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Racing travels #40

RACING TRAVELS:   During the 1960s my dad travelled all over Europe with his racing team.  The header photo shows him with his VW van with his racing car on the back.  He usually took two mechanics with him who were friends of his who just loved racing and volunteered their services for a free holiday abroad!  He went to all the big racing circuits:  Hockenheim, Nurburgring and Monza, travelling across Europe to get to them.  He always came back with lots of funny stories to tell.  Because the van he used wasn't brand new it would sometimes break down but at least he had two mechanics with him - however, getting parts wasn't easy in the 1960s, especially...

Motor Racing Days #9

...uring the 1960s he raced Lotus Elites and I have never forgotten the time, aged just 5 years old, when he took me for a spin around Mallory Park.  I remember it all very clearly, even now.  He strapped me into the car, watched by the mechanics in the pits.  My poor mother was worried to death and kept asking if I’d be alright!  My dad was his usual self, flouting the rules, and continued to do a few laps around the circuit with me clinging petrified to the side of the seat - I have been terrified of speed ever since – can you imagine that happening today!  My dad would spend a lot of his time tinkering about on the car once it was back home and then ta...

Motor Racing Days #9

...uring the 1960s he raced Lotus Elites and I have never forgotten the time, aged just 5 years old, when he took me for a spin around Mallory Park. I remember it all very clearly, even now. He strapped me into the car, watched by the mechanics in the pits. My poor mother was worried to death and kept asking if I’d be alright! My dad was his usual self, flouting the rules, and continued to do a few laps around the circuit with me clinging petrified to the side of the seat - I have been terrified of speed ever since – can you imagine that happening today! My dad would spend a lot of his time tinkering about on the car once it was back home and then take it for...

Motor Racing Days #9

...uring the 1960s he raced Lotus Elites and I have never forgotten the time, aged just 5 years old, when he took me for a spin around Mallory Park. I remember it all very clearly, even now. He strapped me into the car, watched by the mechanics in the pits. My poor mother was worried to death and kept asking if I’d be alright! My dad was his usual self, flouting the rules, and continued to do a few laps around the circuit with me clinging petrified to the side of the seat - I have been terrified of speed ever since – can you imagine that happening today!   My dad with his first racing car in the 1950s   My dad would spend a lot of his time tinkering a...

MOTOR RACING DAYS #9

...uring the 1960s he raced Lotus Elites and I have never forgotten the time, aged just 5 years old, when he took me for a spin around Mallory Park.  My poor mother was worried to death and I have been terrified of speed ever since – can you imagine that happening today!  He would spend all his time tinkering about on the car once it was back home and then take it for a test drive around the village in the early hours of the morning while everyone was asleep – except for the local policeman who was always coming round and telling him off!  By the mid sixties he probably felt too old to be racing and so took on a driver, firstly Philip Robinson and then Chri...

Moving Day Arrives #2

...My parents took vacant possession of Hoar Cross Hall in 1970 and the whole process of moving house was done over the summer months. We lived about 20 miles away in an old vicarage with a large garden and lots of outbuildings. This house was about 200 years old and they say Bonnie Prince Charlie marched past it on his way to battle back in the day, for all you history buffs out there! Actually I love history and I think my interest was fuelled by living in these historic houses as a child. My dad used to be a racing driver in the 1950s and before that he did motorcycle racing, often at nearby Donnington Park. During the 1960s he ran his own team, Shardlow Motor R...