AUSmotive:
<a href="http://www.ausmotive.com/2010/05/02/another-mini-challenge-crash-at-ipswich-300.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.ausmotive.com/2010/05/02/another-mini-challenge-crash-at-ipswich-300.html</a></p>
<p>Again, the driver was fortunate to escape serious injury.</p>
<p>It was pretty weird to see a MINI totally lose grip like that; then again, he was nudged. The fact that the drivers were completely uninjured after crashes of that magnitude speaks volumes of the MINI’s structural rigidity.</p>
<p>Great that everybody is ok, a very nasty accident for sure. Lets hope for a quick and complete recovery for the three that were injured.</p>
<p>Wow! Well though the spectators were injured I’m glad the drivers were safe (after watching the videos.) I think they just need to adjust that one side of the race track, enough to protect from such interesting flip but not too much that the people who do enjoy such race can still see it as close as possible.</p>
<p>Just amazing that nobody was killed in that accident.</p>
<p>Unless extraordinary measures are taken, it is never a good idea to have a spectator area at the end of a high speed straight…</p>
<p>For those who haven’t watched the video, the car was equipped with a roll cage. Any idea how much a roll cage costs?</p>
<p>Between £400 – £800</p>
<p>Made it to US news.</p>
<p>when you see all the momentum the car had sliding upside down, then tumbling all the way across the ground to skip over the barrier, you have to wonder how 4 tires would ever slow the car down enough to stick through a turn!</p>
<p>Another amazing thing, after the avoidance of serious injuries, is so few pieces of the Mini came flying off. The hood was loose, but otherwise it seemed to say tight. Continue to hope all injured recover with only a story and video to show for it.</p>