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Lex Davison and Rocky Tresise


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#1 Nanni Dietrich

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Posted 28 October 2005 - 10:28

I've just read in Motor Sport magazine, issue Oct. 2005 (Longford circuit article) Lex Davison was the "mentor" of Rocky Tresise: they both died in the space of a week at the end of February 1965 in two sad accidents at Sandown Park and at Longford.

Can someone of our great past master tell us the whole story? What does it mean "mentor"? Did Davison help Tresise to start his racing career (money, advices, teaching) or simply he was a good friend of the younger (I presume) driver.
I confess, I don't know almost anything about the two guys, I would like to learn.

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#2 Ray Bell

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Posted 28 October 2005 - 11:56

Tresise was a family friend, IIRC...

Davo had him 'under his wing' and provided him with his previous year's car. This had been the case for almost a year, I think, when the crashes occurred.

It wasn't all in a week, but close. Davison's crash occurred late in the morning, or maybe about noon, on the Saturday. Tresise died in the mid afternoon on the Monday a week later.

I have given somewhat detailed accounts of these deaths previously...

http://forums.atlasf...=&postid=780494

http://forums.atlasf...&postid=1176075

The word 'mentor' really means 'teacher', but with the added aspects of confidant and friend mixed in.

#3 275 GTB-4

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Posted 18 August 2010 - 03:17

Fabulous period photo of "Lex" Davison - COPYRIGHT Glenn McGrath/George Pitts [USED WITH PERMISSION]

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#4 john medley

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Posted 18 August 2010 - 07:01

Graham Howard's book Lex Davison Larger Than Life (1994)tells much of the story

#5 ReWind

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Posted 02 August 2015 - 09:30

I stumbled across Rocky Tresise’s real name which is Rodney Wakefield Tresise. That led me to a newspaper article from 10 April 1964 (The Age) which deals with the dinner dance given by his mother to celebrate his 21st birthday.
So we can safely say that he was born in 1943 and was just 21 years old when he died.


Edited by ReWind, 02 August 2015 - 14:51.


#6 Repco22

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Posted 02 August 2015 - 10:22

ISTR reading that Rocky was a next door neighbour to Lex?



#7 ReWind

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Posted 02 August 2015 - 11:23

Not that long ago - in this post.



#8 Ray Bell

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Posted 02 August 2015 - 14:48

Yes, the Tresise family were well entrenched in a home in Toorak when Lex and Diana bought the house next door and moved in with their children... Rocky approached Lex and told him he had an MGA and he was going to start racing it. He had plans to enter the next Sandown Park meeting.

 

At this time Lex truly became his mentor. He told him to enter some hillclimbs first, not to make his competition debut on a big International racing circuit. Rocky accepted the advice and continued to follow Lex's every word virtually for the rest of his life.

 

After a time he bought himself a Lotus 18 and ran it in the 1100cc class of the Lucas-Davison series at Calder. This car was sold to Tim Schenken when Lex adjudged him ready to graduate to the 2.5-litre Cooper Climax. There is more to the story than I had known, but in digging deeper for my story about the '65 AGP for the Tasman Cup book I think I pretty much uncovered it all. Lyn Archer, Anthony Davison, Jon Davison and others each told me their perspective on the events of that day and it was intriguing to say the least.

 

The night of the race, Anthony, Peter and Jon flew back to Melbourne and went from the airport straight to the Tresise home. There Rocky's older brother and his sister were waiting to learn what had happened to their brother. The older brother asked Jon... "He kept his foot down when he should have backed off," said Jon. It was that simple. The road had narrowed as he ranged alongside Glyn Scott, with two wheels in the dirt the car lost traction, skewed sideways and started its crazy flight that took the lives of both Rocky and Robin d'Abrera.

 

I have written here previously about Rocky's reluctance to drive in the race, but the full details are in the story in the book.


Edited by Ray Bell, 02 August 2015 - 14:49.


#9 ellrosso

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Posted 03 August 2015 - 07:45

I actually met Rocky's older brother at a party in Mosman maybe 15 or so years ago and we had a chat about the accident and aftermath. Devastating for the family at the time by all accounts. Nanni - we have several shots on the oldracephotos website if you want to see some pics.