An Austin A35 may not be the most common car to the ears and eyes of the American motoring public but they were really popular back in England. Like any old car with this type of popularity, people begin to race them. At first they did it because they were cheap and plentiful. They now do it because it is cool and expensive. Funny how that happens over time, right? Anyway, you are about to see one of these things crash about as hard as is humanly possible with an old car that makes little horsepower. The confluence of events that led up to this one really showcases how most wrecks are more than just an instantaneous event but rather a combo of little things adding up to a biggie.
Driver Ben Colbourn was zipping along and handling his business in the pack of Austin’s at Goodwood. There was loads of tight racing in this category because of the fact that the cars and drivers are so evenly matched. Unfortunately for Colbourn, he managed to get a couple tires off into the grass and the immediate effect of that was to shoot the car completely across the track and into the infield grass. As soon as the car got there at speed and hooked and edge, Ben Colbourn was in for a ride he won’t soon forget.
The car goes over multiple times with parts and pieces flying off, the doors flopping open, and thankfully the driver staying inside his protective roll cage. We have to believe that Ben was pretty sore the next day after this one. Racing slow cars fast is fun but even it has its moments of seriousness!
