Bathurst Driver Died

Gold Coast-based New Zealander Mark Porter, who died after a high-speed
crash at the Bathurst 1000 meeting at Mt Panorama on Friday, was a talented
driver who will be missed, Motorsport New Zealand (MNZ) said.

Porter, 31, died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney on Sunday
afternoon after suffering serious head and chest injuries in a 180 km/h
crash with David Clark during a second tier V8 race at Bathurst.

Two hours after the crowd celebrated Craig Lowndes's emotional victory and
on the day they farewelled the late Peter Brock, Porter's family issued a
statement announcing his death "with untold sadness".

Porter left behind his wife Adrienne and one-year-old son Flynn.

Armstrong said Porter's death, the fourth ever at Bathurst, happened despite
all possible precautions.

"All the safety procedures were there, they're standard throughout the
world. Motorsport is about people driving cars fast, but the safety
standards and cars that are there are very high," he said.

Armstrong said MNZ had a very close working relationship with the
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) and would be liaising with
them over feedback from any investigation.

The news dealt a devastating blow to Mount Panorama on a day already high on
emotion following the tributes to Brock who died in a rally crash in Western
Australia last month.

Porter is the fourth driver to die at Bathurst, following Mike Burgmann in
1986, Denny Hulme in 1992 and Don Watson in 1994. Hulme had a heart attack
at the wheel.

Porter's parents had flown in from New Zealand and were at his bedside with
Adrienne and Flynn.

"The family wishes to convey their heartfelt appreciation for the efforts of
the medical crews who have been involved all the way through - at the track,
at the Bathurst Base Hospital and at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA)
and all of those who transported Mark between those facilities," the
statement said.

"They gave Mark every chance at life, for which we thank them.

"The family also expresses their appreciation of the efforts of the
officials of V8 Supercars Australia, all of whom have done their utmost to
support all those involved in this tragedy."

Clark, 28, appears on the way to recovery and regained consciousness on
Sunday after being taken to Nepean Hospital in Penrith in a critical
condition on Friday.

The Adelaide father of three is breathing unaided and is recovering well
from a punctured right lung and fractures to his pelvis, right arm and leg.

Tests have not revealed any significant spinal or head injuries.

Clark woke from his induced coma with his wife Leah, eight-month-old
daughter Reese and parents by his bedside.

V8 Supercars Australia chief executive Wayne Cattach said a thorough
investigation would be held into the crash.

Amid speculation on the cause of the crash, one driver said he noticed
Porter's car had been dripping oil, which his rear tyres may have caught and
caused his sudden spin.