First Visit To a Race Circuit

[markjtaylor]

My first trip to see motor racing was to Brands Hatch, a poignant date 7/4 1968. It was to an endurance race, the same day as Jim Clark's fatal accident. I remember the announcement over the public adress system, of JC's demise, it was spine chilling and I recall met with disbelief. I was only 8 years old at the time, but still remember this as though it were yesterday.
On a more cheerful note, at last I am racing, with Classic Thunder, the elation of this year racing at Brands having spent years as a spectator was truly awesome.

[Alan Morgan]

My first visit to a circuit was to a clubbie at Silverstone in about 1964 - that means I'd have been about eight as well. I can still remember the excitement of hearing the racing engines, but not being able to see anything due to the enormous scaffolding grandstands.

Does anyone remember the "seats" that were basicaly a piece of canvas with rows of stitches to make a tube that would sit over the short scaffolding poles (hard to describe, but anyone who was there will remember)? Whenever someone stood up, ten people either side would drop down six inches.

45 years on, the sense of excitement and anticipation may have dulled somewhat, but there is still a very nice feeling when driving through the entrance to a circuit, particularly if it's one you've never been to before.

[Peat]

I 'know' that my first visit to a racetrack was Castle Combe in the late 80's to watch my uncle race in FFord1600. I am also told that my uncle had to borrow some tools off his paddock neighbour David Coulthard that day. I was too young to remember any of it myself.....

The first trip i really remember was going to a very wet Silverstone for Friday Practice for the 1992 British GP. I can still hear the howl of the Ferrari V12 through the spray.......

@markjtaylor: My, then 16yr old, Dad was at that race meeting. He recalls that moment very well too.

[Al Weyman]

Mallory Park me, 16 drove up there on my Norton Dominator Combination to watch a bike race must have been 1964.

[Mike E]

I think my first must have been Roy Hesketh in Pietermaritzburg. I have hazy memories of it, as it closed when I was only 9 years old.
http://theracingline.net/racingcircu...urg/index.html

[paddy]

Mallory Park 1974. British Formula Ford and Super Saloons. Also went to British GP at Brands that year. Never to be forgotten experiences.

[gtmac2008]

Ingliston August 1976. A great selection of races including special saloons, modsports and Formula Libre. It was well attended too ( over 5,000 spectators ). I can remember watching Iain Forrest's Drambuie Imp, Chris Meek's Lotus Europa and Bill Dryden's Vauxhall Firenza.

I have been a big motorsport fan ever since.

[neilwilson]

Brands Hatch, European Grand Prix in 1983, I think.

Neil

[Pete Howarth]

Cadwell Park 1966, I've no memory of it. I was in a carrycot

[GORDON STREETER]

I used to pushbike to Brands in 1961/2 and then from 63 when I was old enough I went by motorbike. I used to climb over the fence as I was only a humble apprentice ! To see all these Anglias/A40's/100E's/Jaguars/Rapiers being driven "at" and sometimes "beyond"" their limits left a lasting taste for me.
Back then a normal clubbie event used to attract huge crowds as there was bugger all else on Sundays going on ( no retail parks and 7 day shops)
I used to go to most of the bike meetings as well when Derek Minter ruled the roost . The smell of Castrol R still lingers in my memory !
Later on one of my mates used to have a big old Yank Pontiac and six of us used to climb into the boot up the road so only the driver paid at the gate. This was OK but as most of us had been on the beer on the Saturday night it wasn't too healthy

[bdwoody]

my first meeting was in 1967 so i'm told when my dad was racing "jalopie's" in the gloucester area . any one remember them ?

[grantp]

Crystal Palace, late 50s I would guess. We lived just across the road from Crystal Palace Park from about 1957 to 1960 ish.

A few seconds of 8mm cine film survive as proof.

I too was at Brands on 7/4/1968 but I have to admit that it was only recently that I was reminded that it was the day of Jim Clark's accident and that quite shocked me. Why I had not remembered it I can't say. JC was certainly my racing hero at the time.

It could have been that I was out of range of the tannoys at the time.

