Fatal Racewars crash investigation ongoing

By Grace Jones | posted on June 27, 2019

AN investigation into the death of an Albany raised man during the 2019 Racewars event is still ongoing more than three months after the incident, according to the Coroner’s Court of Western Australia.

On March 3, Brody Ford, 26, was behind the wheel of his parents’ 2010 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 when the vehicle failed to stop during the popular 1000 metre event.

In a statement made on the Racewars Facebook page, event director Jon Murray said Mr Ford was clocked doing speeds of 260.98km/h after passing the timing beacons.

“Witness statements state that the vehicle was heard to have lifted off the accelerator then reapply the throttle and continue to accelerate down the remainder of the runway,” he said.

“Witness statements state that the vehicle did not appear to apply its brakes and left the end of the runway accelerating, tracking straight and true and appearing to be under control of the driver.

“Witness statements state that the vehicle appears to have lost control at or around the end of the RESA (clear way/overrun area past the end of the runway) .”

Mr Murray continued in his statement to say the incident was as perplexing as it was tragic.

“It is our belief that we will never know why this incident occurred,” he said.

“We believe the only person who would be able to explain what happened on that day is sadly no longer with us.”

A spokesperson from the Coroner’s Court said, “the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Ford is ongoing”.

They also could not confirm a date in which the investigation would be complete.