Aerodynmics

[Bob Bull]

Andrewp,
Who is this Simon Taylor chappie? He seems to be a bit behind the times if he has only just got the 'beer story', I had it years ago.

They don't call me 'Scoop' for nothing.

Andy,
No problem, but this could get expensive, that big mouth again! Yes I think it was Revson doing the chasing, but no doubt as far as Mario was concerned, the principle was still the same.

Kind regards,

Bob

[Andy Downes]

Bob, I'm happy to make a contribution - or meet you in a pub between Tring and Luton

Andy

[Mark Shears]

I know this has got nothing to do with the topic - but I can't resist it!

When I was a schoolboy my hero was Jim Clark.

I don't know where I was when JFK was killed or when Elvis died - I couldn't care less. But I know exactly where I was when I first learnt that Jim Clark had been killed and I was genuinely upset.

Mark

[Bob Bull]

Bob, I'm happy to make a contribution - or meet you in a pub between Tring and Luton

Andy,
I wasn't serious,could meet up anyway.

Mark,
I can remember exactly where I was when I heard Mike Hawthorn had died, and I was off work for three days physically unwell.

I understand,

Bob

[Mary Lindsay]

Although I salute all of those mentioned, the late great Graham Hill was my idea of a proper racing driver and I remember being very upset when he died in an aeroplane crash.

[Bob Bull]

Mary,
I am sure very few would argue about Graham, he was a racing drivers, 'racer' from the '60's who enjoyed life and raced hard. You just do not get chaps like that anymore, can you imagine Fernado Alonso dressing up as a woman and dancing on the table at a posh dinner dance?

Back when I was young drivers died all of the time and I still remember far too many names, Mike Keen, Don Beauman, Peter Collins, Luigi Musso, Eugenio Castellotti, Ivor Bueb, Harry Schell, Ron Flockhart, Jean Behra, Herbert MacKay Fraser, Ken Wharton. The list goes on, thank goodness that racing is safer nowadays.

Still must not get maudlin.

The races are different as well these days, I always thought that if you had finished the Mille Miglia, no matter where, you 'were a man my son'. Fancy? A thousand miles on semi open roads around Italy usually in the rain, in a Morgan!!!

Bob the Dreamer

PS; I was at Brands Hatch when Graham had his first race in a Lotus 11, he was black flagged after spinning three times in one lap, and the commentator, John Bolster announced; "That's the first time I've seen someone disqualified for being a clot".

Of course he won the World Championship in a BRM so he is also a hero of mine.

[Mary Lindsay]

There is a story about a celebrity drivers Mini race at Brands Hatch when Graham Hill persuaded all of them to set off in reverse when the flag fell. Is that one you have heard?

[Andrew Potter]

Me too, Mark. I first watched him at Oulton Park in '61 or '62 where from memory he had at least three races on the day. I used to have photos taken from that day of him on three wheels in a Lotus Cortina and an Elite, and seeing Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori, Mike Salmon,Innes Ireland and many others.
My late ex-father in law used to have his Jaguar Mk 2 serviced by Ivor Bueb just outside Winchcombe.
Studio 88 have just produced what I think is a beautiful close up picture of Jim Clark in a Lotus. You may be interested, Mark.
Andrewp

[Bob Bull]

There is a story about a celebrity drivers Mini race at Brands Hatch when Graham Hill persuaded all of them to set off in reverse when the flag fell. Is that one you have heard?

It rings a bell, Mary, and would certainly be in keeping with Graham's sense of humour if true, but I do remember him lapping Brands in a motorised bathtub.
Another story from the period concerned him being interviewed live on American TV after he won the Indy 500, and mentioning that 'someone had invented a new birth controll pill one inch wide and two inches long, put in your shoe and it made you limp.' Maybe apocryphal, but it sounds right.

They don't make 'em like that any more.

BB

[Mary Lindsay]

One of my favourite quotations is from Graham Hill, when asked by a commentator why he was at the back of the grid at a Monaco Grand Prix, he said: "You meet a much nicer class of person at the back of the grid!"

The photograph below was his response to a commentator who asked over the public address system when he was going to retire from motor racing.

He was a true racing driver.

[Bob Bull]

I guess we all have our heroes, and as Andy says, who they are betrays our age, I followed the career of many drivers famous or otherwise including Graham Whitehead, Ian Raby, Mike Keen amongst the less well known, as well as Mike Hawthorn, Jean Behra and Pedro Rodriguez. It is strange the things that attract us to a particular driver: Whitehead because he drove my favourite racing car of all time, the ex-Earl Howe B/C Type ERA with the modernised bodywork.

Ian Raby wore a short sleeved check shirt at Crystal Palace the first time I saw him racing his Cooper 500, 'Puddle Jumper', and he looked 'just like us'!

Mike Keen never seemed to mind being accosted by sweat stained lads with bicycles at the end of a meeting and would spend a lot of time chatting and took an interest in us besides talking about his racing. A truly nice guy who died tragically at Goodwood during the 1955 Nine Hour Race, I still mourn for him each year at the Revival. A lot of drivers would be suprised that they had fans who followed their career and knew of all their successes and were not just after an autograph.
Myself and friend Eric caught up with Mike Hawthorn in the paddock at Goodwood after the 9 Hour in 1955 and asked him what had caused his retirement in the Ferrari. We told him that he had set a new lap record and we were slightly shocked when he said; "I can't believe I broke the bloody lap record!" We all more innocent back then.

In more recent times while working for 3 Counties, I found John Cleland very approachable, and very good value for money, with a great sense of humour and always good for a great quote.

Now let us turn to various Morgan drivers I have known, for instance Jo ..............

Sorry must go Mrs B is calling.

[Bob Bull]

Just to prove I can embed an image!

Manxtail Cooper taken in Farnham on Sunday at Mike Hawthorn 50th. Memorial Parade.

Further pics on General website