John Bowe: "My Biggest Accident Ever"

As the penultimate round at Phillip Island fast approaches I can't help but think back to 1996. I had my biggest accident ever at The Island – who remembers that one?

Don't get me wrong – I love the track, it’s Australia’s only European style circuit and with the improvements made by the Fox Group regularly Phillip Island is now equally the best racetrack in the country, along with Bathurst, of course.

The four Championship protagonists are fortunate to have a track of this nature to fight it out for the title!

In 1996 though the track was much more aligned to motorcycle racing which meant the gravel traps and barriers did not always suit errant race cars…

Craig Lowndes and I were vying for the Championship, although I’d have to say he was clearly the FAVOURITE. You see, DJR lost the Stone Brothers (Jimmy and Ross) at the end of 1995 when they left to set up their own team.

While two people do not make a teamm both Ross and Jimmy were serious players in our success, history has shown they have been two of the sport’s best. 

Get this picture. Craig and I on the front row, the track was drying quickly after some showers. So slicks were the choice, that was in the era of open tyre competition and I was with Dunlop… just as I am to this very day!

Craig beat me off the start. It wasn't hard to do that back then! We set off on our race but unfortunately we only got as far as the Hayshed. 

We arrived there at 200kph and hit a patch of damp track and Lowndsey disappeared off the track to the left to have his accident and I spun and speared across to the right – backwards in excess of 200km/h, if you don’t mind.

You wouldn’t believe how quickly you cover the scant run off area at such speed. Hitting the compacted earth tyre wall did little to arrest the energy and when good old number 18 started to barrel roll and then end for end, I thought it was the end!

All that bullshit about your life flashing before your eyes is just that, bullshit!! 

I was trying to keep some sense of where I was but disorientation had taken over. Eye witnesses said the car was 15 metres in the air on some if it's more creative rollovers and my neck was whiplashed so badly it has never been the same since!

Remember, this was before seats with head protection and HANS devices. 

When the car finally came to rest it was on its side and some of the enterprising photographers of the day took shots of the underside of our car and sold them to the opposition teams and never so much as sent me a dollar – bugger!

I was badly shaken, a guy from the crowd jumped the fence and helped me get out, a very noble thing to do. I remember, I was on the upside of the car if you will, not ever sure of which way was up. I released the belts and went crashing to the lower door … that alone was horrendous … given what I’d just been through. 

I somehow I couldn’t share the pain with you. But to say, these cars are fitted with a crotch strap harness and as the car end over end it drove me into the harness… are you feeling my pain now? Never really quite been the same since that day! 

An eerie aspect of this whole deal, at one point while I was high in the air (end over ending) I thought I’d come to a stop, as I reached down to release the belts … another earth shattering thump as I was driven into the turf – again. 

That was the most fortunate moment in the whole episode I reckon … not releasing the belts at that time, that is. Now, what happened in the Medical Centre is another story… Being this is a family show I can’t share...

Sadly, that was my FAVORITE racecar, gone to God – over less water than you’d put in your kettle…

It started it’s life as an EB2 in which we won Bathurst (in ’94), it was re skinned as an EF and I won the Championship (in 1995), before it met it's demise on that very fateful day.

I reckon it would be worth a good dollar or two these days. I only spoke to Dick about it at Bathurst – we both wish it was still alive, we could both do with a few bucks right now!

I have huge respect for the Hayshed as a corner and Phillip Island as a race circuit, but that was a day I could have done without.  I know Dick feels the same, a total loss of a race car is budget crushing. Was then and is now.

Cheers,

JB 

Follow John Bowe on Facebook. John Bowe is supported by Wilson Security, Dunlop Super Dealers and Coates Hire, competing in the 2013 Touring Car Masters Championship.