18 replies to this topic

[Cirrus]

I'm sorry to have to tell you that Syd Fox died last night. Together with fellow TNFer delta44 we had got to know him quite well over the past few years. In April of this year we arranged for him to have what would turn out to be his last single seater drive at Silverstone because he fancied having a go at racing again despite being the wrong side of 80. He said that he wasn't feeling too good at the test and it subsequently turned out that he had incurable cancer.

 

In a career spanning many years he became sought after for his testing abilities and ability to get the best out of any car. In the 1970's he won both FF1600 and FF2000 titles despite being over twice the age of many of his rivals. Needless to say, he had a fund of fascinating stories but sadly there was not enough time to get them all down on paper. A little known fact about him is that he was very fond of animals and every year raised thousands of pounds for animal charities.

 

He'll be sadly missed...

 

[alansart]

That's sad news. RIP Syd and thanks for those cracking drives in TON in the 70's.

[John Ginger]

Very sorry to hear this, another of my club racing heroes gone, thank-you for the memories Syd

 

My condolences to Syd's family and friends

[sterling49]

Sad news, I spent many a happy hour watching Syd race in all manner of cars.

[Tim Murray]

Oh dear. Like Sterling I saw Syd race many times and was a fan - it was good to see him regularly stuffing the young hotshoes. It was also good to have his contributions to this forum for a time. RIP.

[paulsenna1]

So sad, he was brilliant in The Old Nail.

[Cirrus]

Speaking of The Old Nail here's a picture of Syd in said car - copyright Ferret Fotographics

 

Edited by Cirrus, 21 October 2013 - 19:43.

[john winfield]

Speaking of The Old Nail here's a picture of Syd in said car - copyright Ferret Fotographics

 

Sad news Alan - please pass on my condolences to his family and friends.  What a great career Syd had.

 

Nice to see the Piranha sticker on his car...and I'm honoured that he once mistook me for John Wingfield!

[grd]

Very sad news.

I have Syd's 1970 Macon which is back in period livery and he was over joyed when he came across it in the paddock at Brands a few years ago. He could not believe that anyone would be bothered about one of his old cars. With the assistance of Brands Hatch and PA Motorsport, Syd was reunited with the car last year and spent a couple of hours circulating in it bringing back the memories.

As Alan says, he had plenty of tales to tell and will be sorely missed as he was one of the true legends of UK motorsport.

[Cirrus]

Thanks to Syd's generosity, Matthew (grd), John Taylor (Historic FF2000 treasurer) and I were his guests at the British GP qualifying in 2012 by virtue of his membership of the BRDC. We had a wonderful day. The GP itself the next day was one of his fundraising days for his charities.

 

Every time I spoke to Syd over the last few months he'd tell me the bad news about how his illness was progressing but would always end it with something along the lines of "Well I can't complain really - I've had a wonderful life"

 

After the drive at Silverstone in Iain Rowley's Delta (mentioned above) he suggested adding quite a bit more negative camber to the front wheels. He was delighted to hear that Iain had done as he suggested and found the car greatly improved at the Oulton Park Gold Cup.

 

Once again - a great guy who will be sadly missed.

[Bloggsworth]

RIP a great clubman.

[JacnGille]

Sad news.

[arttidesco]

Condolences to Syd's family and friends, RIP.

[charles r]

Very sad news. RIP Syd.

[Nick Planas]

Sad news indeed - another name from my childhood gone. Condolences to his friends and family.

[Alan Cox]

^{So sorry to hear this news. Like many of the above, I was greatly entertained over many years by Syd's driving. His all-too-rare posts here on the Forum were always worth reading, too.}

[petestenning]

One of Britains great entertainers in any car , one of my teenage memories is his many races with Mac's cars especially the various Hawke's.

[Michael Ferner]

RIP

[Michael Oliver]

I got to know Syd after he began posting on TNF, having seen him on the tracks many times in the 60s and 70s. We corresponded about Syd's Lotus 23 and very kindly scanned some photos for me as well as providing his recollections of the car for me (I am researching 23s at present). I too had the pleasure of being a guest of Syd's at the BRDC on the Saturday of the British GP a few years ago, a lovely act of generosity since he had not known me that long. He was a real character, with lots of anecdotes which would have made a great (but probably unprintable after the lawyers had gone through it!) book.

 

A sad loss but a life very well lived...