In a reply to the recent post on Gary Nixon's Triumph, regular correspondent, and owner of the Shell Racing XS650 in SB1, AlMcQ wrote:
'That's a Trackmaster frame - and doesn't it look great! The Team also tried the triples on the dirt with stock and Rob North frames. Jim Rice crashed a triple at Sacramento in "On Any Sunday" sadly the cartwheeling bike killed a photographer at trackside. "
I never knew that, and only have McQ's (usually encyclopedic) word for it. I guess Bruce Brown didn't want to bring the film down, as it was essentially good propaganda for motorcycle sport, that was at a low ebb, but the poor photographer deserved a mention, didn't he?
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame (where this photo is from) mention the bike hitting the photographer, but not the outcome. You can see the point before the impact. Grisly stuff.
So, belatedly, commiserations to the family of the unnamed photographer from all at Sideburn. GI
Blimey - never knew that. I do remember spotting trouble and medic action going on outside the fence but with the lack of mention I guess I've always assumed the outcome was less grizzly. Judging from the relaxed approach to trackside safety in the sport our friend wasn't the only by-stander casualty. I always have the same sense of dread seeing small children inocently at play around a cricket match - I once saw a beautifully driven 6 thwack satisfyingly into a push chair, the infant having been lifted out seconds earlier for some suckling. PAY ATTENTION ! Grizzly as it is, that is one hell of a pic.
ReplyDeleteThat's some photo . . . I hadn't seen it before and I didn't know anyone was killed in the crash. My 4-year-old watches that movie almost daily and, being 4, is particularly drawn to the crashes. I really wish we had the name of the deceased.
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