106 replies to this topic

[Stephen W]

As a result of a conversation and a quiz question at the NW TNF get together on the 11th I am opening a thread for discussion on the sooper Sports 2000 category. So to start the ball rolling ..............

1) The quiz question was Which Competitors in Sports 2000 also raced in F1 GPs? Well I have spotted Derek Daly, David Prophet and Jim Crawford. Mike Wilds was entered in a co-driver race at Oulton in 1981 but was a Did Not Arrive (DNA). There have been some other interesting drivers though - Ian Taylor, David Leslie, Kurt Thiim, Mike O'Brien, Alan Rollinson, David Sears, Gary Brabham, Alo Lawler, Frank Bradley, Sean Walker, Maurizio Sala, Will Hoy, martin Birrane, Simon Hadfield, Val Musetti, Richard Mallock, John Bright, James Thomson (Ex-Hillclimb Champion), Ian Flux, Tony Lanfranchi and Eddie Jordan amongst these.
2) Kelly Girl sponsored the Brands Hatch entry and I saw Divina Galica, Janet Brise and Mark Thatcher behind the wheel of various cars carrying this sponsors logo.


Above: Andrew Broadley's Lola in the Oulton Park paddock in 1986.

[alansart]

I seem to remember Frank Synter competing in Sports 2000 in it's early days. He's now competing in Historic F1. Does that count?

[bob k.]

Derek Bell was giving rides around a wet Silverstone in the Lola T490 to prospective buyers in September 30th 1976 Lola open track day. Divina Galica was also presented at this time as John Webb's signing for the series in 1977. Divina went on to win the first ever race for S2000 at Oulton Park April 8 1977.

Sports 2000 began.

bob k.

[BarryD]

and Howden Ganley designed and built the extremely successful Tiga Sports 2000 cars...they cleaned-up in the 79-82 period.
He certainly drove F1....possibly Tim Schenken too ?
Does that count ?
BD

[Gerald Swan]

Divina in the T490 at Silverstone, knock yourselves out recognising the line-up behind ;).



Gerald.

Lola Heritage

[petestenning]

I recognise from the left John Webb MCD , John Wickham BARC, later of Spirit .
Davina in the car thats obvious lol.

Pete

[Gerald Swan]

Well done Pete . Two down, four to go.

Gerald.

Lola Heritage

[Mondiale M85S]

Peter Browning BRSCC far right?

[Alan Cox]

Eric Broadley (3rd from right)?

[lil'chris]

Eric Broadley behind the air intake and Tom Wheatcroft far right ??

[Alan Cox]

Definitely not Tom, Chris.

[Alan Cox]

A few earlier posts from elsewhere

[lil'chris]

Originally posted by Alan Cox
Definitely not Tom, Chris.

Must admit, I thought he looked a bit weedy to be Tom !!

How about Derek Ongaro as the chap 2nd from right ?

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by BarryD
and Howden Ganley designed and built the extremely successful Tiga Sports 2000 cars...they cleaned-up in the 79-82 period.
He certainly drove F1....possibly Tim Schenken too ?
Does that count ?
BD

Sory to say Ganley and Schenken, although involved with Tiga, did not compete in S2000 as drivers which is what we were trying to figure out.

Also Derek Bell and Frank Sytner don't count either - Bell because he didn't compete and sytner because he didn't race in "F1 GPs".

Nice try though!

[Phil Rainford]

Did Desiré Wilson not drive at some time in Sports 2000?

Kind regards

Phil

[Gerald Swan]

Yes to Mondiale M85S, that's Peter Browning (BRSCC) and another yes to Alan for Eric Broadley. So it's now four down two to go ;).

Gerald.

Lola Heritage

[bob k.]

Gerald, I could cheat and read the names from the copy of photo you had sent to me some time ago, but I will leave it to others to find the answers


cheers bob k.

[David McKinney]

I wondered if the bearded gent might be Peter Jowitt, but don't hit me. I only met him once, and that was more than 20 years ago.
Another thought was Don Truman (ditto)

[Andrew Kitson]

Jimmy Brown of the BRDC in the Shellsport jacket.

[bob k.]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford
Did Desiré Wilson not drive at some time in Sports 2000?

Kind regards

Phil

Desire Wilson drove a T492 for TDC in I think, 1978

bob k.

[Andrew Kitson]

The tall chap wouldn't be Michael Heseltine would it? Some Haymarket / Autosport connection? He's in a BRDC jacket though???

