In this video you will see My Uncle Wally Mitchell car number 19 crash. He made it to hospital with 80% burns, and started to recover but got Golden Staff from the hospital and died.
Around the same time Queensland Backseat Racing Drivers Club, was established in Queensland, which was a group of racing driver's wives who raised money by holding stalls, raffles etc. and in the early 1980's donated a HZ Holden Ute, to the Queensland Fire & Rescue Club, and this vehicle is the most recognised of all their vehicles.
https://www.qfrc.org.au/
I was at that meeting as my father was racing that weekend also. I was one of the founding members of Women for Wheels in Northern Tasmania. There were about 8 of us at the very first meeting, and it goes without saying we were all very pleased to be able to provide some degree of safety to the sport. It was unfortunate that it took Wally's accident to bring about change, but I guess you could say something good came out of something so tragic. Who knows how many lives we have helped to save, but it made all of us, wives, daughters and girlfriends more comfortable knowing there was improved safety for the drivers and officials.
Unfortunately Jacque is no longer with us, having passed away in 2002.
Until his passing Jacque looked after my 1962 MGB MK1 roadster, which I still have
Can remember back in the mid 1960's, Jacque also had a white twin cam MGA roaster
Jacque also competed in the Armstrong 500, now know as Bathurst 1000, driving a NSU Prinz in the 1960's
Jacque worked alongside Ivan Tighe, who is also no longer with us, engineering on the Repco Bradhams
Hope been of assistance
Thanks to everyone who has commented to Austpac You are quite correct with all of your memories he did indeed have a lotus and a BRM in fact it was BRM1, which I would have thought would have been kept by jack but in those days car builders including GMH did not place importance on keeping numbers, and simply sold whatever they built. I would love to know if Jacque Sapir is still alive?
I knew Wally. Trying to remember now if he also had a Lotus or BRM Formula Junior open wheeler fitted with a 1600 Ford Cosworth motor, and Hollinger gearbox and used to attend meetings at Calder and Sandown with him and Jacque. His racing mechanic was Jacque Sapir, who lived at Mt Waverley. Wally had a servo on Burwood Rd, Tally Ho. I was not at Symons the day of his fatal accident, and know it had long lasting effect on Jacque. Last time I saw Jacque was in the 1980's in Brisbane, when Jacque maintained my 1963 MK1 pull out door handle MGB roadster, which I still have and compete regularly club events MG Car Club Queensland . Wally will always live in our memories
Is This one of the cars you were thinking of? I think this one was Brabham 1. If anyone can ID the two either side of Wally. I believe one is Bill Renolds. It would be of great help if I could find out what track it is. Please. Thanks in advance.
I was on the infield which in those days were the pits and quite close to where the sports car driven by Wally Mitchell got out of control over the hump and crashed into what I recall were wooden crash barriers, and burst into flames. Thankfully, the sport is now much safer and our standards have certainly lifted since those early incidents. I have been following Motor Sport since 1962 and would rate the accident as a very low point of my love of the sport, still have very vivid memories.
I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that this crash changed Motorsport in Aus .The result of this crash Women For Wheels was started in Vic which then spread around the country and Fire resistant clothing became complusory
My god - what amazing footage. Very sad about your Uncle however, thanks so much for posting this on Shannons Club - it has such historical value. What type of car was your Uncle driving?
It was a home made car, made of parts from 2 Wrecks, one of which was Lex Davison's and I can't recall, just now, who owned the other car, it was made up of. It ran a Chev V8. Not sure what the body is, Corvette? If anyone knows I could do with that info. I am the writer and Producer of a radio/TV series called Lion's Den, which will tell the Wally Mitchell story as part of the Colin Coyle story of his 45 years life inside and outside G.M.H
Tell us your email address and we'll email you a new password.
By logging in via Google, you consent to Google sharing your information with Shannons. Shannons agrees to use this information in accordance with the Shannons Club Privacy Statement.
Comments
Austpac
Around the same time Queensland Backseat Racing Drivers Club, was established in Queensland, which was a group of racing driver's wives who raised money by holding stalls, raffles etc. and in the early 1980's donated a HZ Holden Ute, to the Queensland Fire & Rescue Club, and this vehicle is the most recognised of all their vehicles.
https://www.qfrc.org.au/
LordChristopher
Amazing, I believe fire proof suits and gloves were made mandatory as a reult of their hard work.
