TRIBUTE
Ray Smith
Motorsport UK was saddened to learn of the death of Ray Smith last month.
A long-serving member of Cannock & District Car Club, Ray was a well-respected member of the club, and has been attributed to helping many other members get started in rallying.
As an active rally fan, Ray was involved in the World Rally Championship in the UK from 1963 to 2015 – covering various roles, ranging from Stage Commander of Sutton Park, through to Police Liaison Officer for the entire event in his later years.
Ray was seconded to Reliant in 1985, working in the Lynn Lane factory, Shenstone, to produce
the bodyshell and to assemble 200 road-going examples of the Ford RS200 four-wheel-drive, mid-engined rally car. This meant that Ray had his own personal‘ company car’ for a while, and it often appeared at club events.
Ray held a Motorsport Steward licence since 2002 and has been noted as“ a pleasure to work with, and always reliable”. You could count on Ray for a range of disciplines as a Motorsport UK Steward, and he was a great mentor.
There are many among the motorsport community who have fond memories of Ray, and Motorsport UK sends its condolences to all who knew him.
The RS200 at home with the Smith family |
Ford RS200 at the Nelson Inn, Burntwood, circa 1986 |
The Shenstone Assembly line where |
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the Ford RS200 was built |
JEP
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Revolution- June 2025