Defending Bathurst 1000 champion Chaz Mostert has been taken away by helicopter after a spectacular crash on Mount Panorama that has suspended qualifying until Saturday.
A trackside official received a head injury when the V8 Supercars young gun pinballed off the walls as he reached the Forrest's Elbow section justminutes into qualifying.
An ambulance arrived to treat Mostert who an official said was "conscious, breathing and talking but does have an injury".
The 23-year-old Mostert's parents Eddie and Maree were present in the team garage during the crash.
It marked Mostert's second horror crash in three years on the mountain.
Mostert emerged unscathed when he made heavy contact at Reid Park with his Ford in 2013 practice in his Bathurst 1000 debut.
Last year, he won the Great Race with Paul Morris in a famous last-to-first effort.
"First of all, we hope Chaz is alright. He's got to get back on the horse, but it's a pretty powerful horse," two-time Bathurst champion Russell Ingall told the Seven Network. "This may re-live memories (of previous crash for Mostert)."
