'Racing incident' led to death

Michael McHugh in his Formula Ford shortly before the start of the race in which he died.

Speed, driver decisions and an "unusual" impact with a safety barrier contributed to the death of a teenage racing car driver at Pukekohe.

Michael McHugh, 15, died after his Formula Ford car made contact with another car, driven by Christina Orr, also 15, and crashed into a barrier in September 2003.

Coroner Sarn Herdson said there was no evidence that Michael held responsibility for the crash, or that Christina "deliberately" crowded him as they negotiated a moderate right-hand bend while travelling at more than 170km/h.

Ms Herdson said in her report, released yesterday, that both knew the dangers of "crowding" and "interlocking" wheels on the race track.

"Nevertheless, the drivers both made decisions relating to their own car positions, the cars became positioned impossibly close to each other, and did make contact."

Michael died when his car hit a barrier at 90 degrees - an impact that an accident investigator described as a highly improbable situation.

Tony Johnson said the acute angle of the impact was achieved only by the nature of the contact between the two race cars, "where the tyres momentarily interlocked".

The coroner said there had been differing witness accounts on whether the tyres had interlocked but it was highly likely that did happen.

There were also different views on the driving of Michael and Christina and the inquiry had looked at whether Christina deliberately "crowded" Michael, which was strictly prohibited in racing.

Christina told the coroner that she gave Michael ample "racing room" and he did not back out as it states in racing rules.

"She stated that she had to turn or she would have gone straight into the wall. Christina also stated that she gave Michael an opportunity to brake and get out of it and that he could have gone to his offside."

Ms Herdson said there were again different views from witnesses as to who "had" the corner.

In a statement to the coroner's court last year the McHugh family said they did not want Christina to be prosecuted but wanted it acknowledged Michael was not at fault in the crash.

"It is the family's belief, after extensive research and supported by the essence of the police report, that Christina Orr did not give Michael enough racing room.

"The result of Christina Orr not allowing him enough racing room was their wheels became interlocked. Michael did not have any track space to his right to enable him to avoid the collision and the accident was then inevitable."

Christina's father, Will Orr, said the family was happy with the findings.

"It was finally shown it was just a racing incident."

The McHugh family also expressed concern about safety features at the Pukekohe raceway, calling them "substantially substandard".

The family wanted Motorsport New Zealand to "research, investigate and compile a written report after each injury accident with the object of trying to improve track safety".

But Ms Herdson found there was no evidence that safety features were substantially substandard and the circuit was regularly scrutinised.

It was a "fast" and challenging track that has dangers and required a knowledge of those dangers, she said.

Michael's father, Stephen McHugh, said yesterday that he had hoped the coroner's report would emphasise the family's opinion that safety fences at Pukekohe were inadequate.

"We feel that if the safety fences were enhanced to modern energy absorbing devices such as tyre walls with conveyor belts, then the future safety of competitors would be greatly improved."

He did not want to comment further on the report.

Motorsport NZ president Steven Kennedy said all New Zealand race tracks would be checked by an international inspector this year.

"We were always concerned that the McHughs seemed to have this feeling that there was something absolutely fundamentally wrong with the circuit at Pukekohe.

"We rely on international inspectors to inspect that circuit and that's exactly what the coroner has said.

"The circuit is built to an international standard and maintained to that standard."

Ms Herdson recommended that Motorsport NZ should consider making a neck and head device known as Hans mandatory.

Mr Kennedy said the device was compulsory in some classes, such as V8 Touring cars, and strongly recommended in other classes, including Formula Ford.

What happened
* Michael McHugh, 15, died after his Formula Ford car made contact with another car and crashed into a barrier at Pukekohe in 2003.
* Michael died from head injuries sustained when his car hit a barrier at 90 degrees.