Tributes for farmer and founder of Crail Raceway

TRIBUTE HAS been paid to former Fife farmer Willie Robertson who died suddenly at his home in Crail, aged 47.

Willie, who was the founder of Scotland’s only quarter-mile drag strip at Crail Raceway, apparently fell down the stairs at home and broke his neck.

His body was found by the farm foreman on Tuesday morning and a post mortem was being carried out in Edinburgh yesterday.

Police have confirmed there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

Yesterday Willie’s father, David Robertson, confirmed a planned race at Crail this Sunday will go ahead in tribute.

He also confirmed that Willie’s sister Victoria will be taking over the Crail Raceway business.

Mr Robertson said: “He’d been racing his Datsun at Knockhill just at the weekend there.

“He’d also been diagnosed with glandular fever.

“We think it’s just taken too much out of him.”

A former pupil of Lathallan School and Fettes College, Mr Robertson Jr studied at Oatbridge agricultural college before taking over what was then a pig farm at Crail in 1985.

He had always been into cars and it was while spending a year in the USA that he got the idea for a drag racing strip in Fife, establishing the popular “Run what you Brung” track days on the site at Crail Airfield.

He had ambitions to develop the dilapidated Second World War airfield site at Crail, but his plans never got off the ground.

He felt Historic Scotland were overly protective of the airfield, which he regarded as a crumbling eyesore. Crail Raceway staff yesterday paid tribute on Facebook.

“Willie was at heart a petrol head and loved cars and motorsport,” they said. “He started the Crail Thrash to give all petrol heads somewhere to go to thrash their cars as he often said: ‘The Crail Thrash was started by petrol heads for petrol heads’.

“For all those who knew Willie they will remember the fun-loving joker who had a big heart and lived his life the only way he knew — full throttle. “At the request of the family, Sunday’s event at Crail Raceway will continue as planned.” Friends and colleagues also paid tribute. Steve McCann said on Facebook: “Shocked and saddened by this news. I worked and partied with Willie going back quite a few years. He was a massive character, a big kid at heart. He gave us some great memories and will be sadly missed.”

Ade Brannan said: “Crail has always been one of my favourite car playgrounds, so I’ll always be grateful to him for providing that.”

Dave Reid said: “Terrible news and needless to say heart goes out to his family and friends. He was some boy, ever the optimist … stood at the gate in force 10 gale, horizontal rain, sheep getting pneumonia but he’d still have a massive grin and point out ‘Ach, it’ll brighten up soon’. He’ll be missed by many.”

Mr Robertson Jr, who lived alone, is survived by his father David and sister Victoria. His mother Elsie died around 18 months ago.

Willie Robertson