OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: firko on May 25, 2008, 10:15:36 pm
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I recieved the following email from Peter Drakeford today. Graeme Smith was a great rider and he'll be missed.
Hi all,
It saddens me to tell you of the peacefull passing on of one of the unnoticed legends of our sport on Friday afternoon, Graeme Smith. He died after landing a helicopter he was testing of natural causes. An appartent heart attack was the cause and while trained CPR people tried to revive him they had no luck. Graeme's last ride was on Greg Gunn's Bultaco at the Warragul A4DE in the legends exhibition laps during the final moto. I have attached a shot of him at the event. His is a rich story that needs to be told. Graeme competed at the highest level in all disciplines of the sport. I know you will be sharing the shock of his death and pass our most sincere condolences to his family.
Drakie.
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1062154/A4DEVinduro001.jpg)
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Drakie followed it up with this...
Graeme rode Bert Flood's Bultacos for most of his career and KTMs in the last of it. He was 'King of the Weir' in 1971 (a roadrace at the Hume Weir), Australian and Victorian Champ in roadracing, trials, scrambles, grasstrack, enduros, was 3 times winner of the Sunrasia/BP Mallee Desert rally as well as other desert events, and was the man to beat in any event he entered. Graeme famously missed beating Malcolm Smith at the Forest 300 2 Day in 1976 when he drowned his bike in the last water crossing in the last special test. To that stage he had him whipped.
God speed Graeme. (...and heaven only knows how God will be able to keep him in sight!)
And as we discussed recently on the Hattah thread
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a393/gmcloa/BPstart-2.jpg)
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a393/gmcloa/File0005.jpg)
He won with no shortage of competition
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a393/gmcloa/File0003.jpg)
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a393/gmcloa/File0004.jpg)
You never know how it's gonna get you do you, race bikes, fly helicopters & then whammo.
RIP Graeme