Mark Porter (race driver)
Encyclopedia
Mark "Didley" Porter was a New Zealand
racing driver who competed in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar
touring car racing
series in Australia
.
His V8 Supercar series debut was in a Ford Falcon
at Wakefield Park
in 2002
, and he debuted in the Bathurst 1000 the same year.
In the 2006 series, Porter was running third in the championship in his Holden VZ Commodore for the Hyundai-Hydraulink racing team. On 6 October 2006, while competing in a support race for the Bathurst 1000
, he lost control of his car at Sulman Park at nearly 200 km/h. He stalled in the middle of the track and was a sitting duck when the rest of the field came roaring through. Chris Alajajian
, in the Elf Commodore, connected with the tail of Porter's car. David Clark
, however, in an effort to avoid the stalled Porter, slid his car sideways whilst travelling at high speed. The front right hand side of his car hit the drivers side door of Porter's car, crushing the side of the car. The front right hand of Porter's car also hit the drivers door of Clark, critically injuring him. Marshals were quick to arrive at the scene where one, unable to open the driver's door on Porter's car, opened the rear door in an attempt to check his condition. Both drivers were unconscious at the time. The race was called to an immediate stop and all racing was suspended for 2 hours while police combed for clues as to what happened. Both cars were heavily damaged, while Alajajian was able to repair his car for the second race of the weekend the next day.
Porter was taken by ambulance to Bathurst Base Hospital and later that day airlifted to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
in Sydney
with serious head and chest injuries but died in late afternoon of Sunday 8 October 2006 as the feature race was concluding. Just two hours after the race, Porter's family issued a statement announcing his death.
He was survived by his wife Adrienne and his young son Flynn.
Ford Falcon at the Bathurst 1000
endurance round. But after the fatal crash, Michael Caruso stepped into the seat and the team ran the names of the two drivers and, Porter's with the number 111 aside his name.
After his untimely death, good friend and team owner Paul Cruikshank ran Porter's number #111 at the next V8 Supercar round at Surfers Paradise. #111 was used as a memorial to Porter on the Paul Cruickshank Racing
Falcon up until the team folded in 2009. The Mark Porter trophy is awarded to winners of the Hamilton 400
street race. Mark's brother Andrew, a former truck racer, contested the 2007/08 NZV8 series in the Hydralink #111 Ford BF Falcon.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
racing driver who competed in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar
V8 Supercar
V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...
touring car racing
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
series in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
His V8 Supercar series debut was in a Ford Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
at Wakefield Park
Wakefield Park
Wakefield Park is a motor racing circuit located near Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. It is named after Charles Cheers Wakefield, the founder of Castrol Oil...
in 2002
2002 V8 Supercar season
The 2002 V8 Supercar Championship Series was an Australian based motor racing series for V8 Supercars. It began on 15 March 2002 at the Adelaide Street Circuit and ended on 1 December at Sandown International Raceway after 13 rounds...
, and he debuted in the Bathurst 1000 the same year.
In the 2006 series, Porter was running third in the championship in his Holden VZ Commodore for the Hyundai-Hydraulink racing team. On 6 October 2006, while competing in a support race for the Bathurst 1000
2006 Supercheap Auto 1000
The 2006 Super Cheap Auto Bathurst 1000 was the tenth running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 that occurred in 1997. It was the 44th anniversary of the original touring car endurance race held at the Mount Panorama Circuit in 1963...
, he lost control of his car at Sulman Park at nearly 200 km/h. He stalled in the middle of the track and was a sitting duck when the rest of the field came roaring through. Chris Alajajian
Chris Alajajian
Chris Alajajian is an Australian race car driver.In 2004 he won the Australian Production Car Championship, becoming the youngest ever driver to win an Australian championship...
, in the Elf Commodore, connected with the tail of Porter's car. David Clark
David Clark (race driver)
David Clark is an Australian racing driver who competed in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar touring car racing series....
, however, in an effort to avoid the stalled Porter, slid his car sideways whilst travelling at high speed. The front right hand side of his car hit the drivers side door of Porter's car, crushing the side of the car. The front right hand of Porter's car also hit the drivers door of Clark, critically injuring him. Marshals were quick to arrive at the scene where one, unable to open the driver's door on Porter's car, opened the rear door in an attempt to check his condition. Both drivers were unconscious at the time. The race was called to an immediate stop and all racing was suspended for 2 hours while police combed for clues as to what happened. Both cars were heavily damaged, while Alajajian was able to repair his car for the second race of the weekend the next day.
Porter was taken by ambulance to Bathurst Base Hospital and later that day airlifted to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Missenden Road in Camperdown...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
with serious head and chest injuries but died in late afternoon of Sunday 8 October 2006 as the feature race was concluding. Just two hours after the race, Porter's family issued a statement announcing his death.
He was survived by his wife Adrienne and his young son Flynn.
Tributes and Legacy
Porter was chosen to drive the Brad Jones RacingBrad Jones Racing
Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship...
Ford Falcon at the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
endurance round. But after the fatal crash, Michael Caruso stepped into the seat and the team ran the names of the two drivers and, Porter's with the number 111 aside his name.
After his untimely death, good friend and team owner Paul Cruikshank ran Porter's number #111 at the next V8 Supercar round at Surfers Paradise. #111 was used as a memorial to Porter on the Paul Cruickshank Racing
Paul Cruickshank Racing
Paul Cruickshank Racing was an Australian motor racing team that competed in several Sports Car and Touring Car categories.-V8 Supercar Championship:...
Falcon up until the team folded in 2009. The Mark Porter trophy is awarded to winners of the Hamilton 400
Hamilton 400
The Hamilton 400 is a V8 Supercar motor racing event and presently one of three V8 Supercar events held outside of Australia. The race is held on the streets of Hamilton, New Zealand. The city streets are closed off in the days leading up to the event with various items of road furniture removed...
street race. Mark's brother Andrew, a former truck racer, contested the 2007/08 NZV8 series in the Hydralink #111 Ford BF Falcon.