Driver's miracle escape from 120 mph crash
(Story Dated: August 22, 2002)

Quoyloo-based racing driver Garry Dickson narrowly escaped with his life recently, after an 120 mph crash during a race in Northern Ireland demolished his car and sent him to hospital.

He had to be hoisted from the wreckage of his Westfield car, after being put on a drip and stabilised for 30 minutes. Miraculously, he walked out of hospital the next day.

Garry was one of eight drivers from Scotland taking part in the recent Ulster Car Club’s three-event race weekend at Kirkiston Race Circuit near Dungannon.

Gary Dickson test his Westfield car on the circuit earlier on the day of the crash

Conditions were damp for the morning practice, but Garry, in his own words, was in “great form”. By the second run he was leading his class by four seconds.

More rain fell during the lunch break before the competition runs, but Garry was determined to consolidate his lead and was seen sliding his two-litre 300 horse power Westfield car around the top corner of the circuit into the fastest straight on his first lap.

But it was here that disaster struck.

Unknown to Garry, there was water running across the track and as he changed up to sixth gear, two-thirds of the way along the straight and travelling at around 120 miles per hour, he hit the patch of water.

The car slid right, then left, as Garry tried to hold it. But his efforts were to no avail. The car headed for armoured metal barrier and struck it head on, demolishing both the barrier and the car before coming to rest with the top rail pinning him firmly in the vehicle.

He commented: “The emergency services there were very switched on. They knew exactly what to do. I’ve been racing for 19 years and I’ve had mild concussion from previous shunts and going off the track. But this was the worst I have ever had. It’s the first time that I’ve really been injured in a race.”

Paramedics and rescue crews were on the scene very quickly. Garry was still conscious, but was kept in his car while he was put on a drip and stabilised for more than 30 minutes. After he had been strapped to a back and neck brace, Garry was hoisted from the wreckage of the Westfield car and, with his wife Jackie by his side, rushed to Dungannon Royal Infirmary with a police escort.

He was X-rayed and kept in for observation overnight, but released the next day, badly bruised but walking.

The potentially fatal crash has not dented Garry’s enthusiasm for racing.

“While I was in still in the car at the side of track, I was thinking about what I could change on the car to improve it. On the way back from Northern Ireland we stopped off in Newtonmore and the conditions were damp, but I still wanted to test the ordinary Westfield that Jackie drives.

“I’m going to be using her car for the rest of the season. At 180 horse power, it will be one of least powerful cars in the Scottish Sprint Championship, but I’ll give it a go.”

Garry, a window fitter to trade, added: “The next race I’ll be at is the Kames in East Ayrshire next weekend. I’ve still got bruising and damaged tendons in my back, so I can’t lift anything. So I’m having to do the pricing and paperwork for the business, rather than fitting windows at the moment.”

brian.flett@orcadian.co.uk