V8: McConville escapes Townsville practice crash

Cameron McConville’s V8 Supercar return ended in the wall at the Townsville 400 today after suffering brake failure in free practice.

The Gulf Western Oils Commodore approached turn 10 at around 100mph before spinning into the tyre wall that McConville credited with preventing a far more serious accident.

The Australian, who has been drafted into the squad for the remainder of the season, suffered slight injuries to his ankle but was walking freely by the afternoon. And he was eager to praise the circuit’s safety standards after the crash which also left him feeling sore.  
“Just thank god there’s a tyre bundle there,” he said. “Thank the circuit safety and the track safety people for putting that tyre bundle there because if it was straight concrete I reckon one, it probably would have put me to sleep and two, it would have destroyed the car.

“I think with the tyre bundle it saved the car and it needs a whole new front cross member but the chassis rails are surprisingly straight; I think it will be okay to go again tomorrow.

“I just had an instant headache and just sprained my ankle a bit because I had the brake pedal on the floor when I hit; I think my foot turned around to the back of the pedal but I’m fine.

“The insides were instantly sore, just my ribs and insides."

Without the accident, McConville reckoned that he could have made the top ten.

“It’s a shame because the car felt really good out of the gate and we were making some good progress in the car,” he said. “It’s put us behind the eight ball for qualifying and we wanted to get all the sessions in but the car felt really nice to drive anyway.

“I think it’s a top 10 or top 12 car; I couldn’t see why it shouldn’t be and that’s what makes it even more disappointing and obviously the guys have got a fair bit of work ahead of them.”

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Tom Hornsby