The death of Charles Barter on 29 November after a short battle with cancer will leave an enormous void in the Club.
The young Charles followed his father into motor sport, as his father had raced a Riley at club level. From the age of 17 Charles competed in a variety of events, notably production car trials, rallies and driving tests in a Ford E93A Popular as well as autocross with a 1650cc Ford Anglia.
Initially, he joined Ford to work in customer relations, but soon decided his future lay with the family business back in Dorset at Golden Springs Watercress. By 1974, hillclimbing had caught the attention of Charles and his brother Robert and various Hillman Imps we used to move further and further up the hill climb rankings.
Armed with an Imp-engined Davrian Mk7 he won national titles in the late 1970s, and then moved to a Delta single-seater, once again with Imp power. He was a prolific and hugely successful hill climber and played a key role in the creation and development of the Hillclimb and Sprint Association.
Eventually, the lure of racing proved too strong and he moved to his beloved Datsun 240Z, an ex-Win Percy road car that was rescued from an orchard and rebuilt into an incredibly effective 70s Road Sports racer.
Charles raced the 240Z with determination, commitment and passion and remained hugely competitive until the very final stages of his life.
He took his first 70s title in 2001 and returned to win it again in 2017. In between, he was always a contender, and worked tirelessly for the good of the championship as he became the long standing championship chairman. He served a long role as Vice Chairman of the HSCC and brought a mix of passion and determination to everything he did.
He was joined in 70s Road Sports by his son Julian who was also a double champion, notably in his TVR 3000M. They raced each other as hard as they raced anyone else!
When his season ended early at Oulton Park in August Charles was firmly in contention for another championship title, having won several races with the 240Z now back on full song after several seasons of engine related trauma. Sadly, that hot weekend at Oulton Park in early August was to be his last in a race car at the end of a motor sport career that spanned more than 60 years.
Charles was a hugely popular figure across the HSCC paddock, and was revered in 70s Road Sports, where many competitors simply called him ‘dad’ due to his guiding hand within the championship.
It came as a great shock to many when his death was announced after a short battle with cancer. Everyone in the wider HSCC and the 70s Road Sports fraternity, in particular, paid tribute to a remarkable man who gave so much back to the sport he loved.
The Club sends sincerest condolences to his family, including his wife Bridget, daughter Louise and son Julian and his many friends across historic racing. He will be sorely missed.