Victorian Rally Championship competitors, Viv Dilkes-Frayne and Tracey Dewhurst, are on the road to recovery after a serious crash in the recent Pyrenees Rush Rally in the Victorian goldfields.

Dilkes-Frayne suffered a fractured pelvis when the car hit a tree head-on at high speed, while Dewhurst also received a fractured pelvis and a broken coccyx.

Viv Dilkes Frayne's Subaru WRX before the start of the Pyrenees Rush Rally.Dilkes FrayneViv Dilkes Frayne's Subaru WRX before the start of the Pyrenees Rush Rally.The RallySafe unit in the car recorded the Subaru’s impact with a tree at 8g after the car got light on a crest, hit a stump with a rear wheel and was speared into the tree.

“Yes, it was a big one and I can't thank the strength of our car, our safety gear, and the event incident response plan enough,” Dewhurst told RallySport Magazine. “Jason Werner did a brilliant job building the car.

“We immediately knew we were injured, but got out as the car caught fire straight away, due to the impact.

“We all know that accidents can happen, and when the force is as big as it was, we are relatively lucky to only come away with the injuries we have.”

Dewhurst was helicoptered to Melbourne in case of internal injuries, while Dilkes-Frayne was treated at the scene, then taken to Ballarat Hospital. He is currently at the Ballarat Rehab Centre with move to Melbourne later this week.

She says the messages of support from the rallying community since the crash has been overwhelming.

“I can't explain the overwhelming response and wishes we have both received in the last week. We will be back up at it in no time, but we’re just concentrating on healing properly and getting stronger at the moment.

“I think the incident definitely highlights the safety and importance of both the car and the crew attire,” she added.

“The crew conduct of Arron Windus and Joe Brick (who were the first car on the scene) in a situation like this, and how they assisted and without delay, was fantastic. Arron and Joe will forever have my respect to go through what they witnessed, and then to continue to finish the rally and win.

“The event safety plan worked well and the first intervention vehicles were very quick in responding, and the calm professional actions by Andrew Roseman and his team in HQ were incredible.

“I’d also like to thank our service crew - Chris Ellis, Brendon Hood and Mitch Smith - and also Darren Windus and Windus Motorsport team. Darren and his team really helped our service crew on that day, and with his own son in the rally, he still found time to assist.”

She also praised the effort of Dilkes-Frayne immediately after the crash.

“I was immediately useless on impact. What Viv had to gone through in that two minutes, knowing I was injured, his car on fire, while injured himself, was incredible.

“I personally thank him as I was no help to him at all, and he dealt with all that himself until Arron and Joe arrived.”

Despite the crash, the pair intend on returning to the Victorian Rally Championship in 2017.

- Peter Whitten

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