Dale thanks for bringing that up.

Stuart was my second cousin. Although he was only three years younger than me his father was my cousin. In 2013 a friend of mine said he was going to do an article about Stuart for a magazine and so I did some more research. The internet is an amazing thing and so I managed to track down his wife Doreen in USA. She sent the following email to me.

Graeme,

A bit of interesting tidbits about Stuart, although I don't remember the details:

He raced speedway bikes at Brands Hatch in England before coming to America (this would have been in the 1970's). He had home movies of him racing. His brother, Russell, might have those movies and/or photos.

His grandfather, George (?) Spencer, owned the raceway in Hawkes Bay (Meanee?) , New Zealand.

He lived in Toronto, Canada before coming into America.

He was working with and driving for "Bosco Lowe" when he died (according to a letter he wrote me in January 1985).

He was cremated and buried in Hastings with his nanna, Olive Dagg Spencer, who had died earlier that same year.

also

Here are some links to stuff I found on the internet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARCA_RE/MAX_Series

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...55C0A963948260

http://forums.autosport.com/showthre...&pagenumber=43

http://www.geocities.com/penn_allian...len_heros.html

Thanks,

Doreen

The Thunderbird he was killed in was reported to be an ex Kyle Petty Thunderbird. One report says it was built for Kyle Petty another says Kyle Petty raced in it the previous season. I don't know the answer.

Stuart was from Hastings and his brother Russell is a Hawkes Bay Real Estate Agent. His cousin Maree was the first women jockey to race in the Melbourne Cup and another relative was an All Black from Hastings. A true sporting family.

Graeme