Driver cut from burning wreck after raceway crash

Matt Cronin (in the black car) after the crash during a race at Timaru yesterday. It took half an hour to get Cronin out of his car. Photo / Mark McHoull

Racegoers had an anxious half-hour yesterday after a multi-car crash at the Timaru Motor Raceway left driver Matt Cronin trapped in his burning car.

Cronin was last night in a stable condition at Timaru Hospital after the ordeal.

The crash occurred about 4pm in the second-last event of the Super Truck Racing weekend.

Shortly before the end of the OSCA saloon race, Cronin's Toyota tangled with Neville Stowell's Subaru during an overtaking manoeuvre.

The Toyota hit a barrier with such force it spun back on to the track and was hit by Laine Etwell's Pontiac, which was travelling as fast as200km/h, witness Mark McHoull of Dunedin said.

Etwell managed to get out of his vehicle as petrol spilled from the crashed race cars.

But the race crowd were horrified, then became angry as Cronin's car burst into flames, and it took time to extricate the driver, he said. The fire was put out in about two minutes, and vehicles and tarpaulins put around the vehicle as the driver was removed, then taken to hospital by ambulance.

Mr McHoull said it took about 30 minutes for that to happen.

The final race of the event was cancelled. A Fire Service communications spokesman said last night Fire Service personnel were called in when race officials were unable to get Cronin out of his car.

A South Canterbury District Health Board spokesman would give no further information on Cronin's condition last night.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES