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Whatever happened to ... Richard Scott?

Started by Ian McKean , Sep 12 2002 22:27

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26 replies to this topic

#1 Ian McKean

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Posted 12 September 2002 - 22:27

Happened to be leafing through Autosport dated 18th April 1974 today (for the first time in about 28 years) and was reminded that the the feature event at Snetterton that week, for Formula Atlantic, was won by Richard Scott driving his Scott.

The Scott was a low-budget one-off built in a railway arch in London by Patrick Head for Richard Scott. According to Pat it was cheaper to build a Formula Atlantic than to buy one. I still find this hard to believe, unless Pat worked for fun. But this he may well have done, since all his elderly spinster aunts left him money and he ended up richer than his Dad - and this was before he made any money out of Williams.

Anyway, this was the first I discovered that enterprising Londoners made workshops out of Railway arches.

I had never heard of Richard Scott before Pat told me he was designing this car, but followed its progress keenly that season. I felt sorry for Pat that the car was not called a Head, because that was what it was, really.

The engine was an iron block and perhaps not the best as alloy blocks were used by the better-funded teams by then, IIRC, but the car was a front-runner and did quite well. One must assume that Richard Scott was quite a good driver, yet after that season I never heard of him again.

So whatever happened to Richard Scott?

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#2 LittleChris

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 09:33

Didn't the BBC refuse to cover a race he was in because he was the original recipient of Durex sponsorship ?

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#3 Vicuna

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 10:11

I think that particular Lola T400 now lives in NZ.

There was an appalling book that came out in the mid to late 80's. As I recall there was a photo of either Scott's car or a Durex sponsored Surtees, and next to it was a photo of something like a Guy Edwards Aurora car sponsored by Penthouse.

The caption was something like 'imagine if these two crashed into one another'.

A book so bad it makes Bernard Cowdrey's F5000 A to Z look only below average.

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#4 LittleChris

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 11:29

Originally posted by Vicuna
I think that particular Lola T400 now lives in NZ.

There was an appalling book that came out in the mid to late 80's. As I recall there was a photo of either Scott's car or a Durex sponsored Surtees, and next to it was a photo of something like a Guy Edwards Aurora car sponsored by Penthouse.

The caption was something like 'imagine if these two crashed into one another'.

A book so bad it makes Bernard Cowdrey's F5000 A to Z look only below average.

I believe the book in question may well be the infamous ' Niki Lauda and the Grand Prix Gladiators ' by Ronnie Mutch

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#5 Vicuna

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 11:55

I do believe you're right.

Do you have a copy?:

Was I close with the caption?

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#6 ensign14

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 12:02

I think it was even better, 'imagine if these two banged into each other'. The joy of wit.

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#7 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 20:43

Originally posted by Vicuna
I think that particular Lola T400 now lives in NZ.

There was an appalling book that came out in the mid to late 80's. As I recall there was a photo of either Scott's car or a Durex sponsored Surtees, and next to it was a photo of something like a Guy Edwards Aurora car sponsored by Penthouse.

The caption was something like 'imagine if these two crashed into one another'.

A book so bad it makes Bernard Cowdrey's F5000 A to Z look only below average.

Yes the Lola T400 is in New Zealand, owned by Shane Windelburn.

The caption is even worse than you remembered.

"Wouldn't it be fun if this car banged that one?"

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#8 kabouter

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 21:26

Since there is a connection with New Zealand, could this be the same Richard Scott as the motorcycle racer from New Zealand? He raced in Europe in the 1987 GP season in the 500cc class. His best result was 9th in the GP of Yugoslavia. If he would have gone motorcycle racing in New Zealand, that would explain why Ian lost track of him. But if it was him, he would be rather old for a New Zealand rider to try his luck in Europe by 1987...

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#9 Vicuna

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 21:29

Motor cycles - don't think so.

Hey Milan - did you buy it in NZ?

It's so bad, from what I hear, it's almost a 'must have'.

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#10 kabouter

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 21:35

Originally posted by Vicuna
Motor cycles - don't think so.

You say it like motorcycle is a bad word...

Anyway, found something better than a vague motorcycle connection:

The car showed enormous promise, but the project was under-resourced. Scott retired after a bad crash, but the car eventually won several races as a Formula Atlantic.

Quoted from grandprix.com, the article on Patrick Head (yes, sometimes that site contains useful info)

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#11 Vicuna

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Posted 13 September 2002 - 23:18

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kabouter
[B]
You say it like motorcycle is a bad word...

Ooooooooo, touchy..........

I go out of my way every year to attend classic motor bike racing at Pukekohe up in Auckland. I go on my Buell.

Can't find anything bad in the word, or words, motorcycle.

