A dramatic accident nearly killed racing car enthusiast Edmund Burgess, 56, entered his £250,000 classic 1924 Bugatti T13 for the the Prescott Speed Hill Climb, in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, on Sunday. Burgess is the director of the Bugatti Owners’ Club.
According to Burgess, he dive bombed his 1924 Bugatti T13 into a Prescott hairpin bend at the break-neck pace of 30 mph when he realized his vintage racer suffered brake failure.
“It happened very suddenly. I was approaching a hairpin bend and I was going a little faster than usual, maybe 30mph, when I tried to brake,” said Edmund Burgess.
According to the Sun, Edmunds Burgess hill climb run was an attempt to break the 59.21 second record held by Kraig Mycock in his T13 Brescia in September 2009.
“Before I knew it, I'd lost control and the car toppled over,” Burgess continued. “When I saw how damaged the car was, I was amazed I could pull myself out and walk away. I was very lucky.”
Captured on video, the excessive speed into the turn likely caused the Bugatti to understeer. As the right front wheel stepped over the curb and dug into the grass, the Bugatti T13 started to flip, slamming Edmund Burgess into the guardrail.
Despite the violent accident, first responders including race officials and safety crews rushed to Edmund Burgess, who was caught under his Bugatti. An ambulance stood by the scene as well. Eventually, Burgess managed to climb out of the wreckage and emerge uninjured.
“My helmet must have hit the barrier, but otherwise I was OK,” said Burgess. “I decided to sit the rest of the event out in the bar with a beer.”
While Edmund Burgess emerged from the crash unscathed, the rare Bugatti racer was severely damaged. Repairs will require components ranging from new suspension, body repair, new steering wheel, and everything in between.
“I'm just irritated more than anything because it means I can't compete again until this one is repaired,” said Burgess, who expects repairs to require approximately eight weeks.
The 1924 Bugatti T13 belongs to an era of glory for the French automaker. Known for their design, beauty, and success in motor racing.
The 1924 Bugatti Type 35 was a 2-liter race car that was victorious in multiple racing categories. Later, a T35 TC and T35B version boast more power from a 2.3 liter engine. At the time, the Bugatti T35 was the only vehicle that was street legal and a racing success at the same time.
