Timothy Mayer's Fatal Crash @ Longford 1964
Scene is from the McLaren film/documentary.
Born in Dalton, a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, Timothy Andrew "Timmy" Mayer graduated from the Yale University and made his debut as a racing driver in 1959, driving an Austin-Healey. He was the two and a half years younger brother of Teddy Mayer, who supported his career since his debut. Driving a Lotus 18 Formula Junior, Timmy Mayer obtained five runner-up places in 1960, then he joined the Rev-Em Formula Junior team, created by his brother Teddy with his former school mate Peter Revson, whose other drivers were Revson himself and friend Bill Smith. They met Mr. Falkner, the American importer of Cooper cars, and they ran Cooper T56-Ford cars. Timmy served in the US Army and in 1962, although still in the Army and based in Puerto Rico, he became the SCCA Formula Junior champion. He also raced a Cooper Monaco sportscar owned by Roger Penske and made his Formula 1 debut in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, driving the third factory Cooper T53-Climax. He qualified 11th over 18 starters but failed to complete the race because of a gearbox failure after 31 laps.
The eighth and final round of the 19640Tasman series was the South Pacific Trophy, held on a 7.081-kilometer very fast, rural roads course around the town of Longford, Tasmania. The track which passed over a railway crossing and was lined with trees, houses and other dangers, was used for the first time in 1953. Timmy Mayer was killed in the second practice session of the event, on Friday, 28 February 1964.
After a few laps at a slow pace, Mayer was pushing harder to obtain a spot in the starting grid when he suddenly lost control of the car which took off at the hump after a fast downhill right-hander, where a stream ran under the road. Mayer's Cooper landed crooked and hit a bump near the side of the track, being launched into the trees. The driver was ejected from the car and died while being transported to Longford hospital. It is believed the car had mechanical trouble at the rear wheels before crashing.
R.I.P
Born in Dalton, a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, Timothy Andrew "Timmy" Mayer graduated from the Yale University and made his debut as a racing driver in 1959, driving an Austin-Healey. He was the two and a half years younger brother of Teddy Mayer, who supported his career since his debut. Driving a Lotus 18 Formula Junior, Timmy Mayer obtained five runner-up places in 1960, then he joined the Rev-Em Formula Junior team, created by his brother Teddy with his former school mate Peter Revson, whose other drivers were Revson himself and friend Bill Smith. They met Mr. Falkner, the American importer of Cooper cars, and they ran Cooper T56-Ford cars. Timmy served in the US Army and in 1962, although still in the Army and based in Puerto Rico, he became the SCCA Formula Junior champion. He also raced a Cooper Monaco sportscar owned by Roger Penske and made his Formula 1 debut in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, driving the third factory Cooper T53-Climax. He qualified 11th over 18 starters but failed to complete the race because of a gearbox failure after 31 laps.
The eighth and final round of the 19640Tasman series was the South Pacific Trophy, held on a 7.081-kilometer very fast, rural roads course around the town of Longford, Tasmania. The track which passed over a railway crossing and was lined with trees, houses and other dangers, was used for the first time in 1953. Timmy Mayer was killed in the second practice session of the event, on Friday, 28 February 1964.
After a few laps at a slow pace, Mayer was pushing harder to obtain a spot in the starting grid when he suddenly lost control of the car which took off at the hump after a fast downhill right-hander, where a stream ran under the road. Mayer's Cooper landed crooked and hit a bump near the side of the track, being launched into the trees. The driver was ejected from the car and died while being transported to Longford hospital. It is believed the car had mechanical trouble at the rear wheels before crashing.
R.I.P