The CEO of Trakbak Racing Ltd (Santa Pod Raceway) Keith Bartlett said: “It is with deep regret that we learnt of the passing of Stu Bradbury
“I have been very aware of how serious Stu’s illness has been over the past few years. It was amazing how well Stu fought his illness over the last few years and carried on with his role as chairman and founder of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, (BDRHoF).
“With the support of his wife Bev, family and friends, Stu carried on being involved in the sport of drag racing – a sport which Stu had first been involved in back in the mid to late 1960s.
“I will always remember watching Stu on the start line in the 1970s, dressed in full Americana, with boots, bright yellow jacket, Stetson hat and cowboy boots.
“When the American drivers came to Santa Pod to race back in the 1970s they were greeted on the start line with a chief starter almost being one of their own.
“On my own first ever run down the Santa Pod quarter-mile in the mid 1970s I was under the chief starter Stu Bradbury who I saw as real pro, while I was just a guy coming from street racing thinking I can make it here – on that first run not only was I shaking on the line, but I also managed to red light!
“During the early 1970s I was in awe of so many people at Santa Pod from drivers like Dave Stone, Owen Hayward, Dennis Priddle, Clive Skilton who were my heroes and many of the Pro Stock drivers of the day, as I was very much into door slammer classes – and added to that was Stu Bradbury this larger than life chief starter.
“After a fairly long period out if the front line of drag racing Stu came back into it full on in the 2000s, when he founded and set up the BDRHoF, of which I have been privileged to be part of.
“Over the past seven to 10 years Stu, along with people like Geoff Stilwell, have taken the BDRHoF into becoming a world-wide recognised organisation and this has been achieved despite fighting his illness over the past few years.
“In my opinion it is fitting and maybe ironic that in 2020 there will not be the BDRHoF Awards Banquet held each November. (due to the Covid-19 Virus), which, if it had gone ahead would have been held without Stu at the helm.
“Stu you will be sorely missed in the drag racing family. Hopefully his wife Beverley will still be seen around the track and keep some involvement with the BDRHof.”