PWS77
I was at that meeting as my father was racing that weekend also. I was one of the founding members of Women for Wheels in Northern Tasmania. There were about 8 of us at the very first meeting, and it goes without saying we were all very pleased to be able to provide some degree of safety to the sport. It was unfortunate that it took Wally's accident to bring about change, but I guess you could say something good came out of something so tragic. Who knows how many lives we have helped to save, but it made all of us, wives, daughters and girlfriends more comfortable knowing there was improved safety for the drivers and officials.
Austpac
Chris
Unfortunately Jacque is no longer with us, having passed away in 2002.
Until his passing Jacque looked after my 1962 MGB MK1 roadster, which I still have
Can remember back in the mid 1960's, Jacque also had a white twin cam MGA roaster
Jacque also competed in the Armstrong 500, now know as Bathurst 1000, driving a NSU Prinz in the 1960's
Jacque worked alongside Ivan Tighe, who is also no longer with us, engineering on the Repco Bradhams
Hope been of assistance
John
LordChristopher
Thanks to everyone who has commented to Austpac You are quite correct with all of your memories he did indeed have a lotus and a BRM in fact it was BRM1, which I would have thought would have been kept by jack but in those days car builders including GMH did not place importance on keeping numbers, and simply sold whatever they built. I would love to know if Jacque Sapir is still alive?
LordChristopher
Austpac Thanks for your comments, yes you are correct in all of your comments. I will always miss him too.
Austpac
I knew Wally. Trying to remember now if he also had a Lotus or BRM Formula Junior open wheeler fitted with a 1600 Ford Cosworth motor, and Hollinger gearbox and used to attend meetings at Calder and Sandown with him and Jacque. His racing mechanic was Jacque Sapir, who lived at Mt Waverley. Wally had a servo on Burwood Rd, Tally Ho. I was not at Symons the day of his fatal accident, and know it had long lasting effect on Jacque. Last time I saw Jacque was in the 1980's in Brisbane, when Jacque maintained my 1963 MK1 pull out door handle MGB roadster, which I still have and compete regularly club events MG Car Club Queensland . Wally will always live in our memories
LordChristopher
Is This one of the cars you were thinking of? I think this one was Brabham 1. If anyone can ID the two either side of Wally. I believe one is Bill Renolds. It would be of great help if I could find out what track it is. Please. Thanks in advance.
LordChristopher
Porsche 911, do you recall how the car was made up? What bits were what, like what body, etc?
Your help would be appreciated.
LordChristopher
RM1 It was a home made car partly based on a Chev Corvette, it is number 19 so if anyone has more info feel free to contribute. It was called MR1.
porsche911
I was on the infield which in those days were the pits and quite close to where the sports car driven by Wally Mitchell got out of control over the hump and crashed into what I recall were wooden crash barriers, and burst into flames. Thankfully, the sport is now much safer and our standards have certainly lifted since those early incidents. I have been following Motor Sport since 1962 and would rate the accident as a very low point of my love of the sport, still have very vivid memories.
volvo2
I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that this crash changed Motorsport in Aus .The result of this crash Women For Wheels was started in Vic which then spread around the country and Fire resistant clothing became complusory
Porscheman
I have a recollection that this is Bluey Mitchell's red MG Holden. I think the car had a Repco head.. Was it once owned by Mick Watt ?
Cheers
Motown1
My god - what amazing footage. Very sad about your Uncle however, thanks so much for posting this on Shannons Club - it has such historical value. What type of car was your Uncle driving?
LordChristopher
It was a home made car, made of parts from 2 Wrecks, one of which was Lex Davison's and I can't recall, just now, who owned the other car, it was made up of. It ran a Chev V8. Not sure what the body is, Corvette? If anyone knows I could do with that info. I am the writer and Producer of a radio/TV series called Lion's Den, which will tell the Wally Mitchell story as part of the Colin Coyle story of his 45 years life inside and outside G.M.H