Leigh Mundy & Dennis Neagle's Fatal Crash @ Targa Tasmania 2021 (Aftermath)
- 4 months ago
Three racers were killed in two separate accidents that happened during the 2021 Targa Tasmania, scheduled to be held from 19 to 24 April 2021.
The first fatal accident happened on Friday, 23 April 2021, during the "Mount Arrowsmith" special stage, when Shane Navin rolled his Mazda RX-7 into a culvert and was killed.
Despite the fatality, the rally was not stopped and continued on Saturday, 24 April 2021. About 11h45, the bright green 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS bearing the race number #902, driven by Leigh Mundy, 68, with co-driver Dennis Neagle, 59, went out of control 6.2 kilometers (3.85 miles) after the start of the Cygnet special stage. The car went off the road and crashed into a tree by the passenger side. Impact was so fierce that it sounded like an explosion. Both racers were killed instantly and the remaining stages of the event were subsequently cancelled.
Leigh Mundy lived in Hobart, Tasmania, where he had worked in his family’s wholesale meat business. He started competing in grand prix rally style events, and placed second outright in the 1992 Duttons Grand Prix Rally. When the Targa Tasmania was announced in his home state he was an early entrant and achieved much success in its early years, including:
- fifth outright and first in category in 1994, driving a 1985 Ruf Porsche 930;
- first in category in 1997, and second in the Classic Competition and first in category in 1998, driving a 1974 Porsche 911 RSR;
- first in the Historic Competition in 1999, driving a 1926 Chrysler.
Mundy also competed in a number of Australian Porsche Cup races, and some Tasmanian circuit racing. After time away from the sport due to ill health he returned to Targa competition for the first time in over twenty years in 2021, having completed the Targa High Country and the Adelaide Rally co-driven by Neagle, prior to entering Targa Tasmania.
Mundy and Neagle became the fourth and fifth racers who lost their lives during Targa Tasmania in its 29-year history. Two fatal accidents happened before 2021 edition: in 1996 co-driver Ian Johnston was killed during Riana special stage and driver John Mansell crashed fatally during the 2013 edition.
R.I.P
The first fatal accident happened on Friday, 23 April 2021, during the "Mount Arrowsmith" special stage, when Shane Navin rolled his Mazda RX-7 into a culvert and was killed.
Despite the fatality, the rally was not stopped and continued on Saturday, 24 April 2021. About 11h45, the bright green 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS bearing the race number #902, driven by Leigh Mundy, 68, with co-driver Dennis Neagle, 59, went out of control 6.2 kilometers (3.85 miles) after the start of the Cygnet special stage. The car went off the road and crashed into a tree by the passenger side. Impact was so fierce that it sounded like an explosion. Both racers were killed instantly and the remaining stages of the event were subsequently cancelled.
Leigh Mundy lived in Hobart, Tasmania, where he had worked in his family’s wholesale meat business. He started competing in grand prix rally style events, and placed second outright in the 1992 Duttons Grand Prix Rally. When the Targa Tasmania was announced in his home state he was an early entrant and achieved much success in its early years, including:
- fifth outright and first in category in 1994, driving a 1985 Ruf Porsche 930;
- first in category in 1997, and second in the Classic Competition and first in category in 1998, driving a 1974 Porsche 911 RSR;
- first in the Historic Competition in 1999, driving a 1926 Chrysler.
Mundy also competed in a number of Australian Porsche Cup races, and some Tasmanian circuit racing. After time away from the sport due to ill health he returned to Targa competition for the first time in over twenty years in 2021, having completed the Targa High Country and the Adelaide Rally co-driven by Neagle, prior to entering Targa Tasmania.
Mundy and Neagle became the fourth and fifth racers who lost their lives during Targa Tasmania in its 29-year history. Two fatal accidents happened before 2021 edition: in 1996 co-driver Ian Johnston was killed during Riana special stage and driver John Mansell crashed fatally during the 2013 edition.
R.I.P