Sharon Myers Fatal Crash @ Winton 1988 (Aftermath)
- 5 months ago
The accident occurred on the 24th of the 50-lap third round of the 1988 Shell Ultra Australian Touring Car Championship, held at Winton Motor Raceway, near Benalla, in northeastern state of Victoria, Australia, on Sunday, 10 April 1988.
While travelling in 10th position, New Zealander Tony Hunter's Holden Commodore lost a wheel on the exit of the second corner. The wheel-rim and tyre bounced over a ditch, cleared two safety fences and landed into the crowd some 80 metres from the car, hitting Sharon Myers, a 9-year-old girl spectator. She was pronounced dead on arrival at Benalla District Hospital, from chest and neck injuries.
A native of Lavington, near Albury, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, less than 100 kilometers north of Benalla, Sharon Myers was spectating the race with her parents.
Five other spectators were treated by the ambulance crews at the circuit after the accident. This was reported to be the first spectator fatality in the Benalla Auto Club's 26-year history at Winton.
After the accident the race was not stopped and former Australian open-wheel champion John Bowe in a Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth was the winner by half-a-lap, from Colin Bond in another Sierra, and the defending champion Jim Richards, third in a BMW M3. The event was marred by other crashes, including the one of the leader of the championship Dick Johnson, who collided with Larry Perkins' Holden VK Commodore on the first lap.
It was a black weekend in Australian motorsport, that same day Werner Rodkin lost his life during a Victorian Hillclimb Championship race at Mount Tarragower.
R.I.P
While travelling in 10th position, New Zealander Tony Hunter's Holden Commodore lost a wheel on the exit of the second corner. The wheel-rim and tyre bounced over a ditch, cleared two safety fences and landed into the crowd some 80 metres from the car, hitting Sharon Myers, a 9-year-old girl spectator. She was pronounced dead on arrival at Benalla District Hospital, from chest and neck injuries.
A native of Lavington, near Albury, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, less than 100 kilometers north of Benalla, Sharon Myers was spectating the race with her parents.
Five other spectators were treated by the ambulance crews at the circuit after the accident. This was reported to be the first spectator fatality in the Benalla Auto Club's 26-year history at Winton.
After the accident the race was not stopped and former Australian open-wheel champion John Bowe in a Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth was the winner by half-a-lap, from Colin Bond in another Sierra, and the defending champion Jim Richards, third in a BMW M3. The event was marred by other crashes, including the one of the leader of the championship Dick Johnson, who collided with Larry Perkins' Holden VK Commodore on the first lap.
It was a black weekend in Australian motorsport, that same day Werner Rodkin lost his life during a Victorian Hillclimb Championship race at Mount Tarragower.
R.I.P