Above Portrait: Blackett Photography
Kathy Taylor’s interest in Drag Racing started in 1986 with the ‘ERICs’ (Essex Racing is Cool), a clique of friends including Steve Dodds, Rob Loaring, Brian & Julie Pateman, Jon & Jeanette Webster and brothers-in-law Ray & Kev Perkins. On Kathy’s birthday weekend they all went to the Cannonball race at Santa Pod and Kathy was allowed to drive the tow car for Rob’s Vendetta 2. At this time the towing lane ran down in front of the grandstand and, in Kathy’s words, she thought she was Queen Bee and was hooked. Gary’s Picnic weekends were enjoyed with her two girls in a trailer tent. However Kathy’s passion was always bikes.
She didn’t feel that the new Santa Pod Racers Club paid enough attention to the bike classes and started to write race reports for SPRC News and later Drag Racing UK magazine. She also had a couple of articles published in Motorcycle News. She crewed on four Super Street Bikes around the time that Ken Cooper was the guru. It wasn’t long before her outspoken views earned her a place on the SPRC Committee representing the bikes. One particularly well-fought issue was over the Club allocating points each year for an Overall Champion across all classes– but only for cars. She ensured that this system included the bikes and thus Mark Fisher, who had the same number of points as Ray Guy, was recognised as joint Overall Champion.
After a couple of years assisting in the signing-on office, Kathy became Race Secretary in 1998. ACU Steward Bill Robinson and MSA Stewards John Ledster and Geoff May were her much-admired mentors who gave her a wider understanding of the role. She studied and became licensed as a UEM Clerk of the Course & Sporting Steward and ACU Steward in 2005. FIM and FIA sanctioning of events brought an entirely new level of compliance for which Kathy was responsible and had to learn quickly. Increasing complexity with different stakeholders – medical, security, health and safety, track operations and regulatory affairs – required a firm but fair hand which she has mastered. The advent of Junior Racing brought further concerns which she has adapted and conquered to ensure proper safeguarding of the future of our sport.
Kathy’s heartfelt care for all racers, their families and crew is ever present but more often prominent when an incident occurs. Whilst following the protocol she compassionately manages the concern of those involved by keeping them informed and looked after, whilst the track crew are looking after the racer.
In her 40th year in the sport, 35th year on the SPRC committee and 27th as Race Secretary, Kathy has been fiercely devoted to her role. Her passion for the bike classes is as strong now as it was in the beginning. She has sponsored Ian King over the years and more recently the Taylors Trophy Super Street Bike Championship.
It is for her dedication to the sport of Drag Racing as a long-time director of Santa Pod Racers Club and a loyal servant to Santa Pod Raceway that Kathy Taylor is inducted into Membership of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
Profile By Lesley Wright