It was just a racing incident .. I will be back behind the wheel next month
Grandad Ron, 69, unfazed by horrific wipeout
SCOTLAND’S oldest racing driver has spoken for the first time about a horror crash – and vowed to return to the circuit this summer.
Ron Cumming, 69, was racing in the Scottish Saloon and Sports Car Championship when, at a staggering 145mph, he clipped the car he was passing and lost control.
Debris was strewn over the track and his Nemesis car was completely written off after it spun in mid-air and rolled several times.
Pictures show Ron, from Aberdeen, clutching his helmet while he waits for his car to come to a standstill.
Marshals rushed to the scene at Knockhill Racing Circuit, in Fife, and grandfather-of-nine Ron, who has been racing since 1973, was rushed to Victoria Hospital in Fife – only to sign himself out the following day.
He said: “I had a concussion which went away. Also, some facial bruising. “The worst injury I had was during the crash, there was a fuel leakage and some of that fuel burnt the skin on my shoulder and back. “That wasn’t very pleasant but I just signed myself out the next day because I felt much better.”
The father-of-four was unfazed by the crash on May 6, saying: “It was just a racing incident.
“I was making my way to the front of the grid and I think my back wheel clipped the front wheel of a BMW and unfortunately it turned out worse than it should have. While I was in mid-air I shut down all of the main switches and I just knew I had to wait for the car to stop.
“I think at the time it seemed pretty exciting. The car didn’t even burn, I was lucky.”
The car is now being rebuilt and Ron is already preparing for his next event on July 1 at Knockhill.