Sunbeam rally accident
06 May 2009, 01:21 PM
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Sunbeam rally accident
You may of seen this on the news today, without doubt a proper accident.
I do hope no one was seriously injured
Sunbeam accident Devils leap Epynt 2009 - Rally Moments
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ir-115mph.html
Miracle roll: Rally pair's amazing escape after their car spins through the air at 115mph
This is the moment a rally driver had an astonishing escape after his car flipped through the air with such force it ripped off his crash helmet.
Darren Pool, 35, was travelling at 115mph when a gust of strong wind caught the side of his Talbot Sunbeam as it went over a small jump.
The car flipped five times on its side and twice end-over-end and at one point his crash helmet was seen flying out of the car window.
One of Darren's arms can be seen dangling out of the window and the whole ordeal was watched by his horrified family.
The battered car eventually came to a halt 150 yards from the tracks and rescuers feared he and co-driver Chris Beer, 37, had been killed.
But Darren suffered only minor cuts and Chris escaped with bruises to his face.
Both men were airlifted to hospital but have now been released following the horror smash at the RDP Welsh Rally Epynt in Wales.
Father-of-one Darren, a mechanic from Exeter, spoke of the moment he lost control of the car.
He said: 'I was going over a jump I'd done about 25 times before but this time for some reason we lost our line while we were in the air.
Scroll down to view the miracle roll in action...
'There was a gust of wind and we realised we were coming down all wrong and were going to land off the track.
'The car landed in a ditch and just started rolling over and over. After a few rolls my helmet was ripped off my head and at one stage my arms and legs were hanging out of the window.
'You have a very short time to react - it was very scary. It felt like we were in a tumble drier, although it was a bit of a blur really.
'I would guess we were only rolling for a couple of seconds but it felt like ten minutes.
'The bend where it happened is very accessible to spectators and it makes it even worse to know the family were watching 30 yards to the side.
'Dad came running over and said he was fearing the worst when he saw me. He really thought I was dead.'
Darren and Chris both lost consciousness momentarily before being removed from the car and flown to hospital to be checked over.
They were later released with just bruises after the crash at 9.30am on Sunday.
Chris, also a mechanic, said he felt 'lucky to be alive' after medics told him the force of the rolling car had forced his internal organs upwards and nearly ripped his eyes out of his head.
He said: 'It feels like I've been in the ring with Mike Tyson. But I also feel very lucky to be alive.
'After the crash I knew I had been in a serious accident and I was just relieved my arms and legs were still attached.
'When it happened we had just been congratulating each other on how well we had done on the first stage of the race - as we were lying in 6th place.'
The pair, who are both amateur drivers, know each other because Darren's wife Victoria, 34, is the sister of Chris's fiancie Carol, 35.
Darren's £20,000 car was written off in what was the first accident either had been involved in on the track.
View the miracle roll here...
I do hope no one was seriously injured
Sunbeam accident Devils leap Epynt 2009 - Rally Moments
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ir-115mph.html
Miracle roll: Rally pair's amazing escape after their car spins through the air at 115mph
This is the moment a rally driver had an astonishing escape after his car flipped through the air with such force it ripped off his crash helmet.
Darren Pool, 35, was travelling at 115mph when a gust of strong wind caught the side of his Talbot Sunbeam as it went over a small jump.
The car flipped five times on its side and twice end-over-end and at one point his crash helmet was seen flying out of the car window.
One of Darren's arms can be seen dangling out of the window and the whole ordeal was watched by his horrified family.
The battered car eventually came to a halt 150 yards from the tracks and rescuers feared he and co-driver Chris Beer, 37, had been killed.
But Darren suffered only minor cuts and Chris escaped with bruises to his face.
Both men were airlifted to hospital but have now been released following the horror smash at the RDP Welsh Rally Epynt in Wales.
Father-of-one Darren, a mechanic from Exeter, spoke of the moment he lost control of the car.
He said: 'I was going over a jump I'd done about 25 times before but this time for some reason we lost our line while we were in the air.
Scroll down to view the miracle roll in action...
'There was a gust of wind and we realised we were coming down all wrong and were going to land off the track.
'The car landed in a ditch and just started rolling over and over. After a few rolls my helmet was ripped off my head and at one stage my arms and legs were hanging out of the window.
'You have a very short time to react - it was very scary. It felt like we were in a tumble drier, although it was a bit of a blur really.
'I would guess we were only rolling for a couple of seconds but it felt like ten minutes.
'The bend where it happened is very accessible to spectators and it makes it even worse to know the family were watching 30 yards to the side.
'Dad came running over and said he was fearing the worst when he saw me. He really thought I was dead.'
Darren and Chris both lost consciousness momentarily before being removed from the car and flown to hospital to be checked over.
They were later released with just bruises after the crash at 9.30am on Sunday.
Chris, also a mechanic, said he felt 'lucky to be alive' after medics told him the force of the rolling car had forced his internal organs upwards and nearly ripped his eyes out of his head.
He said: 'It feels like I've been in the ring with Mike Tyson. But I also feel very lucky to be alive.
'After the crash I knew I had been in a serious accident and I was just relieved my arms and legs were still attached.
'When it happened we had just been congratulating each other on how well we had done on the first stage of the race - as we were lying in 6th place.'
The pair, who are both amateur drivers, know each other because Darren's wife Victoria, 34, is the sister of Chris's fiancie Carol, 35.
Darren's £20,000 car was written off in what was the first accident either had been involved in on the track.
View the miracle roll here...
Last edited by cossie-nutter; 06 May 2009 at 01:24 PM.
06 May 2009, 02:56 PM
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Still they obviously spent the money wisely on the structure.Lucky guys.
06 May 2009, 03:05 PM
#7
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Very lucky guys, although I doubt it was 115mph..
Makes you question the wisdom of rallying with open face helmets, no HANS devices, and no window mesh.
Full credit to the person that built the cage in that one, although rolling dissipates a lot of the energy.
Makes you question the wisdom of rallying with open face helmets, no HANS devices, and no window mesh.
Full credit to the person that built the cage in that one, although rolling dissipates a lot of the energy.
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06 May 2009, 03:28 PM
#9
I have crashed at exactly the same spot , take the jump too far right and you run over the grass , he did exactly the same as me , gust of wind my **** 
115mph sound about right as I was doing about that speed over there , and my lid came off and I was waving at the crowds lol , scarey at the time , but didn't take long to get over it
115mph sound about right as I was doing about that speed over there , and my lid came off and I was waving at the crowds lol , scarey at the time , but didn't take long to get over it
06 May 2009, 03:49 PM
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About the going rate for that kind of car, will only go up in price...if you can keep it in one piece that is. My mate just paid 30k for his mk2 escort.
06 May 2009, 03:54 PM
#12
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Typical Eppynt accident, once the wheels were on the grass after the jump it was all over....
Glad they were both okay tho because a chap I knew lost his crash helmet in a roll and did'nt live to tell the tale....
Glad they were both okay tho because a chap I knew lost his crash helmet in a roll and did'nt live to tell the tale....
06 May 2009, 03:59 PM
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It was a huge one. He didnt lift at all for the jump and as Ian said,he dropped 2 wheels on the grass then it was passenger time
Here is what it looked like after.
Here is what it looked like after.
06 May 2009, 05:34 PM
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Glad they are both OK, Brown trouser moment me thinks Just goes to show what a decent roll cage can do!!!!!!!Cheers
Colin
