The Chequered Flag

[gcreptile 10,967]

On 21/07/2020 at 22:58, gcreptile said:

Rallye racer and Top Gear guest Sabine Schmitz has a stubborn cancer she's been fighting since 2016:

https://uk.motor1.com/news/434849/top-gears-sabine-schmitz-reveal-cancer-diagnosis/

Sabine Schmitz dead at 51:

https://www.motorsport-xl.de/news/2021/Automobilsport/Motorsport-trauert-um-Sabine-Schmitz-41349.html

 

Sad case.

Also a pretty stupid miss in everything for me, even for the D-A-CH-List.

[Bentrovato 1,087]

40 minutes ago, gcreptile said:

Sabine Schmitz dead at 51:

https://www.motorsport-xl.de/news/2021/Automobilsport/Motorsport-trauert-um-Sabine-Schmitz-41349.html

 

Sad case.

Also a pretty stupid miss in everything for me, even for the D-A-CH-List.

Very sad. Wonderful woman. If only for telling Clarkson she could "do that lap time in a van". And then doing so. RIP. 

[Banana 859]

Canadian IndyCar racer Ludwig Heimrath dead at 86 from stage 4 pancreatic cancer. https://www.thestar.com/autos/2021/03/19/legendary-canadian-racer-ludwig-heimrath-dies.html

[Jimmy Conway 20]

Johnny Dumfries aka the Marquess of Bute dead at 62. Some sources saying it was after a short illness. Don't think there was any reports of him being ill recently. Last I heard of him, he was getting trouble for breaking COVID restrictions in December. 

 

Edit: Clarkson saying it was cancer

[TQR 14,389]

Great shame about John Bute. Won Le Mans 24h in the majestic Silk Cut Jag 32 years ago.

 

The world of motorsport is taking a hammering this month 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Bloody hell. Explains a bit more why they did the journey and why he didn't care about fines. 

 

Never met him personally but generally only heard positive things. Two 80's drivers dead of natural causes in a short space of time. 

[MrSpud42 30]

That's a bummer to hear about Johnny Dumfries. He did an interview with Motorsport magazine last year.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Tarso Marques, late 1990s F1 hotshoe is recovering from COVID-19. But he's still in hospital with reduced lung capacity so not out of the woods just yet https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.motorsport.com/f1/news/minardi-f1-tarso-marques-covid/5805208/amp/

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

On 31/03/2021 at 21:58, Octopus of Odstock said:

Tarso Marques, late 1990s F1 hotshoe is recovering from COVID-19. But he's still in hospital with reduced lung capacity so not out of the woods just yet https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.motorsport.com/f1/news/minardi-f1-tarso-marques-covid/5805208/amp/

 

Another 1990's F1 driver - Andrea Montermini - also has had COVID. He's overcome it but has had to stop racing as a result. https://www.reggionline.com/andrea-montermini-covid-un-brutto-incidente-video/

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

On 31/10/2017 at 17:11, maryportfuncity said:

But 82 year old Vic Elford is still alive, right? 

 

S'cuse me pissing on anyone's dry powder!

 

Still alive, but has cancer and recently suffered a heavy fall. Possibly a by-product of the body being weakened by cancer. He's due to be 86 in June.

 

Proper UK DDP obits guaranteed for Quick Vic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Elford

[The Immortal 634]

On 09/04/2021 at 03:28, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

Still alive, but has cancer and recently suffered a heavy fall. Possibly a by-product of the body being weakened by cancer. He's due to be 86 in June.

 

Proper UK DDP obits guaranteed for Quick Vic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Elford

Vic Elford, isn't that the guy who tried rescuing Jo Bonnier out of his burning car but was unable to do so in the 1972 Le Mans race in which Bonnier was killed?

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

On 08/04/2021 at 22:58, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

Still alive, but has cancer and recently suffered a heavy fall. Possibly a by-product of the body being weakened by cancer. He's due to be 86 in June.

