Tributes have been paid to a loving husband and go-kart legend.
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Paul Ardill died on Saturday, May 15 when he was hit by an oncoming vehicle while cycling in Kilkivan, Queensland. The 78-year-old was killed at the scene.
Paul was born in Orange and lived in Glenroi for decades. He was known across Australia for his work with go-karts as well as playing an instrumental piece in the formation of the Orange go-kart track.
He moved away from the city in the late 1980s with wife Val and have spent the past nine years travelling around Australia in there motorhome 'Grey Nomads', where Paul would cycle from town to town with Val leading the charge in the motor home.
"The day he passed away, I left him at Kilkivan to ride seven kilometres and he was going to have coffee," Val said.
"I drove the motor home to pick up a friend of his. He wasn't there when we arrived at the spot. Then later police came to the motor home and I said 'what's wrong with Paul' and that's how I found out.
"The only thing I can get strength from is he did lose his life doing what he loved."
The couple were together for 61 years and loved each other dearly.
"I loved doing what I was doing to support what he was doing. We had a good relationship and I loved seeing Australia," she said.
"You lose your soulmate and it's kind of like, where to from here, but I loved him very much."
Long-time friend Mark Garey, who still lives in Orange, first met Paul on the karting track.
"I was doing my own thing, not using his product," Mr Garey said.
"Then around 1980 I had a pretty horrendous crash just before the national titles at Oran Park and Paul offered me a go-kart to drive and from that point we forged a very strong working relationship and a very strong friendship."
Mr Ardill was known for everything from building his own engines to editing the Australian Kart Report magazine to his role as president of NSW Karting Council.
"He had a mantra, whatever you do, try and do it better next time," Mr Garey added.
"Good enough was never the best you could do, you could always improve what you do. He established a shop that he was never going to make a million dollars out of but he was passionate about the sport and he just helped every single person out that he could."
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