Laurie Starling immortalised in US mini truck hall of fame
RENOWNED custom car manufacturer Laurie Starling, who was gunned down outside his West Gosford business in 2014, has been inducted into the Mini Truck Hall of Fame in the US.
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RENOWNED custom car manufacturer Laurie Starling, who was gunned down outside his West Gosford business in 2014, has been inducted into the Mini Truck Hall of Fame in the US.
The late 29-year-old was inducted at the American custom automotive industry’s peak convention, The SEMA Show, in Las Vegas last month.
His brother Geoff Starling and parents Rob and Julia and Geoff’s son Evan were flown by Negative Camber to receive the award on his behalf.
“Through awards like this, they ensure that the legacy of great contributors to the sport of mini trucking breathe life beyond their years and inspire generations to come,” Geoff said accepting his brother’s induction.
“Some of you knew Laurie as the young fabricator making waves Down Under. Others knew him as Buffy the Dingo Slayer.”
Geoff said his younger brother fell in love with metal work in high school but dropped out to start an apprenticeship after his teacher accused him of getting outside help to complete his assignments.
“To him, it was either punch the idiot in the face for not believing that he did the work himself, or prove it by dropping out and hitting the torch full time,” Geoff said.
“Loz was always a fabricator at heart and was fascinated by metal. How it worked. How to bend it to his will. How a bunch of parts stuck together in different ways could make a truck, a bike or an aeroplane.”
Mr Starling became the youngest ever judge at the Summernats and MotorEx car shows where he won multiple “best of” awards.
His legacy in the custom car scene also continues with the The Laurie Starling Scholarship for Innovation and Excellence in Automotive Fabrication awarded annually at Summernats and the Laurie Award for the best engineered, most innovative vehicle, at the Lone Star Throwdown car show in Texas.
Mr Starling was gunned down as he left his West Gosford business The Chop Shop on July 24, 214, by a Rebels bikie “on a whim” over a motorcycle dispute.
John Richard Weston, 37, was last month sentenced to 34 years with a non-parole period of 25½ years for Mr Starling’s murder.
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