Motorsport Australia is saddened to learn of the passing of former NSW State Council Chair, Neil Turner.
 
A longstanding member of the Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) Board, Neil was known for his time as both a competitor and official within the New South Wales motorsport community.
 
Born in 1945, Neil’s association with motorsport first began when he joined the ARDC in the 1970s before first racing in Formula Vee in the early 1980s.
 
Racing in the category for more than a decade, Neil decided to make the switch to an official, where he quickly moved up the ranks at Oran Park.
 
By the mid 1990s, Neil had become the Assistant Clerk of Course for the ARDC at Amaroo Park, Mount Panorama, and eventually Eastern Creek Raceway (Sydney Motorsport Park), while eventually working his way into a Clerk of Course role with the NSW Road Racing Club at Oran Park.
 
In addition to his work as an Assistant Clerk of Course and Clerk of Course, Neil was also appointed as a Steward and spent many weekends in regional areas plying his trade.
 
So respected was Neil amongst drivers and officials around the country, he had the honour of being selected as the first-ever national Competitor Relations Officer, a position he held for a long period of time.
 
Not only did Neil have high positions at events, but he also sat on the New South Wales State Council from the late 1990s – eventually being elevated to Chair until his retirement in 2012.
 
In the final years of his tenure as NSW State Council Chair, Neil was also named as an Alternate Elected Director for the Motorsport Australia Board, known then as the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS).
 
In addition to his work as an official and administrator for CAMS, Neil also played a pivotal part in the growth of the NSW Formula Vee Association and the ARDC.
 
For Formula Vee, he held every role in the committee over a long period of time, including its President, while serving the ARDC Board for two decades.
 
Considered one of the most well-respected and dedicated individuals in NSW motorsport for his contributions to grassroots motorsport, Neil also received his share of accolades over the years.
 
In 1985 and 1986, the NSW Formula Vee Association awarded Neil the President’s Shield before naming him as a Life Member in 1997.
 
Neil was then awarded Life Membership with the ARDC in 2019, while also being one of two people to be awarded Honorary Membership to SuperKarts NSW for his role in facilitating the category’s move to mainstream racing.

Neil is survived by his wife of 58 years Ronda, and their children Jason, Vanessa and Christopher.