Historic Racing -Why did you start?

[zefarelly]

4th driver in a 2 stroke in the 6 hour ?

or much kinder !

[Leo Landman]

I'm far too old to start up a proper racing career so when I took up racing last year, it never seemed like a good idea to start in regular beginner's classes. Too much red mist driving there, I've always found. In vintage racing the drivers are there for the driving, not for the winning, so to speak. Not that they aren't competitive, but they are usually more experienced and respect other drivers and their cars.
Also the sixties' race cars appealed to me a lot more than any modern car. And of course it's cheaper than most modern formulas. The technology is relatively uncomplicated so that even I can work on a car.

So far I haven't been disappointed. In fact it's even better than I had imagined and I hope I will be able to race a vintage car for a long time.

[HRSTR5]

My Dad raced in the 50's and early 60's, giving up just before I was born. We were always at race and hillclimb meetings as kids, for a period Dad was scrutineering at Thruxton (occasionally elsewhere), I worked in the office (running timesheets to Commentators that sort of thing), my mother and younger brother did paddock marshalling (Thruxton regulars - you can imagine the weather they suffered). It was always the Historics that I loved, even as a kid, I remember Bentley Drivers Club meetings, AMOC meetings, Lloyds & Scottish Championship etc.

Fast forward to my mid-30's and it began to look feasible, I'd always assumed that I'd go the VSCC route, with something I could drive, hillclimb and drive home in. The VSCC cars looked a bit impractical for me in terms of carrying kit, tent etc. and getting out of London to events at a reasonable pace and in all weathers, so I hankered after an Alfa Giulia. Then my brother decided to sell his TR5, which he (and occasionally I too) used for a few hillclimbs, to fund a Classic Formula Ford (he couldn't afford to put at risk the value of an HFF), so I thought I'd run the TR5 which, whilst tired, had once been raced ... and so it started. 5 years later, still in the same car (well, a few bits of it are the same!), still road-driving to HSCC meetings - and when it's reliable I am really having a lot of fun, with a great crowd of people - and to be honest I really figure I'm racing myself most of the time, just trying to get quicker.

The question was "Why did I get into it?" - see the first line of this response "Dad did it" - I was always going to, I just had to wait my time - just hope I can carry on a bit longer!

[morninggents]

The question was "Why did I get into it?" - see the first line of this response "Dad did it" - I was always going to, I just had to wait my time - just hope I can carry on a bit longer![/quote]

Fantastic response and IMHO you are what Historic racing is all about - long may you be able to continue.

My experience was pretty much the same as my dad raced and rallied in the 50s and early 60s. I started with my brother racing special saloons in the mid 60s, had a break whilst family was growing up and started again in 1989 with a historic saloon. Now I'm doing it with my son and stepson and hope we will continue for many years to come and , perhaps, if they get moving with families they'll continue in historics too.

[Duddha]

This is my first post on the forum,

I'm actually 18, and I'm not racing, I've been testing various historic formula fords but due to medical problems I can't race.

Anyway I'll answer another question, Why would i race in historics ?

I would race race in historics because my father and mother have been racing in historics for more than ten years now and I'll always remember seeing a T70 at Spa passing my mother in her little Lotus 23 in Eau Rouge.
I'll also remember the start of the 24 hour race in the film Le Mans, that was great or even seeing Jackie Stewart going sideways in his Tyrrell at Charade in the early 70's in a video. And now as I'm helping a team during summers, these cars are fantastic compare to modern ones.

Great Topic and sorry for the mistakes, I'm french...

[gttouring]

i went historic because i thought the starting car was cheaper
oops
now i am in it because it has become a house fixture of repair time and a nice conversation piece
"yeah this old Volvo is set up like the Frankfurt Touring car team of 1964-66 blah blah blah..."

i am a dope, but he community and the racing is great, no one really wants to hit you... where there was a fair bit of bumping in stock, modern type cars..

[Peter Mallett]

I think it might be wise to note that it is racing, in historic cars.

Welcome Louis. No beer for you, oh hell,

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by Duddha

This is my first post on the forum,

I'm actually 18, and I'm not racing, I've been testing various historic formula fords but due to medical problems I can't race.

Anyway I'll answer another question, Why would i race in historics ?

I would race race in historics because my father and mother have been racing in historics for more than ten years now and I'll always remember seeing a T70 at Spa passing my mother in her little Lotus 23 in Eau Rouge.
I'll also remember the start of the 24 hour race in the film Le Mans, that was great or even seeing Jackie Stewart going sideways in his Tyrrell at Charade in the early 70's in a video. And now as I'm helping a team during summers, these cars are fantastic compare to modern ones.

Great Topic and sorry for the mistakes, I'm french...

Welcome Louise...hope your health issues are sorted soon..and you get out on the track quick smart

[Peter Mallett]

Er, Louis? The "s" is silent.