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Frank Leo Copestake - Born: - Hitchin, Hertfordshire, 5th January 1920 - Died: - Kelty, Fife, Scotland, 15th September 2000 aged 80
Frank was a prominent motorcyclist all his life, he road-raced, trialed, scrambled and rode grasstrack, a true all-rounder, with a great deal of success in all forms, both solo and sidecar, his close allies of the day were Len Bayliss and Monty Banks, both very prominent in motorcycling circles.
He won the Bowden Cup (trial) in 1947, and was supported by Dunham & Haynes (motorcycle & car dealers in Luton) for both scrambling and grasstrack, also he rode one of Cap't Jim Smith's (a very respected Norton tuner) Garden-Gate Manx Norton's on most of the UK short circuits, and we believe once on the Isle of Man.
He was also very heavily involved and at the forefront with kart racing when it came to Britain in the 50s and early 60s, with such names as Stirling Moss and Roger Keele.
A fantastic precision engineer, at one time working with his good friend, George Brown (Super Nero sprinter fame) at HRD - Vincent in Stevenage as a senior draughtsman.
From about 1966/7 on, he supplied bikes first to myself, then my younger brother Barry, and was a regular, well respected and much liked figure around scrambles and grasstracks nationally, all our bikes were built, prepared and tuned by Frank.
We decided to give the trophy in Franks name to the Eastern Centre, as the new Upright Championship needed and deserved support, it seemed an appropriate class, as these were the last of the type of bikes dad was associated with,
It was felt that after 40 years of the sport being good to us, and all the blood, sweat, tears and financial heartbreak dad (and mum) went through to give Barry and myself the chance to compete at national level, this was the least we could do to help with the memory, of who we feel is the greatest man that was ever involved both as a rider, and engineer in motorcycle sport.
He is still, and will always be, our mentor, if in our lives we achieve half which he did, I think we will both be happy.
Neil & Barry Copestake
Eastern Centre Gazzette 03/2008 ©
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