First survivor of British Superbike crash breaks silence after championship race horror left two riders dead

A SURVIVOR of the horrific 11-man British Superbike crash has broken their silence after two fellow riders tragically died.

Shane Richardson, 29, and Owen Jenner, 21, lost their lives after the shocking collision and pile-up at Oulton Park, Cheshire, on Monday.

The riders went down at the very first turn of the race, with horrific live footage showing how one racer lost control before skidding across the tarmac into the path of other bikers.

Now, fellow rider Morgan McLaren-Wood has taken to social media to share his emotions, following the tragic deaths.

He wrote: “Struggling to find the words for what happened today. Rest in peace, Shane and Owen.

“My heart goes out to both of their families during this heartbreaking time.”

Owen had been treated trackside, following the disaster, but tragically died due to a “catastrophic” head injury, despite undertaking further resuscitation treatment at the circuit.

Shane, who was dad to two kids, was also treated on site by medical teams for severe chest injuries.

He was rushed to Royal Stoke University Hospital but sadly died prior to arrival.

Tom Tunstall, 47, was also quickly taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital with significant back and abdominal injuries, while five other riders, including Morgan, were treated for minor injuries at the track.

In the tragic “chain reaction” crash on Monday, multiple bikes began piling into each other, after one rider lost control and veered across their paths.

One bike even caught fire in the devastating scenes as medics rushed to try and limit the damage.

The event at Oulton Park was subsequently cancelled, and a police investigation has been launched into the tragedy.

Jay Borrett, 53, a plumber from Rochester in Kent was attending the event with his wife Debbie.

He said: “The emergency response was incredibly quick. We saw two helicopters. You can’t fault the response time. The services they have here are amazing, the orange army.

“I watched them all run up the hill to the scene of the crash. You’ve got people at the top of their game racing beside somebody else who’s at the top of their game, for the same bit of track.

“If he can’t win, at least he wants to beat the one in front of him. Everyone knows the risks.

“Proper fans appreciate everything they do. It’s devastating, but the sport will carry on, things are not going to change.

“This was nothing to do with the size of the track, or anything like that.

“It was just a spin up of the back wheel which put him into a sideways position, and then a domino effect putting him into everyone else. It was an accident, and accidents happen. He was going into a pack of bikes, and there’s no retrieving that.”

The couple were staying in their caravan on the Oulton Park campsite, near to where the first bend where the crash unfolded on the first circuit.

His wife Debbie Borrett said: “Everyone here was devastated. We’re all huge Superbike fans and these are very safe tracks. The riders know the risks every time they go out there. The fans understand and appreciate the risks they take. The riders were so young. It’s a tragedy.”

Russell Mather, a 64-year-old retiree from Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, was also at the event.

He said: “Nobody gets on a bike to go and kill somebody – accidents happen, it’s two riders slightly touching, fighting, because they’re three or four abreast and coming down to a bend it only needs two just to touch.”

Shortly after the crash, the Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board and MotorSport Vision Racing issued a statement confirming the tragic deaths of Shane and Owen.

While Shane died from his “severe chest injuries”, Owen tragically passed away after suffering a “catastrophic head injury”.

The statement read: “At the start of this afternoon’s Quattro Group British Supersport Championship race at Oulton Park, exiting turn one, Old Hall corner on the first lap, there was a chain reaction incident involving 11 riders falling.

“The race was immediately stopped, and trackside medical services deployed.

“Due to the extreme severity of the incident and ongoing medical intervention, the remainder of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship event was cancelled.

“This catastrophic accident has tragically resulted in two riders being fatally injured and another sustaining significant injuries.

“The Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board and MotorSport Vision Racing are investigating the full circumstances of the incident in conjunction with the Coroner and Cheshire Constabulary.”

Cheshire Police also confirmed it would be investigating the two deaths.

A spokesman for the force said: “Police are investigating two deaths on behalf of the coroner following a multiple collision at Oulton Park this afternoon.

“Emergency services were called to the scene following the collision which resulted in two riders being fatally injured and another with serious injuries.”

Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk