Tributes have been paid to Stanley Mann, the well-known dealer, racer and restorer of Bentleys, who died following a fall at his workshop on 4 February.
Benjafields
Stanley acquired his first Bentley more than 45 years ago and went on to form the Stanley Mann Racing Team that campaigned various vintage Bentleys at all levels of motorsport.
In 1990, Stanley and six like-minded vintage Bentley enthusiasts founded Benjafield’s Racing Club, of which he became the Life President. Named Club of the Year at the International Historic Motoring Awards, the exclusive organisation is arranging an event to commemorate Stanley’s life later this year.
‘Few things in life gave him more pleasure than sharing his love of vintage Bentleys with others,’ says Philip Strickland, BRC co-founder and longtime friend.
‘He twice led a team across Russia and in one unforgettable year, led a team of Bentleys on a 1000-mile-long rally across America, arriving covered in dust and oil at Laguna Seca, where he placed his car on pole and won the race by a huge margin. The locals couldn’t understand how a scruffy old Bentley could go so fast!’