Gerry Marshall at Crystal Palace

RamblinStu · 3 May 2006, 13:07 (Ref:1600048)

There was a great saloon car race shown on TV some time ago from the Crystal Palace circuit, in the 60’s (I think). It featured a brilliant tussle between Gerry Marshall and two others, one of the cars, if my memory is correct, was a Lotus Cortina.

Does anyone know if this video is available to buy? If so from where?

VIVA GT · 3 May 2006, 13:48 (Ref:1600068)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamblinStu

There was a great saloon car race shown on TV some time ago from the Crystal Palace circuit, in the 60’s (I think). It featured a brilliant tussle between Gerry Marshall and two others, one of the cars, if my memory is correct, was a Lotus Cortina.

Does anyone know if this video is available to buy? If so from where?

As far as I remember, this was last shown by the BBC in their 100 Great Sporting Moments series in about 1982. A fantastic tussle between Gerry in his Viva GT (now you can see why I'm so interested!), a Camaro and a Mk1 Escort. Real door handle to door handle stuff, and further enhaced by a Murray Walker commentary ("yes! Gerry Marshall has now turned on his headlights to let the other driver know that he's there!")
I'm sure that the Camaro crashes, and although the Escort finishes first on the road (with Gerry hanging off his back bumper), the Escort had a 10 second penalty for a jump start, so Gerry was the actual winner.

Now all of my information about this is based on my (fading) memory of ther BBC film from 20 odd years ago. I'm sure that there are many more knowledgeable people out there in ten-tenths land who can tell us a lot more...

TimD · 3 May 2006, 14:11 (Ref:1600077)

One of three motorsports events that the BBC covered in their 100 Great Sporting Moments.

It's the Osram/BARC Trophy race on September 11th 1971 (black & white footage always makes one assume it's the sixties) and the protagonists as well as Gerry were Martin Thomas and Mike Crabtree. The race was very late in the Viva's career - Gerry was already using the Firenza but I seem to recall he'd buzzed the engine at Thruxton during the week and had reverted to the older car.

When the Beeb released their index of existing archives, the Great Sporting Moments was one of the first things I checked, and they do have all three programmes safe, so one can hope that there's a chance of a repeat showing sometime. Sadly, the "on demand" facility is still a good many years away.

The other two events in the series? The infamous Crystal Palace F3 race in which James Hunt earned his "the Shunt" epithet and a glorious Brands Hatch one-make celebrity race which put F1 team principals in identical Escort Mexicos. With Brabham, Tyrrell, Chapman, Williams et al in other peoples' cars, that was a case of "light blue touch-paper and stand well back". (Commentary on that occasion was Barrie Gill and Graham Hill!)

jonners · 3 May 2006, 14:22 (Ref:1600081)

The Mexico race is a classic with Frank Williams going sideways and John Surtees in the chasing pack

The best bit was being able to see Colin Chapman smiling as he took the lead and witnessed other drivers' misfortunes only to be thwarted by a blown engine on the final corner - much to Graham Hill's amusement after telling all and sundry that Chapman had spent the previous day in an Escort hire car practising in a car park....

I seem to remember Jackie Stewart on the pit wall cheering on Ken Tyrrell

Classic stuff - I hope we can see these again soon

**John Turner** · 3 May 2006, 16:12 (Ref:1600145)

I haven't seen any of these for years but wouldn't it be terrific if the Beeb released them altogether on a single DVD?

davyboy · 3 May 2006, 18:13 (Ref:1600216)

Wasn't the French GP from Dijon [1978 ?] involving Villeneuve and Arnoux also one of the BBC 100 Greatest Sporting Moments ?

**Peter Mallett** · 3 May 2006, 18:14 (Ref:1600217)

Thanks for reminding me.

The last time I had the opportunity to speak with Gerry (off track) was in the bar at the Old Swan in Cheddington 1998 (ish},

He was still bloody annoyed by that race & the beeb coverage even then!

Still, a couple of glasses of red wine later he was calmed down and back to slagging off golfers.

RIP Gerry.

**John Turner** · 3 May 2006, 18:48 (Ref:1600227)

Nice one, Peter! Gerry still looms large over several of our threads.

Alan Raine · 3 May 2006, 21:57 (Ref:1600354)

My first ever race meeting spectating was at Crystal Palace in about 1969 and one of the first cars I saw was Mr G Marshall doing his bit - no wonder I was hooked.

I was there for the 100 Sporting Moments race and the James Hunt bust up - and it was on the telly about a week later so I could catch up on the bits I missed later on - wonderfull!

PDS · 3 May 2006, 22:59 (Ref:1600381)

Thanks for reminding me..

I am sure I have it on tape somewhere. I shall investigate...

ss_collins · 4 May 2006, 01:04 (Ref:1600402)

if you do I want a copy!

Dan Rear · 4 May 2006, 12:08 (Ref:1600619)

Whats a nasty phrase like "Team Principal" doing on here...

TimD · 4 May 2006, 15:18 (Ref:1600710)

Simple - I couldn't remember the entire entry list off the top of my head, so to avoid calling them owners or constructors or whatever, when some of the competitors might not have been, it seemed suitably nebulous.

Gnomex · 4 May 2006, 19:19 (Ref:1600845)

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Turner

I haven't seen any of these for years but wouldn't it be terrific if the Beeb released them altogether on a single DVD?

I think they have. I checked the BBC shop the other day and saw "100 Great Sporting Moments" (or whatever the correct title) but didn't buy it (the blurb was going on about the "f" word - you know "football" and so although I guessed it would have the F3 race on it it seemed poor value. Now I know there are three gems on it..... Has anyone got hold of a copy yet?

PDS · 4 May 2006, 20:29 (Ref:1600876)

If you are a real Gerry Marshall fan. Then look for a video 'Classic Saloon Car Action '70s Style'
http://www.chaters.co.uk/book_details.cfm/bks_id/17325

On it you will find short Vauxhall films, which include Gerry racing in the Magnum in the Saloon car championship and helping with the tyre changes. But my favourite short film is Gerry driving Baby Bertha, 'There is only one Gerry' with in-car footage... Pure Magic, Pure Thunder. There is even footage of Big Bertha...

Ignore the first film... Rallying Morris Marina's?

There is another short fil that is worth watching, although I know a lot of people don't like the guy. Noel Edmunds racing his Opel around Brands Hatch!

A must video for any serious collector of fan of Gerry Marshall.

VIVA GT · 4 May 2006, 22:45 (Ref:1600935)

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDS

If you are a real Gerry Marshall fan. Then look for a video 'Classic Saloon Car Action '70s Style'
http://www.chaters.co.uk/book_details.cfm/bks_id/17325

On it you will find short Vauxhall films, which include Gerry racing in the Magnum in the Saloon car championship and helping with the tyre changes. But my favourite short film is Gerry driving Baby Bertha, 'There is only one Gerry' with in-car footage... Pure Magic, Pure Thunder. There is even footage of Big Bertha...

Ignore the first film... Rallying Morris Marina's?

There is another short fil that is worth watching, although I know a lot of people don't like the guy. Noel Edmunds racing his Opel around Brands Hatch!

A must video for any serious collector of fan of Gerry Marshall.

Fantastic PDS, I'm off to order it now as I am a bit of a Gerry Marshall Fan!

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