He was a major personality at a time when rallying was the occupation of sportsmen who combined their business life with rallying of all available forms, from Saturday night road rallying through to full international competition.
His business life was in the fishing industry, based at Macclesfield in Cheshire. He was national British Rally Champion in 1966 in days when the series alternated between special stage rallying with road rallying.
He was best remembered for his activities in Triumph cars in both official and semi-works entries, and earlier in TR4s or Vitesses, and later in Spitfires or 2000s.
His choice of car was according to event suitability, either as a co-driver or later, a driver.
He was known for his exceptional speed driving in fog.
He was co-driving for Mike Sutcliffe in a TR4 when they had a serious accident at Mont Ventoux on the Coupes des Alpes, in which Fidler suffered a broken leg.
Outside his activities in rally cars he was the inspiration for many drivers, forming a popular rally drivers’ association called Ecurie Cod Fillet, which continues to thrive successfully even today.
Roy Fidler (left) with co-driver and journalist Martin Holmes, after winning the 1966 Bournemourth Rally in a Triumph 2000. Photo: Martin Holmes Rallying
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