Mrs Carter was doing what she cherished most, raising money for kids with cancer, when she died instantly in a car crash near Dubbo on Friday.

With her husband Ian, a well known Bathurst businessman, driving, Mrs Carter was a passenger in their beloved red and black spotted Volkswagen "bug".

The Carters' car had competed in 10 rallies raising thousands of dollars, fellow Bathurst rally driver John Archer said yesterday.

It was the jaunty little beetle that was central to one of the most spectacular fundraisers for Camp Quality in Bathurst two years ago.

Mr and Mrs Carter and Mr Archer had helped stage a Brave Boys of Bathurst Cross Dress Ball that raised $85,000.

Because of their spectacular fundraising that year, Bathurst was the starting point for the 2005 esCarpade.

While Mrs Carter died instantly when the 1969 VW left Diladerry Road, 28 kilometres west of Dubbo, Mr Carter yesterday was in a stable condition in the Dubbo Base Hospital.

A decision was expected to be made whether to transfer him to Sydney.

Mr Archer was driving his 1967 HR Holden only a couple of kilometres ahead of Mr and Mrs Carter towards the end of the 3500 kilometre rally from Shepparton to Dubbo.

"We'd been driving together much of the last day," Mr Archer said. "I was in front of Ian, or he would be in front of me, both of us enjoying the country drive to Western Plains Zoo.

"The rally is nothing like a race, everyone drives to speed limits, to capabilities, feeling comfortable about what they're doing with a group of friends."

Mr Archer had driven about two kilometres along the Diladerry Road straight into a sudden, sharp right-hand turn with a precariously placed power pole.

"This was not very well sign-posted at all. We'd left the last dirt behind us, it had been raining intermittently," he said.

"When I came to the turn at the end of the straight, I thought it was a turn that needed to be driven with caution.

"I was on the radio to Ian and Stella, to warn them. But I never got to speak to them, the next message on the radio was calling for medical help. Thinking back I believe there should have been arrows to indicate the way the road turned right."

Mr Archer said he saw the Volkswagen had gone ahead in brake-lock with the sort of damage you would not normally associate with a fatal road accident.

Two well-equipped medical crews were part of the esCarpade, and they were helping Mr Carter.

"Ian wanted to climb out of the car, we told him to sit there until an ambulance arrived to move him," Mr Archer said.

"Ian was aware of the people around him, what was going on. He was concerned and asking questions."

Mr Archer said Mr and Mrs Carter were always doing good things for charity, and the Carter Bros business was built on the good name of brothers Ian, Ray and Wally Carter.