In a tragic accident during the Saturday afternoon Good-wood Festival practice runs, the 4-wheel drive Lotus 63 driven by the Hon. John Dawson-Damer, suddenly veered left into the hay bales and then slammed into the finish line gantry, killing the driver, and seriously injuring two marshals – one of whom, Andy Carpenter, later died.
Dawson-Damer was a leading Lotus collector and was the Australian representative of the FIA Historic Car Commission. Born and educated in Britain, Dawson-Damer was a life-long motorsport enthusiast. In addition to his historic racing activities, Dawson-Damer was also a well-known rally driver and navigator, having won a national championship in a Ford Escort in 1979.
Dawson-Damer was an experienced hillclimber at Goodwood, having run his Lotus 25 and 79 at previous meetings. Recent evidence suggests that the accident may have been caused by Dawson-Damer suffering a heart attack, though the matter is currently being investigated by Sussex Police and the Motor Sport Association. Regardless of the outcome, the findings are bound to have long-term implications for Goodwood, one of the few events where spectators are afforded close access to the action – though, thankfully, the fatal crash took place in a non-spectator area.
Of the unsuspecting corner marshals also involved in the incident, 41-year-old Andy Carpenter was a seasoned official with 12 years experience. His colleague Steve Tarrant was seriously injured and lost one of his legs as a result of his injuries when the finish line gantry collapsed on him.