I merely mean that I don't believe an English racing CAR driver of the mid '70's got reinvented as a BIKE racer a decade and a half later.

Moving right along, I believe the Durex T400 is being raced up at Pukekohe at a F5000 Trans Tasman thing next weekend.

Its red these days - like Big Maxy Walkers T400 was. And BRKev's as I recall.

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#12 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 14 September 2002 - 02:48

Originally posted by Vicuna
Motor cycles - don't think so.

Hey Milan - did you buy it in NZ?

It's so bad, from what I hear, it's almost a 'must have'.

Yes I bought it in NZ. You can still find copies in second hand bookshops or book exchanges. I've got some spare copies. If you want one, email me.

It is generally regarded as one of the worst books on motor racing.

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#13 David McKinney

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Posted 14 September 2002 - 06:32

The New Zealand motorcycle racer Richard Scott was certainly not the English racing driver Richard Scott

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#14 Rainer Nyberg

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Posted 14 September 2002 - 11:17

When browsing thru some period magazines, I noted that Richard Scott was seriously considered for a seat at Lotus in 1976.

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#15 LittleChris

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Posted 14 September 2002 - 23:11

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Vicuna
[QUOTE]Originally posted by kabouter
[B]
I merely mean that I don't believe an English racing CAR driver of the mid '70's got reinvented as a BIKE racer a decade and a half later.

. [/QUOTE]

Ian Ashley ?? See Darren Galpin's interview with him on 8W or GEL.

Apparently my mum paid 50 P for my copy of NL & the GP Gladiators in 1978. I'm still searching for the despicable rat that ripped her off

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#16 Vicuna

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Posted 14 September 2002 - 23:25

Originally posted by LittleChris

Apparently my mum paid 50 P for my copy of NL & the GP Gladiators in 1978. I'm still searching for the despicable rat that ripped her off

"dispicable rat" and Super Rat in the same sentence.

50p! He saw her coming...

Go get him Lil Chris ;)

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#17 LittleChris

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Posted 14 September 2002 - 23:58

Apparently it's 'only' £ 200 for a hit these days if you utilise the services of various people in Hackney, Carlos the Jackel must be spinning in his grave ! Although , it might have been as much as 50p, it's given me a load of laughs over the years, so I reckon the 'despicable rat' has been let off !!

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#18 Vicuna

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Posted 15 September 2002 - 09:34

Bummer start to the season for The Hammers Lil Chris.

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#19 Ray Bell

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Posted 15 September 2002 - 09:53

Originally posted by Vicuna
I go out of my way every year to attend classic motor bike racing at Pukekohe up in Auckland. I go on my Buell.

Wild thing!

Moving right along, I believe the Durex T400 is being raced up at Pukekohe at a F5000 Trans Tasman thing next weekend.

Its red these days - like Big Maxy Walkers T400 was. And BRKev's as I recall.

Max Stewart's, I think you mean? Yes, it was red for a while, later white with a multicolour stripe around the perimeter.

And... the term 'KB' is almost universally recognised around here. Even Buford remembers him... so how about you forget the 'big rev' thing?

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#20 2F-001

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Posted 15 September 2002 - 10:10

Originally posted by LittleChris
Didn't the BBC refuse to cover a race he was in because he was the original recipient of Durex sponsorship ?

If I remember things rightly (by no means guaranteed

) the broadcaster relented when Scott's team agreed to cover up the signwriting on the car as requested; but Scott's performance in the race was such that the car spent a long time in shot... with the sponsor's name still evident on the driver's helmet (ooh er...!).

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#21 Mark Beckman

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Posted 15 September 2002 - 14:11

Originally posted by Ray Bell

Wild thing!

Max Stewart's, I think you mean? Yes, it was red for a while, later white with a multicolour stripe around the perimeter.

And... the term 'KB' is almost universally recognised around here. Even Buford remembers him... so how about you forget the 'big rev' thing?

Kevin Bartletts own bio book is named "Big Rev Kev".

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#22 Ray Bell

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Posted 15 September 2002 - 16:34

Jim Shepherd's book on KB is so titled, yes...

But everywhere he is known as KB... in the TV commentators' circles some call him 'Big Rev'... and it's hardly a nice name for a driver, is it, implying that he's hard on engines?

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#23 LittleChris

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Posted 15 September 2002 - 17:38

Originally posted by Vicuna
Bummer start to the season for The Hammers Lil Chris.

And it just got worse ! :cry:

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#24 Ian McKean

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Posted 16 September 2002 - 00:12

I am getting more and more confused by all this talk about Durex, £200 hits and God knows what else. :confused:

Is it fair to summarise the discussion so far as having established that Scott was considered by Lotus for 1976?

By the way, I think he came from Aberdeen, if that triggers any ideas.