FED: Bana out of Tasmanian car rally after crash

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2007
FED: Bana out of Tasmanian car rally after crash

By Karen Davis

SYDNEY, April 21 AAP - Actor Eric Bana has crashed out of the Targa Tasmania car rally
after losing control and hitting two trees in his lovingly-restored classic Ford.

Bana's 1974 Ford XB GT Coupe left the road just after midday (AEST) today, during a
series of tight downhill bends in the Cethana stage - regarded as one of the most difficult
of the rally.

Bana and his navigator Tony Ramunno escaped the crash unscathed.

It was first thought the car would be able to continue tomorrow, but Bana's support
crew later found its front right hand steering and suspension were too badly damaged to
be repaired in time.

The star of Chopper, Troy, and Munich has owned the car for 23 years and had just completed
a major two-year restoration.

The actor said he had been having a great day up until the crash happened, near Sheffield
in Tasmania's north-west, just over 25km into the 37km stage.

"We were still being cautious but we had found a fairly comfortable rhythm and were
really starting to enjoy ourselves as we got used to the car," he said tonight.

"But I misjudged a tight left hander and we went in a little too fast, the car understeered
off the road and got onto the gravel and we went into a couple of trees at a fairly low
speed."

Bana first competed in Targa Tasmania in 1996 and had been running in 53rd place, from
a field of 115 cars in the Classic Competition, before the crash.

"The car is a little battered on the driver's side which is a real shame, as many hours
had been spent re-shaping its original panels to get it just right," he said.

"It's a real shame, but that's motor racing."

The next 137km stage starts in Burnie and winds down the west coast before finishing in Hobart.

AAP kd/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: BANA 2ND NIGHTLEAD (PIX AVAILABLE)

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