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RIP Tom Wheatcroft


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#1 fil2.8

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 14:00

Guy's , for those of you who hav'nt seen the general nostalgia forum Tom Wheatcroft died this morning , A great friend of the two and three -wheel fraternity will be greatly missed Rip Tom :cry:

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#2 Coupe Kawasaki

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 15:05

The battle to get Donington re-opened and the hard work Tom put into motorcycle racing will surely be remembered for a very long time. Top bloke. RIP Tom, we need more like you.



David

#3 exclubracer

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 15:32

Sad news indeed, TW was a total enthusiast and did more for all disciplines of motorsport than anyone I can remember.

Donington Park will be his legacy of course.

RIP Tom. :cry:

#4 mfd

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 17:11

A great friend of the two and three -wheel fraternity will be greatly missed Rip Tom :cry:

Exactly Phil, some great bike events were held there pre-GP. I was proud to have spent time in his company occasionally. He was always so genial & friendly that he had difficulty walking from one end of the paddock to the other in less than an hour, such was the number of folk he would stop and talk to. A real character & a true enthusiast.


#5 fil2.8

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 17:20

Yes Mike , I have put a bit more on the ordinary ' Nostalgia Section '

#6 Continental Circus

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 18:31

Yes Mike , I have put a bit more on the ordinary ' Nostalgia Section '

Tom had foresight and vision to give us a world class track when he purchased the Donington Ordanance Depot off the MOD.
He put the other UK track owners to shame with his design which lasted for so long.I do hope his name is not tainted with the fiasco that is now Donington.
RIP Tom,
Roy

#7 llmaurice

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Posted 02 November 2009 - 09:40


Such a shame that he had to see the Gillett shambles.
Maybe a fitting memorial to him would be to name a corner after him at Silverstone.
As someone has said previously ,in its day Donington was a very advanced circuit with its then modern toilet blocks and the superb viewing areas .
Donington will always be revered by the motorcycle fraternity when looking back to the Transatlantics etc.

#8 jonnyspa27

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Posted 06 November 2009 - 04:14

Just hope they can keep even a little bit of what Tom worked for all these years. Many of my great racing memories are, by proxy, because of him and his work. Senna '93
and Schwantz's victories there.

#9 Herr Wankel

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Posted 06 November 2009 - 10:26

Tom had foresight and vision to give us a world class track when he purchased the Donington Ordanance Depot off the MOD.
He put the other UK track owners to shame with his design which lasted for so long.I do hope his name is not tainted with the fiasco that is now Donington.
RIP Tom,
Roy

Quite right Roy,
He gave us midlanders and northerners an up to date circuit with proper facilities,that you didn't have to walk half a lap to get to.A kick up the backside for the others to get their act together.Thanks Tom,we owe you.
HW