Jéferson Ribeiro da Fonseca's Fatal Crash @ Cascavel 1987 (Aftermath)
- 5 months ago
For quite a few years renowned Portuguese racing journalist Francisco Santos considered promoting races with heavy trucks - a form of motorsport that in which he had identified a significant potential for growth. After analysing the possibility of running a championship in his home country, Santos decided that Brazil - where most of the freight is transported by truck - would be a better launchpad for such a series.
Santos then promoted the I Copa Brasil de Caminhões at the Cascavel circuit located at the town of same name in the State of Paraná, in southern Brazil. That novel event was, in fact, the first truck race held in any Latin American country.
The event, scheduled to coincide with the weekend when the independence of Brazil is celebrated, was organized as a festival and attracted a very large crowd. One of the drivers that entered the race was Jéferson Ribeiro da Fonseca, a local touring car driver who was also the Sporting Director of that track. Competing trucks were essentially road-going machines, with minimal racing preparation.
During the race Fonseca's Scania slid off the notoriously difficult Bacião turn - a fast, downhill left-hander located at the end of the main straight. The Scania hit the dirt outside of the turn at overturned against an embankment, crushing the cabin. As the truck was not equipped with a roll cage, Fonseca suffered extensive injuries and died at the scene. He was forty-one years old.
Different accounts showed Fonseca's first name as Jéfferson or Jefferson.
The accident had repercussion in the whole country and much affected the development of truck racing in Brazil. It was only in April of 1995, almost eight years later, that another attempt to launch truck racing was carried out in Brazil - once again in Cascavel and this time capitained by Aurélio Batista Félix, a transportation business owner who had taken part in the I Copa Brasil de Caminhões. Despite facing many setbacks, Félix persevered through years of hard work and almost single-handedly transformed truck racing - now known as Formula Truck - into one of the best promoted and most popular racing series in Brazil.
Fifteen years after his death Fonseca was remembered at the fourth round of the Copa Canal 21 for Group N touring cars, held at Cascavel on 08 September 2002. The trophy awarded to the winner of that race was named after him.
R.I.P
Santos then promoted the I Copa Brasil de Caminhões at the Cascavel circuit located at the town of same name in the State of Paraná, in southern Brazil. That novel event was, in fact, the first truck race held in any Latin American country.
The event, scheduled to coincide with the weekend when the independence of Brazil is celebrated, was organized as a festival and attracted a very large crowd. One of the drivers that entered the race was Jéferson Ribeiro da Fonseca, a local touring car driver who was also the Sporting Director of that track. Competing trucks were essentially road-going machines, with minimal racing preparation.
During the race Fonseca's Scania slid off the notoriously difficult Bacião turn - a fast, downhill left-hander located at the end of the main straight. The Scania hit the dirt outside of the turn at overturned against an embankment, crushing the cabin. As the truck was not equipped with a roll cage, Fonseca suffered extensive injuries and died at the scene. He was forty-one years old.
Different accounts showed Fonseca's first name as Jéfferson or Jefferson.
The accident had repercussion in the whole country and much affected the development of truck racing in Brazil. It was only in April of 1995, almost eight years later, that another attempt to launch truck racing was carried out in Brazil - once again in Cascavel and this time capitained by Aurélio Batista Félix, a transportation business owner who had taken part in the I Copa Brasil de Caminhões. Despite facing many setbacks, Félix persevered through years of hard work and almost single-handedly transformed truck racing - now known as Formula Truck - into one of the best promoted and most popular racing series in Brazil.
Fifteen years after his death Fonseca was remembered at the fourth round of the Copa Canal 21 for Group N touring cars, held at Cascavel on 08 September 2002. The trophy awarded to the winner of that race was named after him.
R.I.P