Razorback legend Barry ‘Sleepy’ Grimson passed away this morning with his family by his side.
Daughter Donna Britton shared the sad news on her Facebook page earlier today.
“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our legend Barry ‘Sleepy’ Grimson,” Donna wrote.
“He was a devoted husband to Lesley and father to Brett, Kim, Donna, Michelle and Justin. A much-loved Pop to his 11 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
“We are absolutely devastated by the loss of the man who was the centre of our universe.
“He will be forever missed by his family and many friends.”
A driver for almost 60 years, Sleepy is perhaps best known as one of the six legendary stalwarts from western Sydney whose brave stand against a proposed road tax at Razorback Mountain in 1979 changed the course of trucking history.
The feat was acknowledged just last year with the first History Makers Award at the Hall of Fame in Alice Springs, although Sleepy was unable to attend due to ill-health.
Sleepy told Owner Driver magazine in 2021 that he and the other blockade organisers expected that their trucks would simply be bulldozed off the road, but even in the face of that realisation, the determination to secure better working conditions was strong enough to prevail.