RIP: Michael Park

[freakray]

It's with a high degree of sadness I post this, Michael Park was the other half of the Markko Martin-Michael Park team and died tragically today in SS15 of the Wales Rally of Great Britain.

This once more emphasises the high degree of danger the drivers and co-drivers of the WRC put themselves in to compete.

My thoughts go out to Michael's family and friends, and especially to Markko who must be having a terrible time right now since he walked away from the crash unscathed.

Fittingly, Peugeot pulled their entries from the Rally after the tragedy.

[blubaja]

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/050918/3/dpru.html

Originally Posted by Yahoonews

British driver killed in world championship rally
Sun 18 Sep, 4:09 PM

CARDIFF (AFP) - British rally co-driver Michael Park was killed when the car he was in crashed into a tree during a special stage of the Rally of Great Britain, race organisers said.

Park, 39, had been the co-pilot in a Peugeot 307 driven by top Estonian Markko Martin when the car veered off the road on Sundauy at top speed.

They were competing in the 15th special stage of the rally, the 12th leg of the world championships and were in sixth place at the time of the crash. No spectators were involved in the accident.

"It is with deep regret that the organisers of Wales Rally GB confirm that Michael Park (39) of Newent, Gloucestershire, UK, co-driver in car number eight has been fatally injured following an accident in special stage 15," organisers said in a statement.

"The driver of car number eight, Markko Martin, is uninjured."

Race organisers quickly announced that the remaining two special stages of the race were cancelled and that the rest of the competitors were being called back to the finish at Cardiff.

"Markko (Martin) spun off at top speed shortly after the start of the stage and the right side of the car slammed into a tree," said Peugeot Sport director Jean-Pierre Nicolas.

"I think that Michael was killed outright. It's hard to take. The championship is nothing when you compare it to the life of a man. None of us want to continue."

Nicknamed "Beef", Park had been Martin's co-driver since 2000 and they had won five world rallies together.

But he had been competing in the world championships since 1994 when he was co-driver for David Higgins.

The decision to cancel the two remaining special stages and declare that the race leader at the time of the accident, Sebastien Loeb in a Citroen Xsara, was the winner, would have meant the Frenchman ensured he had won the world title for the second straight year.

At the start of the race he had needed eight more points than Peugeot driver Marcus Gronholm to clinch the top honour.

The Finn had been in third place at the time of the accident but withdrew from the race immediately after discovering that his team-mate had died meaning that he would not make it back to Cardiff and thus go pointless.

Loeb though declined to win the world title in that manner and deliberately incurred a two minute penalty before heading back to Cardiff for the offical finish.

That left him in third place with Norwegian Petter Solberg in a Subaru Impreza winning and Belgian Francois Duval in a Citroen Xsara runner-up.

"There's no way I wanted to win the world title like that, in circumstances like that" Loeb said.

"They should have called off the rally completely. Marcus (Gronholm) didn't have any doubts over what to do. Who wins the race is not what counts today."

Tributes poured in for the veteran Englishman notably from former world champion Colin McRae who called Park one of rallying's "real characters and a really genuine person."

[SteveK2003]

I heard this earlier today and was saddened by the news.

Perhaps this will speed the development of GPS-based co-driver computers?

[RallyFanatic]

Wow, this is horrible news.
It's really sad: he and Markko were a very close team, and they really could anticipate eachother well.
What a loss for the rallying world.

[pettercardoso]

I think Loeb's decision to not accept the title was very noble of him.

I send my deepest feelings to Park's family and friends

May Park rest in peace!

[Spitfire7]

I heard this news today. You don't think that with all the roll-cages and safety equipment built into a modern WRC car that anything like this could happen again

R.I.P.

[MidMazar]

may he rest in peace, at least he went out doing what he loved doing which was competing in wrc.
Deepest regards go out to his close friends and family.

[RallyRaider]

Like the rest of you I am shocked by this news. I went to bed last night after Magham had been stopped, never thinking that Martin and Park's accident would be serious. The news this morning of Beefs tragic death really hit me for six. Especially since he had a young family and indeed was only young himself. It appears that all the WRC competitors and organisers have acted in a dignified manner, paying appropriate tribute.

RIP Michael Park.

[lamehonda]

RIP

I too was shocked. I always stay away from rally news so I won't see any spoilers. I was wondering why the speed channel coverage was going so slowly. Thank you Michael Park for loving the sport. We will never forget you.

[chuck16]

Thoughts go out to the Park Family. Sorry to hear of your loss.

I was stunned and saddened after watching it on Speed. No footage of the crash in respect to the family but, very noble of Loeb to step down. If any of you caught the rally it was amazing there weren't that many other casualties and the speed they were flying through the forest at.

[lamehonda]

I wonder if we will ever see martin in the WRC again. He must really be hurting. He's probably full of survivors guilt right now.

[ales]

Rip

[Guido]

Joining the rest of you here...

R.I.P Michael.

[2.2 Straight six]

R.I.P. a truly tragic loss to all rally fans.

my thoughts an prayers are with his friends and family.

[freakray]

Personal Statement From Marie Park and Family

"Marie, Victoria, William and all of Michael's family wish to thank everybody in the World of Rallying, in Britain, Internationally and in particular Estonia, for their kind words and messages of love and support. It is impossible to respond personally to everybody, but we really appreciate the genuine kindness at this difficult time."

Michael Park's funeral will be held at 12.00pm on Thursday October 6 at St
Bartholomew's Church, Much Marcle, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
Messages of condolence should be sent to mailto:[email protected]
These will be collated, bound and presented to the family after the funeral.

Taken from: http://www.pettersolberg.no/com/asp/...?nyhetsID=1880