 

Proper UK DDP obits guaranteed for Quick Vic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Elford

 

Gofundme will be started for him but I am not sure if it's too late. Below from David Hobbs, a fellow versatile racer. 

 

Vic Elford, one of the top drivers of his generation is very ill with lung Cancer, please help, go fund me next week.Vic was an all time great, winning Monte Carlo Rally, & Daytona 24hr in space of two weeks!!

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

From what it sounds like, Vic will be doing well to make it to the 2022 starting grid.

 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/assisting-vic-elfords-medical-and-physical-needs 

 

Quote

His wife operates an Ebay store which sells racing-related books, models, memorabilia, dvd's etc. She has sent out an email to the store's mailing list indicating that Vic might have to go into hospice care soon.

 

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

On 11/04/2021 at 06:44, TheSpinosaurus said:

Vic Elford, isn't that the guy who tried rescuing Jo Bonnier out of his burning car but was unable to do so in the 1972 Le Mans race in which Bonnier was killed?

 

 

Bonnier's car cleared the barrier and spun into the trees. Elford had stopped to help him but sprinted over to the burning Ferrari - involved in Bonnier's accident only to find it empty because the driver had got out and jumped into the woods.

[TomTomTelekom 3,727]

 Charlie Glotzbach, best known for setting a nearly unbeatable record in 1971 for fastest pace at Bristol Motor Speedway in a NASCAR race, died at 82 years:

https://speedsport.com/nascar/nascar-cup-series/cup-series-winner-charlie-glotzbach-dies-at-82/

[dirtracer18 34]

One to look out for, ARCA driver Derrick Lancaster has been placed on a ventilator after a violent crash in today's race. No broken bones, but has suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns as well as possible lung damage from smoke inhalation.

[MightyMoose 10]

Bill Whittington nose-dived into the ground aboard his plane, taking with him a friend who was "terminally ill".  

 

https://racer.com/2021/04/25/bill-whittington-1949-2021/

 

Whittington was one of the IMSA racing supported by nose candy/drugs couriers of the late 70s early 80s and served time for his illicit activities.  

[YoungWillz 21,037]

British drag racing hall of famer (yes, I didn't know there was one) Dennis Priddle, reportedly dead: 

Tomorrow's World appearance:

 

 

[Whitehouse 872]

American motorcyclist  Dick Nann dead at 86. Winner of the Daytona 200. Here's footage. 

 

 

 

 

[dirtracer18 34]

Apparently NASCAR driver Eric McClure has passed away rather unexpectedly, though he did suffer a massive crash nine years ago that he still suffered effects from.

 

[YoungWillz 21,037]

Mentioned on the Forum here and there, Bobby Unser, winner of the Indy 500 on 3 occasions, dead at 87: 

 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

23 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

Mentioned on the Forum here and there, Bobby Unser, winner of the Indy 500 on 3 occasions, dead at 87: 

 

Ah shit. What a lovely man he was. 

[The Immortal 634]

ARCA driver Derrick Lancaster is no longer on ventilator and is alert now.

 

Retired NASCAR driver Delma Cowart has had Parkinson's and dementia for a while according to his daughter https://twitter.com/DelmaSdaughter/status/1377747892291706882. Was visited by Kyle Petty a few days ago.

 

 

[AngryLazarus 9]

On 03/05/2021 at 16:48, Octopus of Odstock said:

Ah shit. What a lovely man he was. 

 

I mean he was a criminal scumbag though.... federal crimes ffs... 

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

On 29/06/2016 at 07:20, YoungWillz said:

*snip*

Leslie Marr Bt. b. 1922
More famous as an artist. Definite obit, of which racing would be a small mention. Was doing well.

*snip*

Leslie Marr, 2nd Baronet (wiki) being reported dead, aged 98, on Twitter by various sources:
 

 

Edit: Picked by 3 teams in the DDP.