The Best??

Dan Friel · 14 Jul 2000, 12:56 (Ref:23182)

Ok then... What is the best ever:

1. Club Race car??

2. Club racer??

3. Series??

And where would you like to see them??

Mine are:

Have to think about this!!!

KC · 14 Jul 2000, 16:00 (Ref:23217)

My considerations are probably far from yours as there is not much Formula Ford or proper sedan racing in and around here, but here are mine...

1. National Midget championship: These guys put on one of the best oval racing shows anywhere in the world. The cars are diverse in design and build using powerplants that range from production derived four cylinders to more racy air cooled VW engines to exotic Mercury V6 marine engines.

2. I would love to make the trek up to Belleville Kansas for the Belleville Nationals. There is usually over 300 competitors there trying to make the 40 car field and the best in American dirt oval racing is there.

Honorable mention include: INEX Legend Cars. The put on an excellent show when I saw them run at our local road course. They have to be driven even while on the straight.

Graham · 16 Jul 2000, 00:18 (Ref:23414)

Some type of Mallock?

Below what series do you term 'club racing'?

Dan Friel · 16 Jul 2000, 19:17 (Ref:23527)

I guess club racing is something that isn't above a series such as our national series... Maybe F3 is the top form of club racing to some, some of the class b guys fall into the category...

You'd be doing quite well to get better than a Formula Ford race round Spa / or maybe Cadwell Park!!! But then again, what about minis!!!

So who's the best racer of all time??

Graham · 16 Jul 2000, 20:10 (Ref:23537)

A little hard for us young 'uns, don't you think? The little guys, however talented behind the wheel, have scarcely been household names or written about to any degree. You need to have been around club racing in the 60's - 90's to know about them properly. Sorry.

Lee Purnell · 16 Jul 2000, 21:14 (Ref:23543)

Good Topic Dan

I would have to say Nigel Greensal as the best racer.
Does he count? He is a damn fine driver.

TimD · 17 Jul 2000, 10:40 (Ref:23664)

I can't honestly say I've ever watched a particular club series. Keeping an eye on how Peter and yelwoci are doing is the closest I have got to that.

Best club cars? There are so many, but can I suggest Lotus 11, Mini Cooper, U2.

Club racer? Well, which of the unholy trinity do we choose? Gerry Marshall? Barrie "Whizzo" Williams? Tony Lanfranchi?

All three are still competing, all three are still lightning fast, and can show a clean pair of wheels to any driver half their age.

Dan Friel · 17 Jul 2000, 11:04 (Ref:23668)

You beat me to it TimD..

Gerry Marshall, Barry Williams - awesome, and still are.

Just wish I was there to watch Firenza and Capri racing, must have been fantastic!!

Marshal · 17 Jul 2000, 11:27 (Ref:23672)

In addition to the obvious Gerry Marshall, Tony Lanfranchi, Whizzo Williams, I'd like to put in a shout for Will Hoy (dynamite in a clubmans car), Jeff Wilson, for years he was class of the Donnington GT championship, and Peter baldwin, who's been winning in Mini's since before I was born.

As to your first question, I always loved the Silhouette special saloon and GT cars. Gerry Marshall's Baby Bertha (a Repco powered Vauxhall Firenza) was a particular favourite when I was a lad. Also worth a mention is John Pearson's I am 21 (reg no) Modsports Jaguar XK 120. I never saw it in its prime but it looks a cracking car.

As for series, the Donnigton GT's had it all for me, big grids, fast dramatic looking cars, multiple classes and close racing. Today though you have to go a long way to beat Tuscan racing, especially at Combe.

Graham · 18 Jul 2000, 18:06 (Ref:23931)

What was the name of that bloke who used to race Minis and Jags and whatnot in the 60's? The one David George is always going on about?

Lee Purnell · 18 Jul 2000, 18:10 (Ref:23932)

Vince Woodman?
He was a fine racer.

Graham · 18 Jul 2000, 18:16 (Ref:23935)

No, Peter [someone] is it? Surname begins with 'H' maybe?

