Weel given the all clear after big crash

Friday’s first practice was interrupted by a big crash at Reid Park between Paul Weel and Chris Pither, with Weel being air lifted from the track for scans and x-rays to his ribs and lower back.
He has since been given the medical all-clear after CT scans showed no major damage and will be in hospital for a few days with some bruising and a cracked rib but otherwise was fine.

Weel was sideways across the road after a spin and contact with the wall at Reid
Park when Pither arrived at full speed and ploughed into the side of Weel’s Commodore just behind the driver’s door.

Pither says he had no time to avoid the impact. “I came around the flip flop there flat out because I was on a flying lap, and realised what had happened but there was no way I could avoid the incident.

“I tried to steer the car left as much as possible but it was just unavoidable. All I could try and do was keep it off the driver’s door really.

“You just pull fourth gear coming through there and you are really hooking. Also
the car drops away and that naturally drags the car out to where Paul was parked so it was pretty scary.”

The TKR driver was unharmed in the incident.

“I’m all right, I’m just a bit shaken up, and worried about Paul now,” the young Kiwi said.

Showing his maturity and his composure Weel’s co-driver Andrew Thompson summed
up the feeling in the team.

“That’s motorsport and its just the way it is sometimes,” he said. “Luckily the car did it’s job, it’s a credit to the team at PWR to build a strong car because obviously it’s done its job, it isn’t looking too good right now but it protected
Paul. They are taking him to Westmead hospital for some further checks but he will be OK.”

Chris Pither’s co-driver, Kayne Scott’s immediate concerns were about the well being of the two drivers involved.

“My greatest concern was for Chris’s safety and my thoughts are with Paul as well. But he’s OK and that’s the main thing for all of us and that’s our focus from here.

“We’re just absolutely relieved that Chris is OK and we will gather ourselves up and move on.”

Team Kiwi set about working on the severely damaged car in the hope of making the race.

“Never say never,” Scott told VMag. “If there’s one thing Team Kiwi doesn’t lack is
enthusiasm… but it is a big crash and we’ve really got to evaluate what’s happened before we can fix it.”

The VE Commodore of Paul Weel and Andrew Thompson is too damaged to fix and is
unlikely to race again.

You can watch a video of the crash here: