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Peter Raymond George Bourne - better known as Possum Bourne (April 13, 1956 - April 30, 2003) - was a champion New Zealand rally car driver. He died of head injuries sustained in a non-competitive car crash on April 18, 2003, at the 'Race To The Sky' event held in Cardrona, Queenstown, New Zealand. He was nicknamed Possum after the night he crashed the car his Mum had just bought him, while trying to avoid a possum that was in the middle of the road. 13 April is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ...
1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ...
2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Rallying (international) or rally racing (US) is a form of automobile racing that takes place on normal roads with modified production or specially built road cars. ...
April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ...
Panorama of the view from the Remarkables back toward Frankton airport (Queenstown airport) with Queenstown beyond. ...
Drove for Prodrive 555 Subaru WRC team in Rally New Zealand and also in Indonesia, partnered by Kenneth Eriksson. Was a multiple times winner of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championships and the Australian Rally Championship, amongst many other titles.
Best friend and co-driver, Dr. Roger Freeth, died in a freak crash during Rally Australia 1993, in Western Australia, and the crash almost ended Possum's career. But after a lot of soul-searching, he returned to the driver's wheel knowing that was what Roj would have wanted him to do. At the time of his death, Possum had just re-entered the world of WRC, driving a production car in the PWRC.
His autobiography, "Bourne to Rally" was completed just days before his untimely death. Unveiled a year after he died, a bronze memorial statue of Possum now stands overlooking the event he loved the most.
In 2005, Peggy Bourne entered 'Race To The Sky' having had no formal rally driving experience, as a tribute to her late husband.
He is survived by Peggy, Taylor, Spencer, and Jazlin.
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