A bike racer was killed on Sunday (July 17) at Johannesburg's WesBank Raceway when he hit a tyre barrier during a training session with a biking school.
Antonio Pereira, 36, who won his first Regional bike race at Zwartkops Raceway last weekend, crashed at the end of the main straight, watched by instructors from the SA Biking Academy whose motto is "Learn to ride like a Pro".
A friend, Wayne Prince, said Pereira had been having problems with the brakes on his race bike, a Ducati 999, on which he won both Battle of the Twins races at Zwartkops on July 9.
Rolf Schana, who heads the raceway's medical services, said an emergency medical team reached Pereira within minutes but "nothing could be done".
- An investigation by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police later showed that Pereira had omitted to replace a safety wire after working on his bike, causing a brake calliper to come loose.
Accident reconstruction unit head Pine Pienaar said: "We picked up a calliper bolt from the track.
"He didn't replace the safety wire, which resulted in the calliper coming loose and jamming between the tyre and the suspension."
Close friend Rudi Marx said he saw Pereira working on the Ducati's brakes.
He said: "There was brake fluid on the front wheel and his brake pads were worn out.
"I told him he was on borrowed time and to go home. At first he agreed with me, then he borrowed some spares and went out again."
WesBank Raceway's chief executive officer, powerboat and car racing champion Peter Lindenberg, said Pereira's was the first death at the circuit.
- motoring.co.za contacted Noan Potgieter, chief instructor at SA Biking Academy, but he was not prepared to comment and could not add anything to the information we have. - Sapa, motoring.co.za