'Absolutely smashed': Bathurst 1000 support category sees giant multi-car crash
A huge melee has stopped racing at Bathurst 1000 as a support category race turned to carnage with a multi-car pile up.
Commentary couldn't believe their eyes as out of the first turn, the mid-pack turned into carnage as heavy contact saw multiple drivers involved only 30 seconds into the race.
Harrison Blanchard and Clay Richards, former teammates, were involved in the crash alongside Brock Stinson that happened during the first Toyota GR Cup race of the weekend.
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A huge melee has stopped racing at Bathurst 1000. FOX Sports
"Absolutely smashed into the side of the car and we'll instantly jump to a safety car here," Chad Neylon said, commentating the crash.
"Look at the damage on that car, it is torn to pieces."
"Not something you see very often in this category, there is a tendency of incidents to happen on the straight after turn one. But never in an 86 have I seen that happen," GR driver Alice Buckley said.
"Happened really quickly. We were lucky to not end up with a car on their roof over here."
As the mid-pack looked to defend their positions, the drivers bunched up four wide and clipped each other on Mountain Straight with drivers unable to dodge the mess.
Once the melee settled, five cars were strewn for hundred of metres at various parts of the circuit and several more rolled into pit lane with severe damage.
"Never seen anything like that"
The race was immediately red-flagged with the clean-up crew collected debris off the track, which included glass that exploded off Richard's rear window. The session was declared a non-starter.
Richards, the son of Steven Richards and grandson of Jim Richards, two legendary drivers with 12 Bathurst 1000 victories between them, was being seen to by the medical team and an ambulance was at the scene of the crash.
Richards was taken out of the car awake and alert, and was transported to Orange Hospital for further precautionary checks as the young driver reported back pain.
