AWFUL DIVE FROM SPEEDWAY TRACK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18062, 24 January 1927, Page 8

AWFUL DIVE FROM SPEEDWAY TRACK.

TYRE BURST WHEN CAR WAS TRAVELLING AT 90 MILES AN HOUR. SYDNEY, January 13. " Phil ” Garlick, the idol of speedway crowds, was killed instantly in a terific crash while racing at ninety miles per hour on the Speedway last night. The accident occurred in the final'of the high-speed cars handicap, in which there were three starters—R. G. Garlick otherwise known as “ Phil ” (supercharged Alvis), Hope Bartlett (Sunbeam), and Peter White (Fronty-Ford). All went well for four laps, with Bartlett in the lead, “ Phil ” Garlick next, and Peter White third. At the commencement of the last lap Garlick, coming to the post, rapidly overhauled Bartlett, and on the northeastern corner he was almost abreast of the Sunbeam driver. Another 100 yards, and the disaster came. Suddenly there was a slight report, and in the fraction of a second Garlick disappeared into the blackness of the night. On its way over the embankment the car hit a telegraph pole supporting the lights on the track, and snapped it off like a carrot. The crowd was struck dumb with horror and dismay. There was hardly a murmur, though here and there could he heard the muffled scream of a woman. What had happened? Nobody knew, and everyone hoped against hope for the best. Later, it was learned from eye-wit-nesses on the hill overlooking the speedway, that Garlick shot clean off the track, dropped the 20ft over the embankment, and the car in which he was in turned somersault after somersault. Garlick was frightfully injured. There was a large hole in his head, he was covered in blood, and his clothes were torn. The ambulance, which rushed around with Bartlett and White, who had finished, found Garlickl lying about 10 yards from the remains of his car. He was dead—killed instantly. The car itself was smashed, and I there was nothing left of the fine little supercharged Alvis with which Garlick had so often thrilled the crowds at Maroubra. Strangely enough the catastrophe occurred about 150 yards from the spot where Leo Salmon and Albert Vaughan went over the top and were killed. Out of respect for Garlick the lights were lowered, and by this move the crowd knew that Garlick was dead. ™ eeti *g was then abandoned. Phil Garlick was one of the most popular drivers at the track, and had won every class of race since the inception of the Speedway. He had got up some great speeds, and often almost 100 miles an hour. Garlick was not a believer in superstition. His car was number 13, was painted an emerald green, and on the front of the radiator he had the words “lucky devil” imprinted. Before Allan Cooper had his sensational smash at the Speedway, he had won the “Lucky Devil” Cup at the previous meeting. Garlick was the holder of this cup. Hundreds of sightseers walked over to the spot and viewed the smashed car. Later. Hope Bartlett gave his version of the tragedy. He said that both he and Garlick were travelling at over 90 miles an. hour, when he heard a report as if a tyre had burst. “It flashed across my mind that it was one of mine, but as the car held the track, I knew I was safe. Then Garlick swung up the track and disappeared. I was so shocked that I immediately slowed down. I think that it was the bursting of Garlick’s offside tyre that caused the tragic happening.” A pathetic feature of the tragedy was the way in which the news was conveyed to Mrs Garlick. She was not at the Speedway last night, but when she does not attend the meetings, she listens-in by wireless. The racing is broadcast from the track. She heard the fact that something had happened to her husband, but that it was not known definitely whether he was hurt or not. Then the announcer realised that Mrs Garlick would be lis-tening-in and immediately cut off. Mrs Garlick rang Broadcasters a few minutes later, but although they knew' that Garlick was dead, they kept the news from her, fearing the effect of the shock. Not long afterwards she was informed through a different channel. “Phil” Garlick was manager of Automobiles, Ltd.