Originally published January 21, 1963
FIVE spectators were hit by flying timber when a racing car crashed through the safety fence at the Olympic Park Speedway, Mildura, last night.
The spectators, including a 10-year-old boy, were treated by ambulance men for cuts and bruises. None of them was seriously hurt.
The crash occurred in the third lap of the sixth event on the speedway program when a TQ car driven by Gordon Knyvett went out of control and crashed through the two-inch thick wooden fence.
All the spectators injured were watching the event from a prohibited area.
Pieces of the thick timber of the safety fence were hurled more than 15ft by the impact of the crash.
Knyvett was not hurt.
Officials of the Mildura District Motor Cycle Club, which conducts the speedway, last night appealed to those injured in the crash to contact the club secretary, Mr Norm King, today.
The officials said the names of the injured people were not taken.
The injured were covered by the club’s insurance cover which would meet their medical expenses.
Mr King lives at 19 Keam Crescent, Mildura.
The event in which the crash occurred was stopped by the stewards after the crash and the placing a went to the drivers leading the field at that time.
Later in the program the crowd of more than 4000 people saw another spectacular crash when veteran motorcycle rider Alan Swingler hit the wheel of a machine ridden by R. Harris and was catapulted from the saddle.
This crash happened at the turn out of the straight.
Swingler was thrown about 15ft and skidded on the track with his face.
He was knocked unconscious in the fall.
The crowd was hushed as Swingler was placed into an ambulance rushed onto the track.
They later applauded when it was announced that Swingler was not badly hurt and clapped him when he was transferred from the ambulance to a car and was driven from the track with his head in bandages.
The speedway meeting, the third so far this season, was full of thrills, spills and excitement.
A program of 23 events was non-stop except for delays following the crashes and when a blown globe among the track lights had to be replaced.
Officials said late last night that part of the gate takings would be used to have the safety fence repaired in time for the next speedway meeting next Sunday night.
