Roy Lane - Hillclimb Legend

[abigail]

Latest news courtesy of the Butlers informants.

Today at Curborough Sprint Course in an event organised by the Midland Automobile Club, Hillclimb Legend Roy Lane competed in his only speed event of 2004 and celebrated with Best Time of the Day!

Recovering from a serious back condition, and driving his Gould GR55, Roy beat friend and long time co-competitor Rob Turnbull into second place.

Roy T Lane - Truly a legend! May you go on forever.

What we now need to know is - in how many seasons has Roy recorded at least one BTD?

Over to you.

[Mrs BlackX]

Now that is the best news I have heard in a long time Abigail.....

Well done Roy

Shireen

[abigail]

Lets keep going as long as we can Shireen.
We shall not be downcast!
Love, Abigail

[blackx]

Got to be clockin on for 30 years...
Sorry if I'm way out there Roy

[Woolley]

Wasn't it great to see him? Hobbling a bit between runs, but the usual silky smoothness out on track. It's ot as if he had an easy run of it, either, winning by 8/100ths over Rob Turnbull, who also had a fine final run in awful conditions.

Very best wishes, Roy, for your upcoming medical work. We all hope that you are back on the hills fully fit again next year.

[Mrs BlackX]

Originally posted by abigail
Lets keep going as long as we can Shireen.
We shall not be downcast!
Love, Abigail

Agreed Abigail

Shireen

[Stuart Hill]

Originally posted by abigail
What we now need to know is - in how many seasons has Roy recorded at least one BTD?

Over to you.

Or more importantly, just how many of us are even old enough to hazard a guess??? No offense Roy, but I can't remember Hillclimbing without you which made this season so unusual.

But still great news...... just wish I had been well enough to attend as planned.

All the Very Best Mr Roy.

[abigail]

BlackX, our crew thought 30 years too.
Thanks to Mrs BlackX for the tip as well. She understands!
The Butler's informants said it was very close too Woolley. Do you recall who was third?
CrazyStu, sorry you missed it as we did. Yes, very few of us can remember a time before Roy!
Love Abigail.

[Woolley]

Originally posted by abigail
Woolley. Do you recall who was third?

Does it matter?

We were discussing Roy's longevity (the fastest bus pass holder on the hills today?) and we decided that nearly all of us had Roy listed in our favourite drivers in the days when we were still spectators. Now, I started going to Shelsley in 1984, and he was already in a Pilbeam by then...

It's also fitting that Roy is one of a very exclusive club of sub-25secs at Shelsley (members 5?) and it made us all very happy to see him achieve that milestone. At one stage he was one of only 2 guys to go up in half their age in seconds, and it looks like he's aiming to be the first to do it in a third of their age...

Good on you, Roy

[abigail]

Chris, any chance of three cheers for Roy at the dinner this coming Friday. As senior perhaps you could start it and if it requires seconding Stu could you assist? As the poor little dog cannot be there please do something. Time for a Hall of Fame? Perhaps there will be a place for such a thing at Shelsley if they ever get the museum going. There is a Horse racing one at Cheltenham so we defo should get one. We also hear that one of the spider mob has got a load of brown gowns for them to wear so they can all be like Basil Hope Davenport. Brilliant!
Love Abigail. (the real one)

[Woolley]

A hall of fame? I reckon Roy deserves his own room. A true gentleman, a lovely personality and a brilliant driver. I'll definitely raise a cheer and a glass to him and I know Jan, Stu and Jo will be seconding it (Uncle Roy my wife calls him!)

[Mrs BlackX]

Originally posted by Woolley
(Uncle Roy my wife calls him!)

Our kids call him Grandad.... You couldn't wish for a better ambassador for hillclimbing..

Shireen

[Sheila M]

Well done to Roy.

The first time I did a Hillclimb meeting was at Harewood back in the early 90's. I was on the repeater flag at the top of the hill and it was scary having my back to the traffic, knowing the likes of Roy were using me as an aiming point for the final right hander!

Lovely man, though - would talk for hours to anyone who asked about his car.

[blackx]

Originally posted by abigail
Chris, any chance of three cheers for Roy at the dinner this coming Friday.

I too shall raise a glass in respect of Roy and his un dying passion to race..

Sadly from my living room but no less sincere.

[Fireblade]

I think the only person who remembers a season without Roy is Reg Phillips,lol.
And until recent years nobody remembered a season without Reg Phillips.

Shame I wasn't there to see it but other social events took precedence. The 1st season in a long time that I haven't seen Roy perform. As Stu says thats what made this season seem different.

[Stuart Hill]

Originally posted by blackx
I too shall raise a glass in respect of Roy and his un dying passion to race..

Sadly from my living room but no less sincere.

You and Shireen not joining us then???

thought you guys were booked in??? :confused:

[james_williams]

Well done Roy. It was really great to see you out again. Just a shame the weather was so poor.....

I for one hope to see Roy out next season

[Matt Dillon]

I've been involved in Hillclimbing for almost 30 years and in all that time the highest number I've seen on Roy's car is 5. Missed him this year will be great to see him back next year.
Roy is a true all round competitor, he once got me in a trials car never again!!!! I can also remember him doing classic rallies.

Thanks for all the years enjoyment you have given us Roy and many more to come I hope.

[Andrew Kitson]

I had a good long chat with him at Gurston a few years back. A really super bloke.

[Woolley]

Originally posted by Matt Dillon
I've been involved in Hillclimbing for almost 30 years and in all that time the highest number I've seen on Roy's car is 5.

Crikey, I never thought of that. He's going to have to buy extra numbers nest year. Can I propose he has an honorary no 10a?

[abigail]

Not such a mad or bad idea from Woolley. One of the more common members of staff who occasionally goes to Stock Car racing said that a Mr S Smith was once given the number one permanently. Perhaps multiple champions (4 or more lets say) should have that kind of recognition. Perhaps a gold nose could be permitted, unlike my wet cold black one! Paid for by the mean boys at the MSA of course!

Love Abigail

[Woolley]

It was good enough for a certain Mr Petty...

Wouldn't a gold nose be a bit heavy for hill-climbing?

[abigail]

The butler says it would be made of gold leaf. I don't understand what he's waffling about but apparently he used to smoke their cigarettes. He's just been waving a Gold Leaf Team Lotus lapel badge around and now he's searching for an unused sticker he got at Silverstone before many of us were born. Now see what we have done. But he was well pleased with those classic Lotus cars at SW recently, as were many of the other old buffers and assorted fogeys. Took him back to his youth. Was saying something about snow in June at Silverstone once at a tourist trophy meeting and about the special horizontal rain they used to get there. Sorry to wander off thread but I think he is turning into an old buffer before my very eyes! How far back can any of you remember?
Love Abigail

[eastwyke]

I can remember standing in the Grovewood Sweet at Brands as a youth with a certain Mr Hill who was smoking one of those Gold Leaf fags that you mention Abigail.

[abigail]

You name dropper eastwyke! Hill Senior or Junior? Never could work out just how old you are! Mind you, I remember you used to know Damon socially. Thing is, Damon at Goodwood excepted, did either of them ever do a hillclimb?
Over to everyone else!
Love Abigail