Mike Burgmann

Michael Burgmann
Nationality	Australian
Born	6 March 1947(1947-03-06) Sydney, NSW, Australia
Died	5 October 1986(1986-10-05) (aged 39) Bathurst, NSW, Australia
Australian Touring Car Championship
Years active	1982-86
Starts	3
Best finish	27th in 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship

Michael Burgmann (3 June 1947 – 5 October 1986) was a Sydney accountant and racing car driver who was involved in a fatal accident at the Bathurst 1000 race held at the Mount Panorama Circuit in New South Wales in 1986^[1].

Burgmann made his first Bathurst start in 1983 driving an ex-Kevin Bartlett Chevrolet Camaro with Tony Longhurst. After qualifying the big Chev in 21st, the car suffered numerous problems on race day and the pair only finished 121 of the 163 laps which was not enough to be classified as a finisher.

The 1984 James Hardie 1000 was much better for Mike Burgmann. He switched to race a Mazda RX-7. Partnered with veteran Bob Stevens, the Mazda was qualified in 39th position but through consistent driving all day without any problems they finished a successful 8th, only 10 laps down on the winning Holden Commodore of Peter Brock and Larry Perkins.

With Australian touring car racing switiching from the local Group C rules to the International Group A regulations in 1985, and with the RX-7 no longer a competitive option, he bought a Holden VK Commodore to compete in the 1985 and 1986 races. The 1985 race saw a DNF after only 93 laps with engine failure.

For 1986, the Burgmann team had upgraded the Commodore to the racing Group A SS specification and co-driving with Series Production racer Mal Rose, Burgmann qualified the car in 27th. After a good start in which he'd already picked up almost 10 places, he suffered a broken windscreen on lap 3. On lap 5, Burgmann was attempting to pass the Jaguar XJS of fellow Sydney racer and close friend Garry Willmington while coming over the second hump on Conrod Straight and traveling at over 260kmh. The front of the Commodore got airborne (as cars did coming over the hump at that speed) and the front moved slightly to the right. Burgmann, who was only a part time racer, tried to correct by turning the wheel to the right. The car then hit the tyre barrier at the bottom of the Bridgestone Bridge at unabated speed causing the entire front end to be pushed back to the firewall. The car's roll cage did its job and the cabin survived the violent impact mostly intact. When officials reached the car they found Burgmann in what would normally be the back seat of the vehicle. While his driving seat had remained intact the force of the impact had broken the seat belt buckle which caused his body to be thrown out of the seat. Mike Burgmann became the first driver to die while competing in the bathurst 1000 when he was pronounced dead on arrival at Bathurst Hospital.^[2]

Following the 1986 race, and as part of safety upgrades the circuit needed to bring it up to FIA standards for inclusion in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship, a complex of three corners was added to Conrod Straight, eliminating the second hump which had long been seen as dangerous at the speeds the touring cars were traveling. The Chase (named Caltex Chase under sponsorship that has lasted since 1987) was also constructed due to FIA regulations that don't allow race tracks to have any straight longer than 1.5km. On the day before the 1987 James Hardie 1000, a plaque inset on the wall at the spot that his car had come to rest was unvailed by motor racing Chaplain Garry Coleman.u

As a result of the accident and the subsequent building of The Chase, the race cars now approach the pedestrian bridge approximately 100kmh less than was possible at the time of Burgmann's unfortunate death.

Michael Burgmann left behind four young children and extended family.

References

1. ^ "Race Memorials". Bathurst Regional Council's. http://www.mount-panorama.com/memorials/31-race-memorials. Retrieved 2010-06-04. 
2. ^ Robert Wilson and Peter Kogoy (October 2006). "Drivers defend Bathurst". Premier Media Group. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20537975-23770,00.html. Retrieved 2010-06-04. 

Persondata
Name	Burgmann, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 March 1947
Place of birth	Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date of death	5 October 1986
Place of death	Bathurst, NSW, Australia

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