| Article 2359 of clari.sports.motor:
From: [email protected] (AP)
Copyright: 1994 by The Associated Press, R
Date: Tue, 24 May 94 6:00:10 PDT
Lines: 52
DARWIN, Australia (AP) -- The Cannonball Run auto race will
continue despite the deaths of four men Tuesday in a fiery crash of
a Ferrari driven by a millionaire Japanese dentist.
Akihiro Kabe and co-driver Takeshi Okano died in Kabe's Ferrari
F-40, and two Australian race officials -- Tim Linklater and Keith
Pritchard -- were killed at a checkpoint.
Reporters asked Kabe before the day's run began how it felt to
drive a Ferrari flat-out on the highway at speeds up to 185 mph.
``There's not a word to describe how it feels,'' Kabe said
through a translator, before beginning his fatal last race. ``We
can never do the same thing in Japan.''
He owned four $540,000 Ferraris.
He crashed 60 miles south of Alice Springs as the high-speed
cars were on a run toward Ayers Rock.
The Ferrari lost control and slammed into two race officials
standing at the checkpoint, then hit two official cars parked
nearby, police said.
The driver apparently was surprised by the corner, braking
suddenly before skidding in gravel and ramming into the checkpoint
vehicles, Channel Seven TV producer Richard Cunningham said after
speaking with witnesses.
The Cannonball Run, which began Sunday, is an open-road race
2,360 miles across the Northern Territory, which has no legal speed
limit outside the towns.
It is based on an illegal cross-country race organized in the
United States in the 1970s by auto writer Brock Yates and other
motor enthusiasts. The event was canceled in the 1980s before any
injuries or serious crashes had occurred.
The Northern Territory Cannonball Run had 142 starters,
including Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghines, Chevy Corvettes and
Ford Mustangs, with drivers paying dlrs 5,400 to compete.
The six-day race is being run in daily stages, with police and
official vehicles clearing the Stuart Highway in front of the
racers.
Kabe's Ferrari clocked the fastest time in trials at 141 mph.
Late Tuesday, organizers decided the race would continue on
Thursday, despite the tragedy and warnings from road safety
experts.
Traffic safety experts were surprised at the decision.
Even before the tragedy, the Automobile Association of the
Northern Territory voiced concern about the event.
The association's manager, Malcolm Pash, said the race should be
the last. Northern Territory Sen. Bob Collins also called for the
race to be abandoned.
Northern Territory chief minister Marshall Perron, a racing
enthusiast who dropped the flag to start the race, said, ``Safety
considerations were at the top of the agenda from day one for the
planning of the Cannonball Run.
``There is an element of danger in any competitive sport from
rugby to motor sports. I am extremely saddened that tragedy has
marred this great sporting event and lives have been lost,'' he
added.
|