Race Memorials PDF Print E-mail

Over the years Mount Panorama has claimed the lives of some of its visiting racers. Mount Panorama is the premier motor racing circuit in Australia. This track has seen heartbreak and ecstasy, but it is all overshadowed when we think of those race drivers and riders who fail to tame it.

 

Since the opening of the track in 1938, 15 brave competitors have lost their lives to the Mountain, though not in vain. Each death has made the track safer and rules and restrictions tighter to ensure such tragic accidents no longer occur. The most noticable change to the track was in 1987 with the introduction of the Chase, a section of track inserted in Conrod Straight. This section created a sweeping right hand turn before a sharp left and right combination in order to slow down competitors. The Chase was built to comply with FIA standards as Conrod straight, at the time, exceeded the maximum length of an unbroken straight, and therefore created excessive speed.

 

 

Mike Burgmann Memorial

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A number of deaths at the Mount were in its early days when motorcylce racers were still a prominent fixture on the Mount Panorama calendar. Given the nature of the track and its close barriers, motorcylces are no longer seen at Mount Panorama. If a rider were to drop his bike in a corner, the lack of run-off on a number of corners would see them in contact the wall at life threatning speeds.

 

 

Date Driver/Rider Vehicle/Race
17 April 1949 Jack Johnson MG TC, Easter Motorcycle Races

5 April 1958

Barry Halliday

Motorcylce, Bathurst Tourist Trophy
2 October 1960 Reg Smith Porsche, Australian GT Championship
7 April 1969 Bevan Gibson Elfin 400 Repco, Mount Panorama Trophy
30 March 1970 Tom Sulman Lotus Eleven Climax, Sir Joseph Banks Trophy
2 April 1972 Lan Hog Sidecar, Bathurst Tourist Trophy
17 April 1976 Ross Barelli Suzuki RG500, Easter Motorcycle Races
15 April 1979 Ron Toombs Yamaha TZ350F, Easter Motorcycle Races
12 April 1980 Rob Moorhouse Motorcycle, Easter Motor Cycle Races
5 October 1986 Mike Burgmann Holden Commodore VK SS Group A, James Hardie 1000
4 October 1992 Denny Hulme BMW M3 Evolution, Tooheys 1000
April 1994 Jim Colligan

Sidecar, Australian Tourist Trophy

April 1994 Ian Thornton Sidecar, Australian Tourist Trophy
30 September 1994 Don Watson Holden Commodore VP, Tooheys 1000
8 October 2006 Mark Porter Holden Commodore VZ, Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In 1955, two spectators lost their lives when stuck by debris from a car crash.

 

 

Peter Brock Memorial