When I first met Tony, I was unaware of his amazing racing pedigree. He was just a lovely chatty modest bloke in a extra long race suit. Later on, seeing his tall frame unfurl from the cramped cockpit of something tiny and priceless gave me some idea of his talent.
Then, watching him behind the wheel of a speeding Silver Arrow or the monstrous Brooklands special Napier-Railton was an even better insight into his abilities. The stories that followed were always worth reading, too.
We spent a very happy sunny afternoon on his narrowboat once, chugging gently along the Grand Union Canal through Buckinghamshire. After an hour or so, Tony let me have a go on the tiller. It was only then, as we headed towards the bank, that I realised he was as adept at 4mph as he was 140mph. He gently corrected the leftward lunge, and said no more about it. A lovely guy.
My sincere condolences go to Tony's family.
When I first met Tony, I was unaware of his amazing racing pedigree. He was just a lovely chatty modest bloke in a extra long race suit. Later on, seeing his tall frame unfurl from the cramped cockpit of something tiny and priceless gave me some idea of his talent.
Then, watching him behind the wheel of a speeding Silver Arrow or the monstrous Brooklands special Napier-Railton was an even better insight into his abilities. The stories that followed were always worth reading, too.
We spent a very happy sunny afternoon on his narrowboat once, chugging gently along the Grand Union Canal through Buckinghamshire. After an hour or so, Tony let me have a go on the tiller. It was only then, as we headed towards the bank, that I realised he was as adept at 4mph as he was 140mph. He gently corrected the leftward lunge, and said no more about it. A lovely guy.
My sincere condolences go to Tony's family.
