Bentham’s David Wright and co-driver Michael Wilkinson were
lucky to escape without serious injury after a broken part on their car
resulted in a high-speed accident on last weekend’s Malcolm Wilson rally.After a good result on the opening BTRDA championship round in February Wright was hoping for another fine performance on his home event in his Kumho Tyres, Proflex, Drenth, York Brewery, Millers Oils, Owen Developments and Grove Hill Garage-backed GPM Mitsubishi Evo 9.
The event started with the Hobcarton stage and Wright was going well until the car stalled at an uphill hairpin costing him 10 seconds and leaving him in 13th place going into stage 2 in Comb forest.
Wright was storming through the stage and was all set for a top time when, towards the end of the course, a suspension arm broke while braking for a corner. With the car unable to steer it flew off the road and straight into a tree stump before rolling onto its side and setting on fire. Wright’s own fire extinguisher ran out with the flames threatening to destroy the car but fortunately fellow drivers David Bogie and Connor McCloskey stopped at the scene and they helped put the fire out with their own extinguishers.
“It was a scary accident,” said Wright. “We were slowing for a right hand bend and suddenly there was no steering, we went off and hit the tree stump head on with a very heavy impact. We got out of the car ok but then we had the fire to deal with. I’m very grateful to David and Connor for stopping, without their help the car would’ve burnt out. Thanks also to the rescue and recovery teams who attended.”
“We’re both bruised and shaken but it could’ve been a lot worse. The car can be repaired but there is a lot of work today. Hopefully we can be back out again soon.”
If the car can be repaired in time Wright’s next event will be the Somerset Stages in April.
