Your personal racing biographies

[wolf sun]

A couple of years ago I interviewed Supersports racer Silvio Kalb, and while we talked a lot about historic racing, circuits, and the like, the bits I found most fascinating were his recollections of how he started out in the seventies, the cars he drove, the series he raced in, personal highlights from the past, etc.

Now, everyone knows everything about the top (and lower) drawer professionals of course, but to me the careers of all the grass-roots (and upward) racers who are in it simply for the fun of racing are no less intriguing.

Knowing that there are quite a few racers on here, I'd like you to share your 'racing biographies' - if you wish to do so - how, when, where, with what you started out, favourite memories, races, circuits...the lot!

(And no, one-liners along the lines of "I got me a car and raced it, end of story" won't do...)

Looking forward to hearing from you!

[John Turner]

Very good idea; I'd love to see some of these.

[wolf sun]

Or so I thought...

...will listen to some Led Zeppelin instead.

[John Turner]

Patience is a virtue. An autobiog, even a short one, is not the work of a moment; especially if you are employed.

[wolf sun]

Sorry, my comment was made light-heartedly - I did not intend to criticize anyone, neither did I mean to sound impatient!

[delta]

Dont worry Wolfie im going to post mine Friday night when ive had a couple of sherbert's. PLanet Rock night as well so you are in good company.

[Al Weyman]

I will see how interesting others are before I decide whether mine is worth boring people with!:-)

[Peter Mallett]

According to one or two posters, I'm too inexperienced so I'll pass.

[John Turner]

So, the rest of us get written off for the one or two, Peter? That's not like you; come on give us a potted history!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

According to one or two posters, I'm too inexperienced so I'll pass.

I definitely needn't bother then as I've only been racing 8 years and I'm not a historic racer.

[simon drabble]

I fear the reality is that with the exception of about 3 occassional posters most of our racing biogs would make pitiful reading!!
Perhaps it would be more interesting to hear from posters who raced in 60's and 70's asto their amusing anecdotes from that more colourful age...

[delta]

I started in the 70's and im rehearsing my post as we speek. "in the pooring rain loading Delta truck for Portugal"

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by simon drabble

Perhaps it would be more interesting to hear from posters who raced in 60's and 70's asto their amusing anecdotes from that more colourful age...

But everything was black and white in the 60s.

[John Turner]

Stop finding excuses and just post, all of you! It doesn't have to be a blow by blow account of your life; in fact, ...err... definitely not! . I'll even give you a template:-

1) What started you off racing?
2) When did you start racing?
3) What cars have you raced and which is/was your favourite?
4) Your favourite circuit (but please don't all say Spa, or perhaps that should be apart from Spa!)
5) Any particular memorable racing events/incidents.
6) What was your best result?
7) What result gave you the greatest pleasure if different from 5)
8) What race has given you your greatest 'buzz' if different from 6).

Come on; it's not rocket science and racing drivers at any level aren't noted for their shyness, normally!

[compte deGraves]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Stop finding excuses and just post, all of you! It doesn't have to be a blow by blow account of your life; in fact, ...err... definitely not! . I'll even give you a template:-

1) What started you off racing?
2) When did you start racing?
3) What cars have you raced and which is/was your favourite?
4) Your favourite circuit (but please don't all say Spa, or perhaps that should be apart from Spa!)
5) Any particular memorable racing events/incidents.
6) What was your best result?
7) What result gave you the greatest pleasure if different from 5)
8) What race has given you your greatest 'buzz' if different from 6).

I sense a great deal of reluctance here so here is the truth (pathetic though I may be):

1) Since a child I played with Dinky racing cars pushing them round on the living carpet of my parents home. There were Vanwalls, Talbots and Ferraris. Naturally I always came through on the last lap (usually at the table leg hairpin) to take then win over Moss in second place.

2) 1968 with a Morgan +4 with Lawrence Tune bored out TR4 unit of some 2.5 litres!

3) I have raced a Morgan +4 (1969/1970 Modified Sports Car U.K. Championship (when men were men and boys went out clubbing in Soho the night before a race at Brands or Lydden)), an MGA stock car at Wimbledon etc in 1970s, Radicals, Tigas, Lotus Elites and, of course, the beloved 1958 Volpini Junior Grand Prix car.

