Neil Shanahan...dead at 19...R.I.P
Snake Oil
Formula Ford driver and Irishman Neil Shanahan died last Monday after
suffering an accident during a race this past week at Oulton Park near
Chester England...... R.I.P fella......
--
Cheers,
Benfica Bob
Douglas Ellison
Appauling tradgedy for anyone to be killed at such an early point in his
career. Does anyone know more details??
Many thanks and I'm sure all our thoughts are with his family etc..
Doug
Snake Oil wrote in message ...
Emma (#1)
>I head about this, but page 360 on Ceefax 360 didn't say anything.
>Appauling tradgedy for anyone to be killed at such an early point in his
>career. Does anyone know more details??
The following is from The Daily Telegraph - 1st June
Formula Ford: Driver killed in crash at Oulton Park
By Jim Holder
SAFETY concerns were focused on motor sport yesterday when up-and-coming
Irish racing driver Neil Shanahan, 19, was killed during a Formula Ford
championship race at Oulton Park.
The exact circumstances of the incident at the Bank Holiday meeting,
which drew a crowd of more than 30,000, are subject to an official
investigation. However, it is known that Shanahan hit the retaining
barriers at the Clay Hill Bend after an incident involving two other
cars.
Shanahan was one of Ireland's hopes for Formula One, having won the
country's Star of the Future award for two successive years, as well as
several prestigious karting championships. He moved up to Formula Ford
this season, the championship being recognised as a training ground for
grand prix drivers.
"He was taken from here straight to the hospital," said Dr Paul
Trafford, who treated Shanahan at the scene with two other doctors. "He
had massive injuries which weren't compatible with survival. His
injuries were just too great."
Following the incident, Ford issued a statement reading: "Medical
officers were called immediately to the scene where it was discovered
that Neil had suffered a massive trauma which induced a cardiac arrest.
He was resuscitated at the scene and immediately airlifted to the
Countess of Chester Hospital, but tragically died before arrival.
"The cause of the accident and subsequent injury has yet to be
established.
"This was a deeply tragic incident and our thoughts are obviously with
Neil's family, friends and team at this moment. We would like to thank
the medical staff and emergency services for all their efforts."
Shanahan's fatal accident came a day after a track marshal was injured
when British Touring Car Championship driver Russell Spence crashed
heavily in qualifying, his car landing in a spectator enclosure.
Oulton Park is regarded as one of Britain's most daunting circuits by
drivers as it features a series of high-speed, sweeping turns. Past
fatalities at the track have included the brother of ex-Formula One
driver Derek Warwick, Paul, who was killed during a Formula 3000 race
there.
A spokeswoman for the Brands Hatch Leisure Group, who own Oulton Park,
defended the track's safety record.
"This circuit is fully compliant with all safety criteria laid down in
the terms of our licence," she said.
Renault's British touring car driver, Jason Plato, was one of several
racers urging for improved safety measures in the wake of the incident.
"Unfortunately, motor racing is a dangerous game," he said. "No circuit
is 100 per cent safe. There are some walls which are a little close here
at Oulton and some of the Armco is a little low.
"What we have to do is learn from accidents and you could say that many
lessons have been learnt here in the past."
--
Emma (#1)
"As for the accidents and tragedy - the circus goes on.
There is no room for tears."
Francois Cevert, the day before he was killed.
MichaelJ
Em...@excalvehs.demon.co.uk says...
> Douglas Ellison wrote:
> >I head about this, but page 360 on Ceefax 360 didn't say anything.
> >Appauling tradgedy for anyone to be killed at such an early point in his
> >career. Does anyone know more details??
>
> The following is from The Daily Telegraph - 1st June
>
> Formula Ford: Driver killed in crash at Oulton Park
> By Jim Holder
It's ironic that drivers now take far more risks in the lesser formula
with more dangerous cars and circuits, than the overpaid single-file
moaners in Formula 1!
