Baby Bertha at Mallory

Alan Raine · 13 Oct 2006, 18:38 (Ref:1737389)

I don't think this has been posted before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkxxpMI__5o

For those who remember Special and Super Saloons in the 70's.

A few familiar faces appear as well

275 GTB-4 · 13 Oct 2006, 23:12 (Ref:1737489)

marvellous, marvellous stuff but should be moved to one of the sports sedan threads....cheers for that

Dex · 14 Oct 2006, 00:11 (Ref:1737498)

on that same site is a great video of the Droopsnoot launch race at Thruxton - Vauxhall really got the launch of that car right - now that's what a one-make race should look like

terence · 14 Oct 2006, 07:22 (Ref:1737569)

Well done for posting Gerry and Bertha, thats the kind of racing that would bring back the spectators! I got to know Gerry well over the years [and Bertha for that matter], he always maintaned that it was the best car he ever raced!.

Andrew Kitson · 14 Oct 2006, 07:22 (Ref:1737570)

Brilliant stuff, fantastic memories and a great example of how club racing should be before the noise police got hold of it.

Andrew Kitson · 14 Oct 2006, 08:12 (Ref:1737576)

While in the brilliant 1970s mode, remember the huge F3 pile-up at the Brands GP meeting in 1978?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enR2z...brands%20hatch

Al Weyman · 14 Oct 2006, 08:34 (Ref:1737598)

Quote:

Originally Posted by terence bower

Well done for posting Gerry and Bertha, thats the kind of racing that would bring back the spectators! I got to know Gerry well over the years [and Bertha for that matter], he always maintaned that it was the best car he ever raced!.

Nice video but I don't think total and predictable domination by one car/driver would bring back crowds. Now if they were all more evenly matched......

Andrew Kitson · 14 Oct 2006, 08:43 (Ref:1737603)

It is the spectacle that would bring back the crowds if we had supersaloons again. Most of those cars were spectacular, even circulating alone. How many modern race cars can you say that about? Not many. In general, over engineered, handling too good, too quiet, few 'Gerry/Tony' type characters = boring.

Alan Raine · 14 Oct 2006, 09:06 (Ref:1737613)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Nice video but I don't think total and predictable domination by one car/driver would bring back crowds. Now if they were all more evenly matched......

It wasn't always predictable as sometimes they were a bit unreliable, but Marshall and Baby Bertha were the cream of the crop and were always going to be hard to beat. It's possibly why Super Saloons faded away.

Like Andrew I would love to see them back on track but unfortunately the noise police might take away some of the sparkle. Also, I don't think anybody could drive the way Marshall did, although that guy last week at Snetterton seemed to be having a good go in the Jag!

paddy · 14 Oct 2006, 11:42 (Ref:1737689)

I was at the Mallory meeting. I remember Gerry apologising because he had to drive for the championship and not throw the car around. Great stuff. Also notice where the barriers are, particularly around Gerards.

Al Weyman · 14 Oct 2006, 12:37 (Ref:1737743)

Aussie V8 Touring cars for GB would be a damned good start:-)

Alan Raine · 14 Oct 2006, 12:44 (Ref:1737746)

Now that would be good.

**Peter Mallett** · 14 Oct 2006, 12:48 (Ref:1737749)

Great stuff. The in-car footage was particularly interesting.

**chunterer** · 16 Oct 2006, 08:33 (Ref:1738966)

Oh that fantastic Repco V8 noise gives ya goosepimples doesn't it?!

That must've been pretty impressive to watch trackside, with 20 odd other beasts snarling their way round as well.

Great link!!

Andrew Kitson · 16 Oct 2006, 09:45 (Ref:1739053)

It was brilliant. Great noise, big crowds, little run-off allowing close up spectating. What went wrong?

Dan Rear · 16 Oct 2006, 12:48 (Ref:1739284)

Tremendous stuff chaps, I was there too, Mallory I mean, October '76 IIRC. Surprised to that Cortina mk3 going so well, was it the Shelton brothers car, or maybe Alistair Thompson. Will check the old prog later !

Andrew Kitson · 16 Oct 2006, 18:22 (Ref:1739540)

Thought you may have been there Dan! Don't think I was, not for that one.

Anyway, Gerry's family are putting together a website in rememberance of the big man. Take a look although early days with much to add. It has a guest book if you would like to leave comments.
http://www.gerrymarshall.com

Al Weyman · 16 Oct 2006, 18:33 (Ref:1739548)

I saw no CoCoTinA.

big andy · 16 Oct 2006, 20:33 (Ref:1739636)

the cortina belonged to Alistair Thompson/dave thompson it was based on a f5000 car

Dan Rear · 18 Oct 2006, 11:22 (Ref:1741071)

big Andy, it was based on an ISO-Marlboro F1 car, really a Williams I guess. Thompson came out in it in the F1 form a few years later, in period livery too. V interesting car, anyone got any comments about it ?

Al Weyman · 18 Oct 2006, 12:25 (Ref:1741131)

None other than (IMO) thats what kille d the formula, stuff like that based on single seaters.

Terry Scannell · 20 Oct 2006, 19:21 (Ref:1743467)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Kitson

While in the brilliant 1970s mode, remember the huge F3 pile-up at the Brands GP meeting in 1978?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enR2z...brands%20hatch

Thanks Andrew, that has brought back all the memories of the period when I was involved in F3 with Colin Thorpe in the late 70's & early 80's.

Terry

davyboy · 1 Dec 2006, 10:20 (Ref:1779369)

Man oh man what an incredible piece of footage. Gerry Marshall was a true legend... some reckon one of the greatest racing drivers of all time ! Is it just me, or was motorsport just better then ? There was fantastic variety in the cars, charismatic drivers, fantastic sounds and great racing. And just look at the way Bertha twitched down the hill past the start/finish... that's what we want to see racing cars do !

Give me 5 minutes to grab a set of flairs and droopeye sunglasses before I press that red button to time-warp my way back there right now !

Alan Raine · 1 Dec 2006, 11:13 (Ref:1779406)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

Is it just me, or was motorsport just better then ? There was fantastic variety in the cars, charismatic drivers, fantastic sounds and great racing

IMHO I think it was. Less technical, corporate and not so politically correct!

**Peter Mallett** · 1 Dec 2006, 18:44 (Ref:1779757)

Yep.

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