Mark Porter (race driver)

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*Mark Porter (Didley)*
Born	October 2, 1974(1974-10-02) Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand
Died	October 8, 2006 (aged 32) Sydney, Australia
Occupation	Racecar driver
Spouse	Adrienne
Children	Flynn

Mark "Didley" Porter (October 2, 1974 - October 8, 2006) was a New Zealand racing driver who competed in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar touring car racing series in Australia.

His V8 Supercar series debut was in a Ford Falcon at Wakefield Park in 2002, and he debuted in the Bathurst 1000 the same year.

In the 2006 series, Porter was running third in the championship in his Holden VZ Commodore for the Hyundai-Hydraulink racing team. On October 6, 2006, while competing in a support race for the Bathurst 1000, he lost control of his car at Sulman Park at nearly 200 km/h. He stalled in the middle of the track and was a sitting duck when the rest of the field came roaring through. Chris Alajajian, in the Elf Commodore, connected with the tail of Porter's car. David Clark, however, in an effort to avoid the stalled Porter, slid his car sideways whilst travelling at high speed. The front right hand side of his car hit the drivers side door of Porter's car, crushing the side of the car. The front right hand of Porter's car also hit the drivers door of Clark, critically injuring him. Marshals were quick to arrive at the scene where one, unable to open the driver's door on Porter's car, opened the rear door in an attempt to check his condition. Both drivers were unconscious at the time. The race was called to an immediate stop and all racing was suspended for 2 hours while police combed for clues as to what happened. Both cars were an absolute write-off, while Alajajian was able to repair his car for the second race of the weekend the next day.

Porter was taken by ambulance to Bathurst Base Hospital and later that day airlifted to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney with serious head and chest injuries but died in late afternoon of Sunday 8 October 2006 as the feature race was concluding. Just two hours after the crowd was celebrating Craig Lowndes' win and on the day they farewelled the late Peter Brock, Porter's family issued a statement announcing his death.

He is survived by his wife Adrienne and his young son Flynn.

[edit] Tributes and Legacy

Porter was chosen to drive the Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon at the Bathurst 1000 endurance round. But after the fatal crash, rookie Michael Caruso was chosen and the team ran the names of the two drivers and Porters with the number 111 aside Porter's name.

After his untimely death, good friend and team owner Paul Cruikshank ran Porter's number (111) at the next V8 Supercar round (The Indy 300). #111 is still used as a memorial to Porter on the Glenfords Falcon.

In the 2008 round of New Zealand, there will be a new award for the drivers, the Mark Porter trophy.

Mark's brother Andrew, a former truck racer will contest this year's NZV8 series in the Hydralink #111 Ford BA Falcon.