Obituary - Albert Storer - Motorsport Stalwart and Area Steward Wellington

It is a fact of life that as MotorSport New Zealand matures as an organisation, so the early stalwarts will slowly but surely disappear.

Albert was Area Steward for the Wellington Region, (in the days when areas were smaller), and he ran a group of Stewards which included some of the top officials in Motorsport, including the likes of Guy Palliser, who was Chief Steward, but deferred to Albert in regional control, and Ian Hamilton, also a senior motorsport administrator.

His team included the writer, and others such as Jack Edgar, Roy Johnston, Morrie Hogan, Richard Wright, Neil Cruickshank, Allan Wright, John Thompson, (and others whose names elude me).

Meetings were held at Albert's Maungaraki home once a quarter, and his wife Shirley was unfailingly a gracious hostess.

Albert got into motorsport as navigator for Jack Edgar in trialling, at a time when such events drew a hundred or more for a National Open, and an Invitation event for the Wellington region could get 40. Jack and Albert were both employed as Engineers with the New Zealand Railways, based in Wellington.

Following his retirement, Albert spent some time in Perth, where he had family ties, so dropped out of motorsport at that time. However his contributions as competitor and administrator leave motorsport in his debt, and the poorer for his passing.


Gordon Gandy