Selwyn Perry RIP
Words: Ben Falconer.
Tributes have been paid to great name of grass track who sadly died after a road collision near his home. Selwyn Perry's Ansel frames were known throughout the sport and continue to be at its pinnacle with a company born out of his enterprise more than 30 years ago.
Selwyn died on December 30, aged 81 after a collision with a vehicle in Gorsley, Herefordshire and Roger Taylor, who was taken on by Selwyn as a teenager and now runs RTS Racing, said he will be deeply missed.
"He was making his own grass track frames and I was going to him for parts for my scrambles bike," said Roger of RTS Racing whose frames are used by multi-British and European grass track champion James Shanes. "He took me on when I was 15, he knew I was mechanically-minded, and we made Ansel frames.
"Then he started the shop in Newent, and it was very successful with some top riders using his frames." Roger's son Neil and racing rival Glyn Stanton plan to run their bikes with Ansel stickers on them next season in tribute to Selwyn, who was a capable racer himself.
"He was a good rider himself, Tig usually got the better of him but not always, he almost always made the final and he was very good on 250 and 350 bikes," added Roger. Initially he sold his brother Tig Perry's Antig machines, then made his own Ansel frames with Roger. Selwyn's son Andrew still uses both RTS and Ansel machines to this day.
The Ansel shop closed in the 1980s and Selwyn concentrated on property investments, so after 18 years of working for him Roger took on the business and under the RTS Racing banner initially worked at the rear of the Church Street, Newent shop before a move to Eldersfield where it is based today. Selwyn's funeral will be held on Wednesday, January 23 at 12.30pm at Forest of Dean Crematorium.