During the third round of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring, a tragic accident occurred in which 43-year old Leo Löwenstein from Laudenbach (Germany) lost his life.

The fatal accident happened on lap 22 of the 52nd ADAC ACAS H&R Cup, scheduled to last four hours, at the Bergwerk section of the Nürburgring Nordschleife. With his Aston Martin, Löwenstein drove into a gap between the cars with starting number 137 and starting number 511. In the process, the car got airborne following a collision and barrel-rolled. Upon the impact into the Armco barrier, the rear of the Aston Martin was significantly damaged and the car caught fire. Safety measures were started immediately. Löwenstein, who was unable to release himself from the car, succumbed to a smoke intoxication.

The race was stopped with the red flag and wasn’t re-started. In these circumstances, the race result became an insignificant fact.

The Auto Cycle Union regret to announce that Paul Dobbs, 39, from Onewhero, New Zealand, was killed during the Supersport 2 race at the TT races in a racing incident at Ballagarey.

Paul was an experienced TT competitor with a best finish of sixth in the 400cc lightweight TT race in 2000. He first competed in the Isle of Man TT Races in 1999.

He was married with two children. The ACU wishes to pass on their deepest sympathy to the rider’s family and friends.

Jim Parker, Chairman, ACU, commented:
“Paul was a really popular rider in the paddock and was a great competitor. He was a very talented rider who made many friends in the racing community. He will be sorely missed.

A 13-year-old motorcycle racer died on Sunday after falling off his bike and getting run over by another motorcycle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Peter Lenz was pronounced dead by the Marion County coroner after sustaining ''traumatic injuries''. The accomplished teenage rider crashed on a warm-up lap before his race and was struck by 12-year-old Xavier Zayat, who was not injured in the accident. A posting on Lenz's Facebook page, simply signed ''Dad'', said: ''He passed doing what he loved and had his go fast face on as he pulled onto the track. The world lost one of its brightest lights today. God Bless Peter and the other rider involved. 45 is on another road we can only hope to reach. Miss you kiddo.'' Lenz rode the No.45 bike. Despite his age, Lenz had been riding bikes for six years and was a rising star, winning nine national championships. The fatal accident on Sunday will likely spark a debate about how young is too young for racers to be competing on one of the world's best-known tracks, whether it's inside a car or riding a motorcycle capable of speeds well over 150km/h. Speedway officials declined to comment.