The full picture (heavily cropped version here) shows some dismantling of the trackside cabling.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...-04-07-046.jpg

[DAVID PATERSON]

Lakeside Raceway in 1985 for The Australian Touring Car Championship. I was 15 and had been nagging my Dad for years to take me, he finally relented and we went into the pits afterwards so i could get the programme signed by all the top drivers. It was the first Group A Touring Car race to be held in Queensland and it was dominated by Jim Richards in the JPS BMW 635 CSi.

Just 4 years later I was on the grid myself, for the Street Sedan races. (Street Sedans are superseded Series Production Touring Cars in virtually stock standard trim).

[morninggents]

Either Olivers Mount, Scarborough or Brough near Hull to watch bikes in early 50s.

[Steven Humphrey]

Brands Hatch 1975. My Dad used to work for Marlboro and had to put some banners up around the track. Not sure what the event was but I remember F3 cars running.
Note children being used as mobile adverts!

[Colin McKay]

Fintray hillclimb, aged 12-ish. The exact date should be easy to pinpoint, it was that warm sunny day in the mid 60's. Taken there by my brother who never took the time to explain what the hell was going on, but do remember the single seaters screaming by. Singularly unimpressed by the boring old saloons.

First circuit visit was Brands for the Transatlantic Trophy, probably around '77. Met Barry Sheene & Kenny Roberts. Well, passed the time of day in the gents with Barry and got pushed out of the way by Kenny but close enough.

[m1fcf]

First motorsport event? Brands Hatch, April/May 1974 - about six weeks before I was born. Too soon to count?

Been watching racing ever since - not sure of my first 'live' track visit - probably Thruxton in the early 80s for one of theri Easter Bank Holiday Monday meetings?

[Unit 2 Racing]

My first race meeting was Silverstone Daily Express Trophy 1965,
won by Jackie Stewart in a BRM. My mates dad took 3 or 4 of us we were all about 15 years old. After the racing we just walked across the track & into the paddock, we helped push the Ferrari's up the ramps into there transporter, could't happen today.

[Chris Roden]

Olivers Mount around 1965, bikes.
We were on holiday in Scarborough, I told Mum & Dad that I would take my much younger sister for a walk in her pushchair. Hours later, having enjoyed some good racing, we returned to the hotel to find that the police were out looking for us as we had been so long. Dad escorted me to the police station to explain to the bobbies and apologise.

First car meeting would have been Cadwell around 1968, marshalling at Park where I fell into a discussion with a bloke who knew nothing about cars and racing. After we had explained that racers put wider wheels on to get more rubber in contact with the road, hence more grip, he said, why bother with tread then, if there are no grooves there is more rubber in contact with the road.
We experts thought this was the daftest suggestion out, little did we know....

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Chris Roden

We experts thought this was the daftest suggestion out, little did we know....

Interesting as Slicks were available in the later 60s as far as I know and I was using them in 1970. They have been used since the mid 50s for drag racing but mainly in the States.
Back to the thread

[GORDON STREETER]

Looking through my memorabilia reminded me that I went to the 1966 British GP at Brands and have the programme in front of me at this moment.
I wonder if its worth anything

[bwatt]

VSCC Oulton Park, June 1961. By public transport from Birmingham.

[Colin McKay]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Looking through my memorabilia reminded me that I went to the 1966 British GP at Brands and have the programme in front of me at this moment.
I wonder if its worth anything

Worth keeping

[John Turner]

First visit to a circuit was 1 May, 1966 at Crystal Palace for National Alvis day.
First race meeting was 28 May, 1966 at Silverstone for AMOC, St John Horsfall
First international race meeting 9 July, 1966 at Silverstone, Martini International.

Obviously a good year for me, 1966!

[Chris Roden]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Interesting as Slicks were available in the later 60s as far as I know and I was using them in 1970. They have been used since the mid 50s for drag racing but mainly in the States.
Back to the thread

Gordon, I found this quote that might shed a bit of light...
"Dunlop officially withdrew from F1 at the end of 1969 with their last patterned tyre, the CR84, citing lack of relevance to road tyre development. Interestingly, the adoption of 'slick' type treads followed immediately. At that time road tyres were rapidly changing to radial construction, then totally unsuited to the demands of racing."

back to the thread again, apologies