Goodman signs off with huge crash

Goodman teamed up with Pete Williams for the final stage of the Melbourne Challenge in York.

The were on course to win the event, as they just needed to beat one car to lift the silverware, but on stage six it all went wrong.

Goodman said: “This was supposed to be my swansong event as the cost of meeting with new regulations on equipment for next year will almost certainly force me out of rallying.

“We were poised to win the Melbourne Challenge and it was suggested that I should go out with a bang.

“I certainly did with one of the worst crashes I have suffered in my 43 year career in the hot seat.”

The pair started well and took the class lead on stage one despite having a couple of half spins on slippery square corners and on stage two they were 13 seconds slower after visiting a field of six-foot high corn for about 10 yards.

Stage three was good with no mishaps and it was starting to dry out nicely, but they were being caught in the class by a Nova.

They were eventually caught in stage four after the car started misfiring.

After a quick service and buoyed by the fact that main rival Alan Kitson had dropped away, they moved on to stage six with big plans, but things soon turned sour.

Goodman added: “I’d love to know what went wrong, I think we got a bit of a slide on going into a chicane but as I was reading the stage plan and not watching the road ahead at the time I can’t be sure.

“I felt us clip two bales on the inside of a chicane and as I looked up I saw we were starting to roll.

“I thought we would maybe flop onto my side and slide along the concrete a few yards but then we were up in the air and – momentary silence until she landed very hard on the corner of the roof on Pete’s side which collapsed the roll cage and brought the roof down into contact with his helmet.

“Somehow we managed to hang on to the runners-up spot, but on the day that was a minor issue.

“I’m pleased to say that Pete was released from York Hospital the same night with no long term damage but his rallying days are surely over. Mine? We’ll see. “