[sterling49]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
The tall chap wouldn't be Michael Heseltine would it? Some Haymarket / Autosport connection? He's in a BRDC jacket though???

I am pretty sure that is not "Tarzan", Andy, hair not long enough for a start.

[RTH]

Someone from Shell perhaps ?

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by bob k.



Desire Wilson drove a T492 for TDC in I think, 1978

bob k.

Thanks Bob....

Mr Wilkinson can Desiré Wilson's name be added to the Sports 2000 Hall of Fame?

This of course is dependent on your view of the 1981 South African Grand Prix ?

Kind regards

Phil

[David McKinney]

I'm inclined towards the lil'chris view of the Tall Chap

[Andrew Kitson]

I don't think it is Derek. I don't remember him being particularly tall when I knew him during his time at Lolas when he lived near us.

[alansart]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Jimmy Brown of the BRDC in the Shellsport jacket.

Agree with Jimmy Brown.

The tall chap looks like he may have a BRDC badge on his jacket.

[Gerald Swan]

Thanks for not giving the game away Bob ;).

Andrew is right with Jimmy Brown and that just leaves us with one and BRDC is definitely the way to go.

Gerald.

Lola Heritage

[Andrew Kitson]

How about Mr. Epstein?

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford


Thanks Bob....

Mr Wilkinson can Desiré Wilson's name be added to the Sports 2000 Hall of Fame?

This of course is dependent on your view of the 1981 South African Grand Prix ?

Kind regards

Phil

My view of the 1981 South African Grand Prix was quiet distant - I was at home at the time! However I cannot add Deathray to the "Sports 2000 Hall of Fame" as tat wasn't a World Championship F1 Grand Prix.

[Simon Arron]

A few from the S2000 archive. One or two of have, admittedly, been posted elsewhere...


T'other John Webb (Lola T490) leads John Sheldon (T492) during the Race of Champions support event at Brands Hatch, 1979.


Richard "not David's younger brother but the bloke from West Yorkshire" Morgan (Tiga SC79) at the same meeting.


Ian Taylor in Ken Hensley Racing's Tiga SC79 at Oulton Park...


...and Queensgate Racing's SC80 at Donington.


Back at Oulton, Syd Fox (TDC) leads Geoff Farmer (Lola T590) and the lad Thatcher (Tiga SC80). Not sure who the bloke standing trackside might be, but he looks a bit like Postman Pat.


I wasn't entirely sure about the driver when I first posted this, but I'm now fairly certain it is Peter Sadler (Chevron B52).


Dud Moseley (Motus Mk10) and Keith Bowmaker (Lola T492). Daniel LeBacq was entered for this race (October 1980) in the eponymous DL13, but I don't have any shots. This might be because he failed to show.

[Graham Gauld]

Sorry: late into this thread. The man you are having difficulty with in the Davina picture, second from the right, is Tony Salmon who was assistant secretary of the BRDC at the time

Also remember when Hugh McCaig and I reformed Ecurie Ecosse in 1983 our first car was a Chevron Sports 2000 originally bought and raced by John Clark. The first driver of the car for EE was Willie Hourie from the Orkney Islands

[Julian Roberts]

Mike Wilds definitely did race in Sports 2000. He drove my bosses Lola at Mallory Park in the early to mid 80's. He was involved in a crash at the hairpin early on and retired. I have some grainy pics of Mike Wilds in the car and will post them as soon as I can find them.

[Gerald Swan]

Of course Graham is absolutely right, Tony Salmon it is .

Gerald.

Lola Heritage

[jcbc3]

OT (ignore if inappropriate) :

In what esteem was the European Championship held compared to the English?

Question arises because my fellow Dane Thorkild Thyrring won three EC's between 1982 and '85 and was widely hyped here, but somehow I have the feeling that it was very much a poor cousin of the English/British Championship.

[Nordic]

Sports 2000 were not confined to the track,

This Tiga was used by Graham Priaulx on the hills of his native channel Islands.

Here is the what I belive to be a Robinson taken at Thruxton.

And the late David Leslie in what may be the Crossle 43S

John Sheldons Tiga SC79 seems to held together with tape.

I'm sure that white board was not there when I took this one!

A poor shot, but taken in context the flying tigers 1000K's lacked a few entres, step forward S2000! A tiga Driven by TLD and Glacia made a showing. It did'nt win.

