Wednesday 4 November 2020

Ken Davies - by Paul Willetts

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the passing of Ken Davies, Ken was the MD of Hereford based KGD Services.

He was a great supporter of the Wyedean and Forest of Dean Motor Club, when we brought the event back to the Forest of Dean he approached me to say he would like to help with some sponsorship so he became an associate sponsor in recent years.

 He was a loveable jovial character who was always smiling and you could count on Ken for a story at the end of a special stage, as he drove either the Volvo Amazon or Ford Cortina with gusto on events together with long time co driver Alan Jones these two were extremely popular with everyone they met. 

His actual rallying started back in 2013  after a meeting with Alan, his debut was the Motor Clubs Rally Time Trial at Sweet Lamb, with a very slow Volvo, which Alan described, as very slow uphill, bloody scary downhill, but Ken was always looking for ways to develop and improve the Amazon, together with Quick Motorsport they finally got it to 162 bhp. 

Ken loved the Wyedean and his first experience of forestry was Sallowvallets and spectators would have been safer stood in the road, as Ken decided to attack the banks and undergrowth making them scatter in all directions, but in typical Ken style he found it funny. 

2016 he under went a kidney transplant, but was soon back behind the wheel. 

He made the trip to New Zealand in 2018 for the Silver Fern using a mk1 Escort plus a few outings on Wales Rally GB which always proved popular with spectators, but his favorite event was Sweden, s Midnight Sun Rally where he finished 2nd in class in the Cortina. 

His Motorsport career started way back as a mechanic for an F2 competitor, but his love of bikes wasn't too far away with Motorcross, Speedway and Trials where he also sponsored a lot of people, he raced karts against the likes of Nigel Mansell, he built and raced Honda Pilot buggies winning 2 championships, but built a buggy for engineering guru Keith Duckworth of Cosworth fame, a man Ken held in very high regard. 

But after a huge end over end accident, he decided to go rallying. 

He really did enjoy his rallying but there was more to Ken than just rallying he was a very successful businessman he helped others with some sponsorship, but he was so enthusiastic about rallying and spoke with a lot of sense of where rallying needs to go to keep it clubman based and costs in check.

There aren't many competitors today who give back to the sport, but Ken was one, a true gentleman who always had a word and a smile, to say he will be greatly missed by us all here in the Forest of Dean is an understatement, Ken you are gone but won't be forgotten, it was a pleasure to know you.

The last word go, s to his co-driver Alan Jones. "In 48 years of motorsport my most enjoyable times were spent with Ken."

Finally to Ken's family his many many friends the Forest of Dean Motor Club offers its sincerest Condolences. 

Paul Willetts