A Wormit-raised motor sport journalist who came to terms with his new identity as a tetraplegic after a road accident in the 1980s, has died aged 69.
Gordon Cruickshank, the long-serving deputy editor of Motor Sport magazine, was a highly respected figure in the world of vintage and historic car racing.
He passed away following a life marked by courage, ingenuity, and a relentless passion for motor sport.
Cruickshank’s life took a dramatic turn in 1989 when he was involved in a serious accident in Germany while testing a car.
As a passenger during the test, he sustained catastrophic injuries that left him paralysed from the chest down.
After spending 11 months in Stoke Mandeville’s Spinal Unit, he emerged determined to adapt and thrive, applying his engineering skills to design aids that enabled him to live as independently as possible.
Who was Gordon Cruickshank?
Born in Edinburgh in 1955, Cruickshank moved to Wormit in 1959, where he attended Wormit Primary School and Madras College in St Andrews.
He later studied at Edinburgh University before enrolling at Birmingham Polytechnic to pursue industrial design.
However, his love of cars – a passion nurtured since childhood – “side tracked” him to a career in motoring journalism.
In 1981, he relocated to London to begin working as deputy editor for Motor Sport magazine.
The role saw him jet-setting around the globe to test and review prestigious sports cars.
He also pursued personal interests in cycling, hillwalking, horse riding, Scottish country dancing, and rallying.
His proudest sporting claim to fame was co-driving Henry Pearman’s Jaguar E-type to victory in the second Pirelli Classic Marathon in 1989.
He narrowly beat Stirling Moss in an MGB.
This cemented his reputation as a talented rally driver.
But that same year Cruickshank’s life changed profoundly, when he was injured as a passenger during a Mercedes road test in Germany.
How did Gordon Cruickshank respond to becoming paralysed in road accident?
Gordon would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair as a tetraplegic.
Refusing to be neither defined nor held back by his disability, he bought a house in Wimbledon – adapted for him – and lived alone with carers.
He was fiercely independent and used his engineering brain to invent and adapt aids to help him do everything for himself that he possibly could.
Cruickshank returned to driving just a year later in specially adapted vehicles, including a classic XJS Jaguar.
He continued to participate in competitive rallies until his final months.
This exemplified his determination to remain active in the sport he loved.
The pioneer in rehabilitation designed a groundbreaking tendon transfer operation that restored thumb grip functionality.
The procedure has since been widely adopted for others with similar injuries.
This innovative spirit extended to all areas of his life.
It allowed him to travel extensively with his full-time carer, visiting destinations such as the USA, Turkey, France, and Italy.
Gordon Cruickshank was played by Peter Capaldi in BBC Radio 4 play
Cruickshank also pursued creative outlets, including writing a critically acclaimed BBC Radio 4 play, The Road Back.
It aired in 1998 and explored the realities of his post-accident life.
Actor Peter Capaldi played the lead role.
Known for his generosity, humour, and unwavering determination, Cruickshank was a mentor to young journalists and an authority on historic car racing.
What tributes have been paid to Gordon?
Tributes from colleagues and friends have celebrated his courage, resilience, and commitment to living life on his terms.
Doug Nye, a prominent motoring journalist, described him as “brave, capable, competent, and committed to his lifelong motorsport passion”.
“Gordon stoically endured, survived, and overcame,” he added.
Motor Sport magazine colleague Andrew Frankel said: “Gordon was so much more than simply the most courageous man I’ll ever get to call my friend.
“His writing was all journalism should be: simple, flawless and endlessly entertaining.
“Editing his copy was very little different to sitting down with a really good book; you’d just read his story, maybe put a headline and sub-heading on it, then pass it for press.
“The thought it might be grammatically incorrect or factually inaccurate was laughable.”
Rally event organiser and businessman Tomas de Vargas Machuca of HERO-ERA, said: “Gordon was a friend and an inspiration to many”.
Fife roots remained important
Cruickshank maintained a strong connection to his roots in Fife and Dundee.
He frequently returned until his mother’s death in 2014.
His home was filled with postcard views of Dundee.
They were printed by his great-grandfather, RH Lundie.
Lundie was a notable stationer in Dundee.
Gordon Cruickshank will be remembered for his contributions to motorsport journalism.
He’ll also be remembered for his extraordinary ability to adapt, innovate, and inspire in the face of immense challenges.
Gordon worked right up until a week or so before his death.
He is survived by his sisters Alison and Claire (Claire is based in Canberra, Australia).
He is also survived by his nieces and nephews Chris and Roz Martin, who live in Newport on Tay.
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