Post by Effin' and jeffin on Sept 17, 2007 7:05:59 GMT 10
Sunday Sep 16 22:16 AEST
AP - Former World Rally champion Colin McRae and his son were among four people killed in a helicopter crash in Scotland, police said.
McRae, Britain's best-known rally driver, was on board the helicopter, which was owned by him and crashed in a wooded area near his home in Lanark, police said.
McRae was flying the helicopter, which was carrying his five-year-old son, Johnny, and two friends, police said. The aircraft was badly burned, making it impossible for police to immediately identify the occupants.
McRae was a licensed pilot who often flew in the area, police said.
McRae was the World Rally champion in 1995 and runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001. He won 25 races in a World Rally Championship career that ran from 1987 to 2004.
He made intermittent appearances on the WRC circuit until 2006.
McRae, the son of five-time British rally champion Jimmy McRae, also competed in the Paris-to-Dakar rally race in 2004 and 2005 and in the Le Mans 24-hour race in 2005.
His fascination with cars began at age two and by seven, McRae was competing on motorbikes. He competed in his first rally in 1985, but qualified as a plumber while he built his racing career, which kicked off when he became the British rally champion in 1991 and 1992.
He lifted the world title in 1995, and was runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001. He won 25 races in a World Rally Championship career that ran from 1987 to 2004. He made intermittent appearances on the WRC circuit until 2006.
McRae spent 2006 working on an auto camp in Are, Sweden, which he aimed to be the world's premier driving centres. He also took part in a rally contest at the X Games over the past two years, including last month's event in Carson, California.
McRae's success on the rally circuit led to a computer game Colin McRae Rally, first released in 1998, which is now found on PlayStation, Game Boy, Xbox and PSP platforms.
McRae received an MBE award in 1996 from the Queen. He is married and has two children.
AP - Former World Rally champion Colin McRae and his son were among four people killed in a helicopter crash in Scotland, police said.
McRae, Britain's best-known rally driver, was on board the helicopter, which was owned by him and crashed in a wooded area near his home in Lanark, police said.
McRae was flying the helicopter, which was carrying his five-year-old son, Johnny, and two friends, police said. The aircraft was badly burned, making it impossible for police to immediately identify the occupants.
McRae was a licensed pilot who often flew in the area, police said.
McRae was the World Rally champion in 1995 and runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001. He won 25 races in a World Rally Championship career that ran from 1987 to 2004.
He made intermittent appearances on the WRC circuit until 2006.
McRae, the son of five-time British rally champion Jimmy McRae, also competed in the Paris-to-Dakar rally race in 2004 and 2005 and in the Le Mans 24-hour race in 2005.
His fascination with cars began at age two and by seven, McRae was competing on motorbikes. He competed in his first rally in 1985, but qualified as a plumber while he built his racing career, which kicked off when he became the British rally champion in 1991 and 1992.
He lifted the world title in 1995, and was runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001. He won 25 races in a World Rally Championship career that ran from 1987 to 2004. He made intermittent appearances on the WRC circuit until 2006.
McRae spent 2006 working on an auto camp in Are, Sweden, which he aimed to be the world's premier driving centres. He also took part in a rally contest at the X Games over the past two years, including last month's event in Carson, California.
McRae's success on the rally circuit led to a computer game Colin McRae Rally, first released in 1998, which is now found on PlayStation, Game Boy, Xbox and PSP platforms.
McRae received an MBE award in 1996 from the Queen. He is married and has two children.
