Over four decades of voluntary service Willie Clucas worked his way up to become a key member of the Southern 100 Motor Cycle Racing Club and a familiar face at motorsport events all over the island.

Willie died on Saturday aged 75 and the sad news came through just as the club had finished racing at the Billown Course at the Post TT Road Races.

Phil Taubman, clerk of the course for the annual Southern 100 races, told the Independent: ‘It feels like he’d been part of the club forever. His contribution was immense, not just as a marshal or scrutineer but as an all-round friend and supporter of the club.

‘He really was a gentleman and he’ll be sorely missed by everyone. You don’t get many like him in this life’, he said.

Starting out as a volunteer marshal at Cross Four Ways on the Billown circuit in the 1970s, Willie took over as chief sector marshal and became heavily involved in the club.

Surprisingly it wasn’t until 1997 that he took up his first official appointment as Deputy Club Marshal, a position he held for three years.

He joined the committee in 2000, taking over as Chief Club Marshal where he remained until the end of the 2009 racing season. He was elected as the first President of the Southern 100 Marshals Association soon afterwards.

‘The Southern 100 Club was always at the very top of his mind. He was a true clubman and a loyal supporter of the club’s events’, Mr Taubman said. ‘Nothing was too much trouble for Willie. He was always in the work parties to prepare the course and he’d do anything in the office. Even this year he was helping in the work parties.’

His connection with motorsport spread much further than the Billown course: Willie also spent nearly four decades involved with the Manx International Rally, where he put his engineering background to good use by installing communications equipment in the course cars among his other duties.

He was also a scrutineer for the Manx Grand Prix and spent several years acting as the chief scrutineer and technical official for the Isle of Man TT.

Mr Taubman continued: ‘He was an engineer by trade and was very methodical and very proper in everything he did.

‘He took it as far as he possibly could - he ended up being so well-qualified that he became the teacher and examiner for the island’s scrutineers.’

He added: ‘The TT has the international accolades but I think Billown was definitely his favourite. It’s very special, it’s a close team and we’re like one big family really.’

Paying their own tribute, a spokesman for the Southern 100 Club said: ‘Willie was still very much involved with the racing around the Billown Course and its organisation and was always around to offer advice and lend a willing helping hand, both of which will be sorely missed as the club rapidly approaches its Diamond Jubilee Southern 100 International Road Races in early July.

‘All involved with Southern 100 Racing convey our sincere condolences to his wife Lily, his children, family and friends at this very sad time.’