Obituary

No words of ours can express the deep sorrow we feel in reporting the fatal accident at Blandford to Joe Fry, that very brave young man and skilful sprint driver. Dick Caesar and Joe’s cousin, David Fry, conceived the Freikaiserwagen and left lighter-in-stature Joe Fry to do the driving. In an age when floating-foot assails many would-be aspirants to racing honours, it was always an experience to watch Joe in that car, for he never gave away a fraction of a second anywhere and his technique was of the most fearless. He did not scorn mechanical instruction from his cousin, but as a driver he was his own master and master of his car. His crowning achievement was, of course, the Shelsley-Walsh record. The Freikaiserwagen and a road-racing Maserati were effectively tamed by Joe, but the former was at its wickedest during take-off. That he let it stray front the straight path momentarily at Blandford with such unhappy results is the saddest happening in English motor-racing for many years. Our deepest sympathy is extended to Fry’s relatives.