13 replies to this topic

[simonlewisbooks]

BBC Radio 4 news this morning announced the death, aged 64 of many-time BriSCA stock car racing world and national points champion Stu Smith.

For anyone not familiar the "SuperStu's" standing in the world of British small oval racing, imagine someone with the same consistent level of success in his own area of the sport as Michael Schumacher. But without the need for team orders...

He featured a lot in the BBC "Tears & Gears" series back in the summer , which focused on the second generation enmity between the Smiths and the Wainmans in stock car racing and Stu had most of the memorable lines!

'Legend' as we all know, is a very overworked term, but this man genuinely was one.

[Paul Hurdsfield]

I'm sure this was reported about 2 weeks ago in 'our' local rag, The Manchester Evening News, him being a local man from Rochdale.
As you say very sad, only 64, and a true legend in Stock car circles.

Edit to add at 11.39am, Yes I've just checked 23th December.

Edited again to change the date

Edited by Paul Hurdsfield, 24 January 2011 - 18:25.

[kayemod]

You're quite right about Stu's record and reputation, but only just announced? Not sure exactly when Stu departed, but there was an appreciation of his life and career last Friday on the Radio 4 programme Last Word, still currently available on their 'Listen Again' service.

[Giraffe]

An obit was in Autosport, Jan 6th issue.

[ReWind]

Not sure exactly when Stu departed.

Just look here.

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Just look here.

Or post 2 ;)
Now highlighted to make it more visible

Edited by Paul Hurdsfield, 24 January 2011 - 15:55.

[CoulthardD]

The BRISCA web site says the 23rd, as does his Local Paper.

DC

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Ooops your right the report i read here was dated the 28th but states he died 2 days before Christmas day, that'll teach me to speed read

[elansprint72]

391 RIP. Top bloke; any evening spent in his company was memorable.

[PhilG]

It was just before Xmas, we had a minute's applause for him at the Coventry Stock Car meeting on the 27th.

A great driver , proper aggressive, in a sport where proper aggressive is a joy to watch.

[Dkipling1]

I was never a fan of SuperStu Smith, because he was SO GOODF

[Dkipling1]

[quote name='Dkipling1' date='Jan 31 2011, 16:30' post='4809315']
I was never a fan of SuperStu Smith, because he was SO GOOD --the same way I was not a Schumacher fan. But without doubt he was "the man". To see him work through traffic was eerie; it drove me crazy to watch him pick off my own favourite drivers. Any sudden pile-up in a corner, and he was through it --- zip --- just like that. "Lucky devil" we used to shout, but Stu had a sixth sense, like the best hockey and soccer players, of where the game was going a second or two before it happened. Stu was also a showman. The last component was, honestly, some money. His old man Lawrence had made a pile of brass ("Where there's muck there's money"), and the spark that really set them off was when Stu's mechanic Doug Cronshaw left to build himself a super car, winter of 1969, which immediately started winning everything. Stu and his father were so infuriated by this 'desertion' that they lashed out a fortune on brand-new imported 427 cu. in. Chevy race motors. Lawrence was heard in the pits saying "If you don't beat him with this car I'm going to cut it up!"

[Phil Rainford]

There was a meeting held in his honour yesterday at Belle Vue




PAR

[simonlewisbooks]

There was a meeting held in his honour yesterday at Belle Vue




PAR

That cover photo looks to be taken at Snetterton, where a stock car 'oval' used to include Coram and the Bomb-hole (the 'wrong way')and a cut back through the infield on an old section of runway which I think has since been dug up or grassed over.