When it isn't your time (7 pics)

[KennyG]

Brands Hatch today. This is the most horrific looking Formula Ford accident I have seen in all my years involved with motorsport. Not a lot left of it at the end. The driver collapsed but ended up just badly shaken. Th last shot is of how the car was three laps earlier to give you an idea of just how badly it was damaged. No other comments:

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-31.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-32.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-33.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-34.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-35.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-36.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-37.jpg

I'll check up on how he is and report back.

[Dave_G]

whoaaa!

was he airborne when he hit the gravel first time, or just going UBER fast?

main thing is he's alright.

[HJMinard]

Nice capture, Kenny. Looks like he's okay. Amazing, really ... it doesn't look like there's room left for his legs in what's left of the car.

[PaCiFiSt]

Thats crazy. and he walked away. Cars are made well...

[Steve Parr]

Shot #6 is the amazing one. He's climbing out of the car...

Steve

[ImperialRed]

Insane wreck...but it is so nice to see that tub still in tact after the wreck.

[Cadwell]

Gods, Ken that was a big one. Glad the driver is OK. I hate to see that sort of thing happening at a circuit. Is that the Paddock Hill gravel trap?

[KennyG]

Hi Glenn, yes it is, The shot was taken from the other end of the trap. I know the car and team very well as I did their advertising shots for them. It speared the tyre wall nose on. It started as what appeared to be a minor shunt with one of the team JLR cars and ended up in the mess above.

[myth337]

interesting parking maneuver... hope the driver woke up after he collapsed...

nice sequence of destruction.

[KartGirlsMom]

Great sequence. When something like that happens in my vision, I ususally stand there, camera in my hand thinking, "oh, my gosh, oh my gosh".

My husband once had a FF accident with similar results. I remember when he called to tell the car owner about it, I could hear his side of the conversation. My husband's answer was "well, I think we can save the battery." The car owner's question was, "what's salvageable on the car?" I'm not sure this guy's battery made it through ok. Bet he was sore for a couple of days.

[Cadwell]

If my track geography isn’t awry, Ken’s last picture; the one from “three laps earlier” was taken from pretty close to where that car hit the tyre wall…

[KennyG]

Glenn, you are dead on. If I had continued to shoot from there then I would have had a much closer view (too close). Anyway, the day wasn't all broken cars and gravel:

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images75/bh-04.jpg

Britcar this coming weekend.

[Simon Harrison]

Ken, that sequence is frightening. The car is totally destroyed (stating the obvious), but just look where the radiator ends up. That can't have been pleasant to watch if you know the team and drivers. Thank goodness the driver was unhurt.

Are they pickup trucks in the last shot you posted?

Cheers,

Simon.

[KennyG]

Hi Simon, Yes pickups with drivers that must have served their time as 'white van men'. Think of it as a heavyweight four-wheel contact sport. It is very close racing, especially on the short Indy circuit, and they stay bunched up for the full race. The above shot was the penultimate lap.

Anyone behind the fencing when the FF hit would have been badly scalded for sure. The team is run by Myerscough College in Lancashire. They have two cars in the series and use them for the motorsport engineering and design degree courses. Central Lancs Uni, just up the road, runs one in the NW FF. There are a few FF's from the Lancashire area that are run by colleges and Uni's. It is a real hotbed of motorsport.

[coatsie]

Kenny, brilliant shots - cannot believe the driver walked away from that! Everything has been said before so nothing more to say other than 'B*oo*y 'ell!!

Guessing you got a bit of a shock as well?

Mal

[Dave_G]

Kenny - I thought it was the Myerscough College car...didn't realise they had 2 entries. Looking back through my photos I have some of the other car.

[defordphoto]

Kenny: Gotta love that right-place, right-time thing eh? Good thing you were on a high shutter speed to catch that in all its glory. Good to hear the driver walked. Not surprised he collapsed. He took some nasty g's there for sure!

Great capture!

[Blue Deuce]

I am as amazed he walked away as I am you were able to take these. How come I am never in the right place ?

[DwightMcCann]

Mind numbing ... stupendous captures! I've shot one downhill bike race and have some crash series that I was actually surprised at when I downloaded and saw the detail. That image of him getting out of the tub is one of the most amazing sports shots I've ever seen. Phew!

[RockOne]

Ken. This is an awesome series of pictures. Not sure I'd have got anything near as steady, due to my heart racing. Glad that he got out OK. I'm sure that when you show him these pictures he'll realise how lucky he was.