[Stephen Cording]

We first met Monica & Bob in 2011 at Gas City, Indiana on the opening night of the USAC Indiana Sprint Week. Since then we went from being friends, to being treated as family.

The shout of "Steve" as i walked jetlagged around the front of Discovery as Bob jumped up from his chair to give both me and Ailsa the warmest of hugs and the usual greeting of "Got a cold one waiting for you guys" became the greeting that announced our latest Racing Vacation.

Monica who was usually inside the RV, would make her way outside on hearing the 11am British accents breaking the peace of the still at rest race track with a shout of "your here' and more hugs. Then Ailsa and Monica would get onto the serious business of seat planning and T-Shirt discussions until the Pits opened while Bob would look on half guessing what Ailsa was saying in her Northumberland accent.

That's pretty much how all our racing vacations started.

For me as an Englishman Bob was the American Outlaw, living his life, his way, on his terms.

Driving over from Cali to catch races all summer in Indiana is only a dream most of us can only dream of. It's certainly something I'll never be able to achieve.

Thank you for the time we got did get to spend together. It wasn't long enough, but then it never is in life, is it.

Tell them you love them.

AND Don't just talk about it. Make it happen. Life really is just a Green, White, Chequered.