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Stevan Davis sent this to me and I thought it should be passed along. I never knew the man, but everyone in Formula Vee and Formula Ford knows the innovations that he brought to the classes.
From Stevan Davis:
I just got an email that Harvey Templeton passed away yesterday (Friday) morning. I have no details, but presume that he died of natural causes.
Harvey was 94 and the entire FV world will miss him. Our condolences go out to his family. I haven't heard whether his wife (Jewel) outlived him or not, but I suspect she did. (she was out mountain climbing the last time I actually SPOKE with Harvey when he was 80 - and she close to that I'm sure).
Although Harvey never won the Runoffs, he sat on the FV pole in 1966 and then again in 1973. He was a frequent winner and arguably the foremost FV innovator from FV's inception until he left the class and went to FF, where he became the most RADICAL innovator :). He actively raced until he was 80 years old (maybe 81?) and created the famed 'cigar car' FF that is still raced today occasionally by his nephew Handley Templeton. His son, Harvey, Jr. raced the car a few times about 10 years ago.
His 2 primary development FV's - The RingWraith and the ShadowFax are still around, I'm pretty sure. The ShadowFax raced at the Runoffs in the early 80's and Michael Jackson had the ShadowFax last I heard and was actively campaigning it in Vintage (and winning a good bit of the time). An interesting tidbit I just came across - Monoposto rule prohibit Zero-Roll suspensions - with the single exception of the ShadowFax since it was created by Harvey in 1969 WITH zero-roll.
There was a webpage or 3 out there about Harvey, his exploits and his cars, but the link I had seemed to be dead now. Hopefully, someone out there will have current info on those pages. It makes interesting reading for FV people.
After a search I came up with a single picture of the Ringwraith. dega.cs.unc.edu/~nick/new/vir/...-6904/vir10.htm
The Chattanooga Region names their 'Road Racer of the Year' Award after him.
I sent him a birthday card 4 years ago when he turned 90, and received a nice long letter back - from reading it, he was still as sharp witted as ever at that time.
Last address I had for him (probably still valid) is
600 South High Street
Winchester, TN 37398
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It sure is a small world. I havent raced since 1986 and just started looking to get back into it with my son and found this board. I met Harvey and his wife at Road Atlanta when I pitted next to them and he invited me over for a gin and tonic one friday evening after unloading the car. I always admired him and his FF, man was that car slick. The last race I competed in was the SARRC race in Savannah where I fought most of the race with Harvey. I believe he was 76 at the time (it was also his car number). I ended up wearing some of the orange paint from his nose cone and had a great race. It was one of those races I have always remembered and I have always hoped that I am half that quick when I get in my sixties let alone at 75 plus. Godspeed Harvey
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At my first June Sprints in a FV, I qualified very near the rear. i was in awe of all the top National drivers and about halfway through the race, I spun out in Canada Corner and couldn't restart. After the corner workers pushed me out of the way, I heard people booing me and throwing empty beer cans down at me. I watched the race for several laps, whenl Harvey attempted a pass for the lead there and got pushed off the track. He performed a rolling 360 and by the time the car was pointed in the right direction, he had it in 2nd gear(Vee driver's can appreciate that) and continued on losing only one place. I have never seen anything like that ever. He was a gentleman. I do know that his FF was labeled HR7260 after the House bill that made Social Security a law. He was fierce, friendly and fair. He will not be replaced. Frank Vella
