One of the largest pile-ups in the history of the Kumho Tyres Australian F3 Championship marred practice for round three of the championship at Oran Park, overshadowing another fornt-running performance from returee Neil McFadyen.
A five-car smash at a blind section of the circuit ten minutes into the second session badly damaged the cars involved and eliminated three competitors from the 20-car field entered for the weekend. Fortunately, everyone involved emerged unhurt, but carbon fibre and components littered the circuit for some time. Due to the day being counted as a private practice session and not part of the official race meeting, only a limited compliment of track marshals were on hand, resulting in drivers approaching the section having no idea of the stopped cars ahead.
National Class competitor Graeme Holmes triggered the incident by spinning on the exit of turn seven - in the hollow just prior to the old Suttons corner - and was stranded in the middle of the racetrack. Unsighted, McFadyen was the first car on the scene and was barely able to avoid the stranded Dallara, but the same could not be said for Leanne Tander, who was closely following the points leader at the time.
With no where to go, Tander spun sideways into Holmes' car, creating a brutal initial impact before Scud Racing driver Mathew Radisich also made contact with the pair and ended up in the wall. Mat Sofi managed to avoid the majority of the crash, but still ended his day early after hitting Radisich. Jesse Wakeman then ploughed into the opposite side of Holmes' car to complete the chain of events.
Wakeman and Holmes' cars were virtually destroyed, with catastrophic damage to the engines, gearboxes and all four suspension corners on each car. The impact on Holmes' and Wakeman's cars was also enough to tear the inlet trumpets from the head of their Spiess engines. Radisich's F304 suffered damage to three corners as well as hefty bodywork damage, and all three will be forced out of competition this weekend.
![Five-car accident mars pre-race test at Oran Park [pic credit: Race Torque/Klynsmith]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/431517.jpg)