Lee Purnell · 18 Jul 2000, 18:20 (Ref:23936)

Ah, was it Peter Hall?

Graham · 18 Jul 2000, 18:27 (Ref:23937)

It might have been, but I'm not too sure. Useless, huh?

Mackmot · 18 Jul 2000, 18:32 (Ref:23940)

Best Club Series has to be tuscans

Best Club Driver Ian Flux

Graham · 18 Jul 2000, 19:48 (Ref:23959)

I did think of Tuscans (yeah, like I ever think of anything else) but I don't really deem it 'club racing'. If that's club racing, what's the next level down between club and karting?

Fluxie is good.

No, I'm not saying karting is **** - just the lowest formulae of circuit racing.

Dan Friel · 19 Jul 2000, 11:31 (Ref:24087)

I reckon Tuscans are just about club racing - the premier form.. The drivers aren't professional, well most of them, so I reckon it counts..

Peter Baldwin has to be the best mini racer - or could that be Paddy Hopkirk??

What about Martin Stretton?? He's pretty rapid and just slightly brave...

Graham · 19 Jul 2000, 14:21 (Ref:24123)

How about Andy Middlehurst - granted he had that Skyline, but he could still make it dance. Lionel Abbott was always on the limit.

Marshal · 19 Jul 2000, 14:39 (Ref:24126)

I'd forgotten about Martin Stretton, he definitely gets into the top club racer league. The only other historic racer who gets close is Gary Pearson, but he doesn't quite have Strettons panache.

Mackmot · 19 Jul 2000, 15:25 (Ref:24134)

Doesnt Stretton drive that lovely Tyrell P34

Graham · 19 Jul 2000, 18:26 (Ref:24187)

I'm 90% sure of that, yes. You mean the 6 wheeled one?

Used to drive Tyrrell (two R's and two L's - correct me if wrong) 005, the ex-Jackie Stewart machine.

Dan Friel · 19 Jul 2000, 18:47 (Ref:24194)

That's the baby... awesome through Dingle Dell this year - I think he must take out his brain before every race..

Thought about Gary Pearson, very good, but he destroyed one of the Aston Marin project cars at my feet at Goodwood last year - so I didn't think he could count!! And he swore for about 10 minutes non stop!!! I think he may have been upset..

Graham · 31 Jul 2000, 21:36 (Ref:27353)

Just popped into my mind (at long last) :

Mike Parkes!

Did everything and more besides.

Marshal · 1 Aug 2000, 08:42 (Ref:27442)

I thought you might remember that little incident of Mr. Pearsons, Dan.

I've just remembered the other current Historic racer who deserves a mention is Peter Hardman. Always spectacular (especially in the Le Mans winning Aston DBR1) and I can't remember him bending anything!

TimD · 1 Aug 2000, 09:03 (Ref:27448)

First Goodwood Revival, Peter Hardman finished a day's racing with the Ferrari TR60 Testa Rossa, with dings and ripples down the whole near-side. There was green paint mixed in with that, so I think he was a little forceful passing a back marker with it.

But you're right, as a rule he's pretty tidy with the car.

As for the Aston Project car, don't worry. The rebuild will be well under way by now, and it will be back. The saddest thing was that it had not up till then had a major shunt.

Incidentally, the Aston Project 215 which was smashed at Silverstone two years ago made its triumphant return at Coys last month. I still can't believe that they were brave enough to entrust it to David Leslie for its first race!

I was speaking to a mechanic after practice, complimenting the team on the marvellous rebuild (I saw it coming in on the trailer after it's wreck - not a straight panel on it) and asking how the car seemed now. The response was that it was a lot quicker potentially, because the suspension geometry was now back to how the factory intended, and besides, the car was now 60 pounds lighter.

Lighter? Surely some mistake? What did they leave out? The response came that they had found 60 pounds of filler putty from twenty years of little dings and scrapes in historic racing, and they took the opportunity of straightening out all the dents properly.