Escaping Death's Grasp

Gouache on paper In the 1903 Paris to Madrid race, a De Dietrich overturned near the village of Bonneval. Driver Cyril Terence "Tom" Delaney was driving with his mechanic Grant too close to the side of the road as he approached a bend, ran into loose gravel, and broke his left front wheel and axle when the car flipped over. Delaney and Grant were believed to be dead, since the car landed on top of them, but to the astonishment of the spectators they both crawled out from under the car and then photographed the wrecked vehicle.