TwistedSifter

Have you ever watched a video that just grips you? You know the ones that make you choked-up because you can feel the anguish and pain of the situation? The tragedy at Zandvoort had this impact on me today. The worst part was that it was completely avoidable, making it all the more frustrating to watch:

Roger Williamson (February 2, 1948 - July 29, 1973) was a talented racing driver from England who was killed during the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix.

Williamson participated in 2 grands prix, debuting on July 14, 1973. He did not score any championship points. Purley was awarded the George Medal for his actions in trying to save Williamson. In 2003, on the 30th commemoration of his fatal crash, a bronze statue of Roger Williamson was presented in Donnington, UK.

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SADDEST DAY OF MY LIFE - TOM WHEATCROFT
By George Dryden

Tom Wheatcroft regards the day that Roger Williamson died as “the saddest day of my life”.

The 80-year-old Donington Park owner, who provided moral and financial support to Williamson during his career, said that the driver was ‘like a son’. And he explained that the day Williamson died had been ’so strange’ with an occurrence of number 13s.

“The day he died was so strange, just lots of little things,” said Wheatcroft.
“The car should have been number 13, but it was changed at the last minute, the race was 13 minutes late starting and when he crashed, he was in 13th position.”
“He was like a son to me - such a big part of my life.”
“It was the saddest day of my life, but I have so many good memories of him.”

“He was a wonderful fellow in every way - his character, integrity, honesty and determination. He never asked me for anything and we never argued. After that, I tried to work with two other drivers, but I couldn’t replace him. There will never be anyone like him, either as a friend or a driver.”

Wheatcroft remembers: “I first met Roger driving a Ford Anglia at Mallory Park. I thought what a marvelous effort he was making as he went round the track.
“I was going to offer to help him with any equipment, but he had a few friends around him and had people queuing up for autographs, so I didn’t butt in.”
“Then I saw him at Monte Carlo. He had a poor engine and the smoke was pouring out, but he still kept passing the cars.”
“I went and found him afterwards. He was sitting there with the engine out on the pavement, trying to mend it.
“I said ‘Oh, no, lad, that won’t do’, so I found out the engine supplier and bought him a new engine.”

“I never really expected to see him again, but a while later, I was just about to go to bed and there he was on my doorstep, covered in grease because he’d been working on his car. He gave me two tickets to Silverstone to say thank you.”
“I got him sorted out after that with equipment and sponsorships and I went to every race in his career after that, except one.”
“He had an offer to go on Tyrrell’s team, and I’d got the contract all sorted for him when he just turned to me and said he wanted to stay with me.”

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