Thundersports, S2000 cars where a popular and cheap option. This Royale of Sutherland/Rossiter being one of the quicker ones.

I think this is a S2000 as well, the Coombs Ford unless someone knows otherwise

1984 Thundersports now and the Tiga TS84 of TLD

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Nordic
Sports 2000 were not confined to the track,

This Tiga was used by Graham Priaulx on the hills of his native channel Islands.

Typical hillclimber - M&H tyres on the front and Goodyears on the back! Wasn't the Priaulx Tiga running a BDG rather than the Pinto?

[Mallory Dan]

Wasn't it a Hart, Steve? Proof that the chassis could handle more power than the Pinto, as also shown by the various Thundersports hybrids based on the S2000 cars.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
Wasn't it a Hart, Steve? Proof that the chassis could handle more power than the Pinto, as also shown by the various Thundersports hybrids based on the S2000 cars.

Started out in 1981 with a 2.0 Hart 420R installed in his SC80 but switched to a 2.0 BDX in 1983 which was then bored out to 2.1 for 1984 - just checked back to make doubly sure.

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by Stephen W


My view of the 1981 South African Grand Prix was quiet distant - I was at home at the time! However I cannot add Deathray to the "Sports 2000 Hall of Fame" as tat wasn't a World Championship F1 Grand Prix.

Bang bump clatter crash.......don't worry that's just me throwing my toys out of the pram

Kind regards

Phil

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford


Bang bump clatter crash.......don't worry that's just me throwing my toys out of the pram

Kind regards

Phil

Cheer up Phil, it's Monday!

[Julian Roberts]

Here's Mike Wilds in the Lola at Mallory Park in 1981

[alansart]

Originally posted by Julian Roberts
Here's Mike Wilds in the Lola at Mallory Park in 1981

Judging by the damage to both sides of the car, possibly Mike "helped" the white car into the corner.

I like his eyes in the last photo - will he or won't he

[Stephen W]

So to recap on the "Sports 2000 Hall Of Fame" (i.e. the list of drivers who RACED in Sports 2000 and also started at least one World Championship F1 GP)

Derek Daly (the only one to score World Championship Points)
David Prophet
Jim Crawford
Mike Wilds

Any other nominees?

[MCS]

Originally posted by Stephen W
So to recap on the "Sports 2000 Hall Of Fame" (i.e. the list of drivers who RACED in Sports 2000 and also started at least one World Championship F1 GP)

Derek Daly (the only one to score World Championship Points)
David Prophet
Jim Crawford
Mike Wilds

Any other nominees?

When, where and what did Jim Crawford drive?

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by Stephen W
So to recap on the "Sports 2000 Hall Of Fame" (i.e. the list of drivers who RACED in Sports 2000 and also started at least one World Championship F1 GP)

Derek Daly (the only one to score World Championship Points)
David Prophet
Jim Crawford
Mike Wilds

Any other nominees?

Have we ruled Tiff Needell out?

Kind regards

Phil

[Simon Arron]

Originally posted by Stephen W
So to recap on the "Sports 2000 Hall Of Fame" (i.e. the list of drivers who RACED in Sports 2000 and also started at least one World Championship F1 GP)

Derek Daly (the only one to score World Championship Points)
David Prophet
Jim Crawford
Mike Wilds

I feel certain Tiff Needell must have raced in Sports 2000 at some point, although the evidence escapes me. There is another name to add to the subsidiary list of Sports 2000 racers (David Leslie, Desiré Wilson, Divina Galica etc) who participated in non-world championship F1 events: Chris Ashmore.

Also, how many past or present F1 team principals started a Sports 2000 race? Eddie Jordan competed in a two-driver event at Oulton Park in 1982...

[alansart]

Originally posted by MCS


When, where and what did Jim Crawford drive?

2 races for JPS Lotus in 1975.

He was also the first person to use the Woodcote chicane at Silverstone in an F1 car. Unfortunately nobody told him it was there

[MCS]

Originally posted by alansart
2 races for JPS Lotus in 1975.

He was also the first person to use the Woodcote chicane at Silverstone in an F1 car. Unfortunately nobody told him it was there

Not quite what I meant.

What did Jim race in Sports 2000?

[alansart]

Originally posted by MCS


Not quite what I meant.

What did Jim race in Sports 2000?

Sorry about that!

Chevron is the obvious choice, but I can't be sure.