E. K. RAYSON

Is’. K. .(” Teddy,’ Rayson was killed in an air crash on the first day of last month. Rayson was a well known and respected figure in British racing. He took the game very seriously, endeavouring to make a very expensive hobby pay for itself as far as possible. To this end he employed skilled paid mechanics to work on his cars, joining them in person in his spare time, and every modification was most carefully devised. Rayson belonged to that ” inner ring ” of racing men who regard racing as something nv,re serious than a mere means of enjoying a drive, flirting with the sensational itewslie al ‘jugs or wearing funny hats. IEs was a quiet and courteous personality. He commenced with a Riley Nine, which he supercharged with the Roots-blower front his ” 33-180 ” Mercedes-Benz saloon, and with a Type 43 Bugatti which

later towed his racing trailer. He also carried out extensive modifications to a straight-eight 2-litre Bugatti and just before going abroad he finished second in the 1937 Campbell Trophy Race with an old-type 11-litre four-cylinder Ma,serati, -winning the small car category. He was beaten only by ” Bira’s ” 3-litre Maserati. His cars were beautifully turned out and his versatility was nicely portrayed on the occasion when he entered the Mercedes-Benz saloon for the Brighton speed trials.