KEY POINTS:
Ashley Cooper, a 27-year-old driver in the V8 Supercar second-tier Fujitsu series, is in a critical condition in hospital following a high-speed accident at the Clipsal 500 yesterday.
The Ulladulla man is in Royal Adelaide Hospital with severe head trauma, swelling of the brain and internal injuries.
On lap 11 of the second and final series race of the weekend, Cooper made heavy, side-on contact with a safety barrier at the fast turn eight. The initial contact was to the driver's side before the car veered across the track and hit the opposite wall.
Cooper was treated at the track before being rushed to hospital. His parents were at his bedside last night and his wife was on her way from their New South Wales south coast home. They have two children.
It is the second serious accident in less than two years in the Fujitsu series. In October 2006, New Zealand driver Mark Porter was killed following an accident during the Bathurst 1000 in NSW. He was 32.
Cooper, the 2006 V8 Utes rookie of the year, made his Fujitsu series debut at Winton, Victoria in 2007 but an engine problem in practice meant his actual racing debut was not until Queensland Raceway.
Cooper bought an ex-Paul Morris Motorsport Commodore to compete under his own banner in 2008.
