Ron Carey, 80, took a wrong turn off the main route and ended up on the M23 where his 1903 Knox Porcupine was struck by a lorry near junction 7 of the southbound carriageway at around 10am yesterday.
His wife Billi, in the passenger seat, is today critically ill in hospital with severe head injuries. Witnesses said the couple “flew up into the air”.
Friends today said the couple had flown to the UK from their home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, to complete the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. They are understood to have joined the event at least three times before.
A friend, Rick Pikulski, told Canada’s CTV News: “It’s very tragic, gut-wrenching news. I’ve known Ron for almost 40 years and he was very well-respected and well-liked. He’s a tremendous loss.
“He was very well-travelled and would go on these vintage car rallies all the time. This was something he very much enjoyed.”
The 116-year-old car was part of Mr Carey’s £3.8million car collection, most of which is housed at the Gasoline Alley Museum in his native Calgary.
In April, he told The Calgary Herald: “I had some antique cars and it just became a disease. They’re really fortunate to have cars like that here. They’re just beautiful pieces."
Jocelyn Gregory, who passed the car and the lorry seconds before the impact, saw the collision in her rear mirror.
She told the Daily Telegraph: “I still have visions of them catapulting... out of the car."
Surrey police are appealing for any dash cam footage of the incident.
A statement from organisers said: “The car had left the route, which does not include the M23 where the collision took place.
“The organisers are doing all they can to support the family concerned and are working with the police.”