- Michael
Nemo
Mic...@particle-systemsnospam.com (MichaelJ) wrote:
>
> In article <ezlRECAW...@excalvehs.demon.co.uk>,
> Em...@excalvehs.demon.co.uk says...
> > Douglas Ellison wrote:
> > >I head about this, but page 360 on Ceefax 360 didn't say anything.
> > >Appauling tradgedy for anyone to be killed at such an early point in
> his
> > >career. Does anyone know more details??
> >
Hi,
I was at Oulton Park on Monday when the crash happened. Neil Shanahan was in
collison with a few others and he hit the barrier hard. He was attended to
immediately by paramedics for massive trauma but suffered cardiac arrest. He
was then airlifted to hospital but died en-route in the helicopter.
He was a promising racing driver.
Jane
--
------------------------------8<------------------------------
ne...@argonet.co.uk
Meiji
Alanis Morisette's
M
MichaelJ <Mic...@particle-systemsnospam.com> wrote in
<MPG.11c070585...@news.demon.co.uk>:
MichaelJ
formula such as Formula Ford. Virtually all attention is paid to Formula
1 when it comes to safety, and it's already by far the safest form of
motorsport.
- Michael
In article <3756...@newsread3.dircon.co.uk>, me...@nospamdircon.co.uk
says...
> How is that ironic exactly? Your grasp of irony is right up there with
> Alanis Morisette's
>
> M
>
Meiji
fatalities considering the number of races that take place and the actual
number of accidents that occur.
There are *no* safe forms of motorsport by definition and what needs to be
addressed in this accident is the circuit, not the cars. I've seen some
fairly horrific shunts in FFord and the drivers have walked away so they
can't be too unsafe... Oulton Park on the other hand is a deathtrap at some
points.
M
MichaelJ <Mic...@particle-systemsnospam.com> wrote in
<MPG.11c0ac5d9...@news.demon.co.uk>:
MichaelJ
says...
> I've seen some
> fairly horrific shunts in FFord and the drivers have walked away so they
> can't be too unsafe...
True, but they could do with the wheel tethers currently being used in
F1, IRL, CART
> Oulton Park on the other hand is a deathtrap at some
> points.
It is a little old-fashioned I agree, but I wouldn't like to see the
circuit go the way of many modern tracks with the spectators pushed back
so far that it becomes a pointless experience visiting races.
- Michael
Paul 'Ozymandias' Harman
MichaelJ <Mic...@particle-systemsnospam.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.11c1b5b83...@news.demon.co.uk...
> True, but they could do with the wheel tethers currently being used
in
> F1, IRL, CART
They've had a diabolical record in F1 so far. Frankly I don't see the
point, if they aren't going to work.
Ozzy
Meiji
<MPG.11c1b5b83...@news.demon.co.uk>:
>True, but they could do with the wheel tethers currently being used in
>F1, IRL, CART
Shame they don't work in F1 then.
>It is a little old-fashioned I agree, but I wouldn't like to see the
>circuit go the way of many modern tracks with the spectators pushed back
>so far that it becomes a pointless experience visiting races.
Well I can't say I want to spectate at a track where a car can easily get
over the barrier into the spectator enclosure like Russ Spence's Laguna did
last weekend. Lodge is hardly a place that they can say "Well a high speed
off is unusual" is it?
It's not unreasonable for both drivers and spectators to expect a
reasonable level of safety.
M
aej
>
>MichaelJ <Mic...@particle-systemsnospam.com> wrote in message
>news:MPG.11c1b5b83...@news.demon.co.uk...
>in
>> F1, IRL, CART
>
>point, if they aren't going to work.
>
tethered at the moment. It also seemed that when a car 'reverses' into
the wall, the rear wheel is torn off, but then stays trapped between the
wall and the tethered front.
--
aej
"Help! British American Racing under attack! Call the Police!" - BAR
truck alarm system