[1] Roland Stobbart was born at Aspatria, Cumberland, England in 1909; the eldest of two sons to an haulage contractor.

The first motor cycle cinder track race at Workington took place at Lonsdale Park on 15 August 1931.

A total of 32 competitors from all over the North of England, including future world finalist Bill Kitchen, took part in a series of 'scratch' and 'handicap' events in a 21-race programme and attracted over 2,000 spectators.

On 28 June, Roland, who often raced with a cigarette between his lips, broadsided, skidded and wobbled four times round the rain soaked track at 45 miles per hour to set a new one mile record for the Workington track of 1 min 19.2 seconds, two seconds short of the then British record.

On 1 November 1935, Roland left Aspatria to sail for Australia as a member of the England team chosen to ride in the test matches that winter.

He was accompanied by Arthur Atkinson, Harold Tiger Stevenson, Joe Abbott, Dusty Haigh and Jack Parker.

In 1937, Roland broke his arm while riding for West Ham and as a consequence took no further part in that year's campaign.

In 1933 Rol became a minor celebrity, appearing as a stuntman in a film entitled Money for Speed, starring Ida Lupino and John Lauder.