Pilot motorist of formula l, official of the Shadow equipment. Pryce died in accident during the development of the Great Prize of South Africa, Saturday 5 of March of 1977, when coiling to a commissioner assistant who crossed the track to aid another participant.
 |
|
The rest of Shadow DN8 after the fatal accident in turn 23 of the XXIIIrd South African Grand Prix. Pryce passed away in the act, like the auxiliary commissioner (MV*)
|
23ª of the test when Renzo Zorzi stopped its Shadow DN8 B-Ford Cosworth nº 17 to the left flank of the straight line, surrounded in flames ran the return. From the other side, the commissioner of the position ordered his two associates, provided of extinguishers, that went running towards the lengthy single-seater: but, confused by the urgency, they did not repair in which the second Shadow (DN8 1A nº 16), elbow elbow with the March 761B-Ford Cosworth nº 10 of Hans-Joachim Stuck, initiated the reduction of the hill to more than 270 Km/h.
The promising Pryce could not avoid the upsetting of one of the auxiliary commissioners, and the extinguisher that carried this one (Jansen VanVuren, that did not survive) brutally struck to him in the head, which made him be killed in the act; the doctors certificaron that the cause of the death was a deep one hurt in the right weather. The heavy extinguisher had taken him the helmet and twist the roll-bar of the single-seater, that, nevertheless, was not unbalanced with the impact and continued to all gas during 700 meters until leaving at the end of straight line, escorted by a perplex Jacques Laffite who had reached him with his Ligier JS7-Matra nº 26. Laffite tried to advance to the Shadow (without suspecting that his conductor was dead) and collided with him when initiating the curve.
 |
|
In his 5º competition of F1, Tom added its first point after arriving sixth in the demanding one drawing up of Nurburgring (MV*)
|
Thomas Maldwyn Pryce (been born in Ruthin, Wales, the 11 of June of 1949), had gained a contest for newcomer in 1969, in which he obtained a Lola T200 of Ford formula; he later made formula Uve (with a Royale), formula (national 100 champion) and formula Super lll with the Royale de Bob King, that also offered some incursions to him in the Atlantic formula. In 1973 ll (with the ex-ones makes formula of Chris Meek) and in order season is honest with the Grovewood prize, that is granted to the best hope, in front of another value prematurely missing person, Tony Brise.
 |
|
Tom leading Shadow DN5 during the Great Prize of Great Britain of 1975. There it obtained pole, but it left after suffering an accident when it led (MV*)
|
Season following approaches formula l with Token-Ford and wins Grand Prix de Monaco of formula lll, traditionally consagrador, and that Pryce would dispute because it had refused to him, of office, the inscription in the Grand Prix of formula l. With newcomer Token RJ/02 1-Ford Cosworth it secures an excellent time for the GP of Belgium, 3 seconds behind the Ferrari de Regazzoni, pole position, but in front of experienced figures more like Edwards, Reutemann, Schenken, Mass, Hill or VanLenepp. It happens to the UOP/Shadow equipment, replacing Brian Redman soon, and obtains 3ª place in training in France with a Shadow DN1-Ford Cosworth.
Supported by the champions Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill, who appreciated their great conditions, Pryce surprises by its benefits in the tests for the Grand Prix of Great Britain of 1974, in Brands Hatch. To the steering wheel of Shadow-Ford it obtained the best time in the morning session of Thursday, and so it gained the 100 bottles of champagne that offered the “Evening News”. In the definitive grill it is placed in 5º put, after Lauda, Peterson, Scheckter and Reutemann, and tied with Hunt; in race he would be 7º, with problems of suspension and gear box.
 |
|
During the Grand Prix they go Europe of 1976, disputed in Zandvoort, Pryce culminated 4º being this its last better result of F1 (MV*)
|
Already like official of Shadow, in 1975 it would overcome with total authority in the RACE of Champions de Brands Hatch, marking the fast return in training and race and surpassing to the best steering wheels: Watson, Peterson, Ickx, Fittipaldi… In the Great Prize of Great Britain (Silverstone), it returned to astonish when obtaining pole, and in Germany it managed to finish in 4ª position, although it had to lead last the 50 returns with the monkey soaked by the breakage of a fuel conduction, that burned the skin to him. In order season was 10º in the championship, with 8 points.
In 1976 it followed with the Shadow of formula I (DN5-Ford Cosworth), obtaining 10 points and the position 11º of the championship (even with Peterson); and, straddling the following season, Epynt, valid had a bad experience in the rally Tour d for the Castrol-Autosport championship: with a Lancia Stratos of escudería Chequered Flag, one crashed against the parapet of a bridge in the first special one. Its copilot, Dave Richards, a knee was broken, but Tom was not seriously wounded, in spite of which the wreck seemed of evil omen. Because, three months later…
| (MV*): Foot of photo written up by tamermotorsports.com |
It presses (Bishop): 6 of March of 1977Bugler: 6 of March of 1977Freeway: 13 of March of 1977, pg. 31; 7 of November of 1977 (photo), pg. 23Speed: 26 of March of 1977, pg. 34Sport-Car: April of 1977, pg. 23 and 27L´Automobile: April of 1977, pg. 65 and 69 (photo); April of 1978 (Gérard Flocon/Jean-Pierre Jarier)), pg. 80Interviú: 8 of September of 1977 (Serpico equipment), pg. 59The Country: 23 of August of 1982, sports, pg. 4 (Ignacio Lewin)Sports Car International: August of 1989 (Preston Lerner), pg. 32 and 33Burchkalter/Shed: pg. 219It brushes Jones: pg. 42, 97, 115, 169, 245 and 251F1-50, pg. 47 (Mike Doodson) E. and F. VerplankenThoroughbred & Classic Cars: April of 2001 (Jackie Oliver), pg. 53Tremayne & Hughes: pg. 64G. To Engels (30302)
Photos: Forix.com - Allf1.info - Awirz.ch
|