4) It's a toss up between Brands Hatch GP and Nurburgring.

5) John Gott was the chief constable of some Midland constabulary in 1969. He raced at Healey 300. I seem to recall enjoying making a observational comment to him regarding his parentage which, if addressed to a chief constable, would have resulted in a goal sentence.

6) Best result was getting within 1 second of the Nurburgring meister, Iain Rowley in the 1960 Lotus Elite.

7) Cracking the resistance of a girl that I met in New York in 1967...but that is a story for another time.

8) 1969 Brands Hatch in the pouring rain. The Morgan slid it's way around the Healeys and got up inside the 3 litre Marcos (the class was 2001 - 3000 cc).

OK, I've shown you mine - over to you.

[John Turner]

Brilliant stuff; exactly what was needed (well maybe not 7) but you don't have to confine yourself to answering my suggested questions, of course.

[delta]

Blooming heck John you,ve spoilt how i was going to tell my my story. Im going to tell it anyway .Not tonight as we have Historic FF2000 board meeting..Dear Compte your race at Missano must of been the best,2007 beating this years Laurani champion and finnishing just behind an iffy Stanguelini..

[PTRACER]

Does anyone keep a blog/online diary of their racing activities?

[rogerwills]

I tried but it became too time consuming. Actually my bio is here:

http://www.nzmotorsport.co.nz/conten...t.cfm?id=11667

I agreed to do an update after each meeting but just realised the last was over a year ago.....

[Al Weyman]

Thats understandable Roger the amount of racing you do!

[rogerwills]

Actually Al I've done a lot less this year but focused on more quality. Keeps the family happy!

[terence]

I've seen that site Roger,somehow it has linked to a very similar site name as my own.Owned by someone in Brno! Turn's out the owner has something like 63,000 other site's,guess what,they are all for sale.!
[Sorry for the OT info]

[GORDON STREETER]

[QUOTE]=compte deGraves;2556016] an MGA stock car at Wimbledon

Blimey an MGA stock car, you were brave

[wolf sun]

Ahhh, thanks Compte for making a bean- spilling start! Modsports in the 70s sound intriguing - one of the categories I'd love to have witnessed first-hand. So many great series and cars in the UK...absolutely no comparison to the scene over here.
Nürburgring...you're talking about the proper one, I suppose? When did you first race there? Any recollections of the original Snetterton, too?

As to le crackement de la résistance, hey that sounds, errm, thrilling, too, will mention it in my forthcoming book about the racing lives of 10/10thers. I'm sure you don't object.

Thanks, too, Roger Wills, for the biog link. You're only five bleeding years older than me, and racing fabulous cars around Europe every other weekend...where have I gone wrong??? (Mind you, I do set reasonable times in Frankfurt rush hour traffic, at least in my class of car) (lower class that is)

Looking forward to hearing from Iain, too!...and all the others as well. Pitiful reading, pahh...

[SJWBallistic]

For what it is worth my "racing" career is as follows:
I spent my formative years in a pushchair being dragged to hillclimb events with my father Roy Wright as he began hillclimbing a 500cc Cooper during the early 1970's (at a time there was nowhere else to use a 500)
This was then followed push starting same said 500 as I grew up. By this stage racing was in the blood and 500cc circuit racing was now available.
When I finished university I was promised a go in the car and my racing began in 1996 on the Silverstone Stowe circuit - qualified last finished 5th.
A few more 500 races and then I aquired a F750 DNC which I rebuilt and ran unsuccesfully for a 18 months.
In 1998 I acquired a Van Diemen RF82 which I ran in F4 events for many seasons and how I came to know Delta.
I still have the car but both time and money prevent me do many races in a season and so have this year reverted back to the old 500's.
Next year a full season of 500's hopefully in the Mk6 Cooper that dad acquired in 1973 and has always been "this winter's project!!!"
Favourite circuit - Snetterton the only track I have won at (it helps make you like a venue)
Sorry if I have bored anyone
Stuart Wright