| BERT
RAY
29 October,
2007: The British Formula Ford Championship has lost a staunch
supporter - Ray Formula Cars founder Bert Ray, who died on Friday
(26 Oct) following a long illness.
The company made
its first Formula Ford in 1971, and it is Ray's proud boast that
it is the longest-established Formula Ford chassis maker still
winning races. Bert's death came only five days after his firm's
latest triumph, in the Formula Ford Festival, which was won by Ray
driver Nick Tandy.
"The Ray name
has become synonymous with Formula Ford and everyone involved with
the championship is saddened to hear of Bert's death," said
Sam Roach, director of championship promoter RacingLine. "We
extend our sympathy to the Ray family and to all those associated
with the company. We will all, I am sure, take comfort from the
fact that Bert lived to see another Formula Ford Festival victory
for one of his cars."
Bert started his
career working for race gearbox company Jack Knight Developments
and from there went to Brabham as a mechanic working alongside
Denny Hulme (later the 1967 World Champion). Bert left Brabham in
1968 to set up Ray Race and, three years later, his first Formula
Ford took to the track in the Formula Ford Festival. Scores of
race and championship victories were to follow. |
