William John Batchelor (born 4 January,1959) passed away peacefully on the morning of April 11th, 2010.

More commonly known as John Batchelor, he will be remembered as being a racing driver, businessman, politician and football investor. He started a company called System Hygiene, a janitorial supplies company based in Accrington and was married to Gillian in 1981 and the couple have four children.

He became a racing driver in 1999 after being backed by Blackburn Rovers Football Club and their sponsors, which helped him gain enough money to build a Ford Fiesta and he then entered the Super Road Saloons Championship.

He won the title in his first season and moved into the Ford Fiesta ZetecChampionship the year after and secured a sponsorship deal with BBCprogramme Top Gear, which saw him change his name to John Top-Gear through deed poll.

He entered the BTCC in 2001 and persuaded B&Q, the DIY store, to join him before the start of the season and once again changed his name to John B&Q to help him gain the funding. He suffered a bad back injury in a race atOulton Park, which all but forced him to retire.

Batchelor became the owner and Chairman of York City FC on 15 March 2002,whilst at the same time, continued in motorsport and set up York City Racing, a motor racing team competing in the British Touring CarChampionship (BTCC).

Batchelor then secured a £1 million sponsorship deal with battery giants,Varta for his racing team, of which he was team manager and owner in2003 . He was a part of a group bid to buy Mansfield Town in March 2008, but soon after, launched his own bid to buy the club when he revealed plans to renamethe club, 'Harchester Rovers' after the fictional team in the Sky series,Dream Team.

John leaves behind him his wife Gillian, and 4 children.