Grant Denyer has been slammed over a horror Bathurst crash that left a driver with a broken spine, as a furious teammate accused the TV star of downplaying the incident.
The Deal or No Deal host was behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro during the Bathurst 6 Hour on Easter Sunday when a dramatic three-car collision unfolded at Mount Panorama.
Denyer was attempting to overtake Richard Barram’s Volkswagen Scirocco at Griffins Bend, hours into the endurance race, when the pair made contact and lost control.
Barram’s car was sent careering into a stationary Mazda driven by Matt Kiss — which had triggered double-waved yellow flags in the area — while Denyer slammed into a concrete barrier on the opposite side of the track.
Overtaking is prohibited under yellow flag conditions.
Both drivers were taken to hospital following the crash, with Denyer later revealed to have escaped with minor injuries.
But the full extent of the damage suffered by Barram has since emerged and is far more serious.
He sustained a fractured vertebra, multiple broken ribs and a severely damaged foot requiring reconstructive surgery.
Denyer initially took to social media on Tuesday to reassure fans about his own condition, saying the incident was “very minor”.
“Just wanted to let you know I’m A OK … I was only in hospital for an hour, and that was only for compulsory checks, as part of the regulations,” he said.
“It (the crash) was very minor, it (the damage) was just a small scrape. Someone just tagged my car, trying to avoid another parked car, and they just spat us both into the wall.”
The comments sparked backlash and prompted a public response from Barram’s co-driver, James Hay.
“Our driver Richard Barram was struck by Grant Denyer’s vehicle in a zone under double waved yellow flags – a sector requiring all drivers to slow and prepare to stop. The collision was not a racing incident. It was avoidable,” Mr Hay said.
“We had hoped to deal with this privately and allow the stewards’ process to run its course.
“However, following Grant’s recent Facebook post in which he described the incident as ‘someone just tagged my car’ – while our driver is recovering from serious injuries – we felt compelled to respond publicly.
“We are deeply disappointed that he would minimise a serious incident on social media and deflect responsibility while Richard is still recovering.
“We wish Grant a full recovery. But the facts matter – particularly when a driver is facing a long road to recovery.”
Denyer later issued a more measured response, in a statement to SpeedCafe on Wednesday saying he was “deeply saddened” by Barram’s injuries and emphasising he had not seen the yellow flags before the crash.
“As I was on my approach to Turn 2 on the right-hand side of the track, I was seeking to pass two slower class cars,” he said.
“As a result, I had no line of sight to the flag point on the left. I was focused on the braking point and clearing the two cars safely and could not see the yellow flags to the left – it was completely unsighted.
“There was no radio call advising of double yellows or a stopped car ahead and, as I came into Turn 2 (Griffins Bend), I observed a waved green flag above the parked vehicle, indicating a return to normal racing conditions. I then moved to the right based on that understanding.
“At that point, Richard appeared to move to the right also, I believe to avoid the stopped car on the left, not expecting me to be there.
“Our cars made contact, which resulted in both of us being directed into the wall.”
He also revealed he had visited Barram in hospital, saying news of the severity of his injuries came as a shock.
Online reactions were mixed to Denyer’s video with most expressing relief Denyer himself was not also injured while others expressed more emphasis should have been placed on Barram.
News.com.au has contacted Denyer through his management for comment.
Discussion about this post