115 replies to this topic

[alansart]

Jaybrand sponsorship only came in for 1973. I'm pretty sure the 1972 title was simply the Silverstone Formule Libre Championship.

The only points tables I have for any of those (iirc) are for the 1973 and 1974 Jaybrand seasons.

Anyone have points tables for any of the others?

John Jordan in his CanAm McLaren was a regular winner of the Silverstone Libre Championship.

[Phil Rainford]

Jim Evans to me is remembered for his wins in the AET Turbo MK 1 Escort (76 -77) rather than the F1 shadow he later aquired.

Popped in to Oulton today

This reminded me of the Jim Evans Escort




PAR

[Simon Arron]

Classic Longridge, classic Northern Libre.


Joe Applegarth leading Paul Gardner (or, possibly, about to be lapped by Paul Gardner).

[MCS]

This is bringing back some interesting memories. I can remember Applegarth winning a Libre race in his Brabham at Croft from Willie Wood's F2 March 762 in 1978. Wood didn't get close to Joe, who wore a dark green kagool over his overalls to keep himself dry in the pouring rain. Very sensible.

[Ian Smith - Diz]

My programmes show Paul Kelly as entrant of the Ferrari 625 & D-Type Jag with Willie Eckerslyke & Bill Allen as drivers which would explain why I witnessed two different helmets in the cars. However I used to see Nigel on a Tuesday evening at Aintree & another guy who was not overalled used to share driving duties with him on occasion. My Observer informed me that it was Paul Kelly but I was too young to be allowed into the clubhouse (licensed premises, & where most things were confirmed or otherwise) then so can't confirm it. However I remember Nigel was always scrounging ciggies off Ian Smith-Diz so doubtless he will be in a better position to confirm that. (Ian was a few years older than me & thus could enter the bar.... ).

I'm not certain, but I think Paul [Paul Sherman-Kelly] Kelly occasionally went out for the odd lap to see what the problem was, or to check if he'd cured the said problem.

As for the scrounging ciggies , it even went as far as the odd glass of ale and those who know me will know that getting a drink out of me is very rare. How come multi millionaires never seem to carry any cash on them?

[Ian Smith - Diz]

The thread title refers to northern drivers & not circuits,

I read the thread title to mean the top ten drivers in Libre races that were held at Northern venues. I'd take that to mean Oulton in the west, over to Cadwell in the east and anywhere north of that, including north of the border.
The birth place or town of residence of the driver "don't count for owt"

[Ian Smith - Diz]

We haven't mentioned DW's Roosters Brabham BT40 yet, Then again, the opening round of the 1976 OSS series involved 20 laps of the Foisters circuit at Oulton, so he's probably still droning around on about the 18th of them...

Brilliant even the smelling pistake in the circuit name adds to my enjoyment whilst sitting here splitting my sides.

[Simon Arron]

The smelling pistake in the circuit name adds to my enjoyment.

Sorry. My inner arch-pedant has corrected the original lapse.

[Giraffe]

We haven't mentioned DW's Roosters Brabham BT40 yet, Then again, the opening round of the 1976 OSS series involved 20 laps of the Fosters circuit at Oulton, so he's probably still droning around on about the 18th of them...

I can imagine he's David Wincestanley after reading this! David has been a bit of an enigma to me, a Balanese (er Lake Bala, North Wales) erstwhile northern TNFer, the first memory of whom I have as a somewhat oiky Spectator Control marshal of a similar vintage to myself at the ill-fated TT at Oulton Park in 1969. Fast-forward some seven years to Oulton again and the Shellsport 5000 meeting and there he is in the Withers of Winsford Brabham BT40 sharing the grid with Alan Jones, Damien Magee, David Purley, Davina Gallica, Emilio Villota,Richard Scott, Lella Lombardi, Richard Lloyd, Jim Crawford, John Cannon et al. Fair play to him, but is this the greatest story never told, or a man with a great future behind him????

I hope I've not opened a hornet's nest here?!

Edited by Giraffe, 16 February 2011 - 08:44.

[Alan Cox]

I can imagine he's David Wincestanley after reading this! David has been a bit of an enigma to me,

The enigma is, actually, a TNFer and came to one of the Northern Smoker pub nights some years ago, but hasn't posted any of his pithy observations for a considerable time.

PS He is well used to taking stick from Mr Arron

[Stephen W]

He won at least one Aintree Libre race in the Fittipaldi, circa 1980/81. I think he set a new outright lap record in the process - probably not all that surprising, really.

Correct, I remember it well!

[Phil Rainford]

The enigma is, actually, a TNFer and came to one of the Northern Smoker pub nights some years ago, but hasn't posted any of his pithy observations for a considerable time.

PS He is well used to taking stick from Mr Arron

Think David actually came to a couple of TNF meetings..........remember well Mr Winstanley plonking an Escort Mexico on the front row at Oulton once.

Mr Arron was in such a state of shock that I was close to taking him to the Medical Centre

PAR

[Giraffe]

there he is in the Withers of Winsford Brabham BT40 sharing the grid with Alan Jones, Damien Magee, David Purley, Davina Gallica, Emilio Villota,Richard Scott, Lella Lombardi, Richard Lloyd, Jim Crawford, John Cannon et al.

Frankly, I'd have been happy to drive a Brabham BT40 around Oulton with those guys at any speed................

[MCS]

Think David actually came to a couple of TNF meetings..........remember well Mr Winstanley plonking an Escort Mexico on the front row at Oulton once.

And he was unlucky not to win actually...

[Giraffe]

While we're on the subject of northern libre, does anyone know who was the "Kelly" who tuned FVC engines for the likes of Richard Simms, Peter Smith and Richard Sutherland in the mid-1970s. I'm guessing he was a Yorkshireman.

Ok, the guy's name was Frank Kelly & Vin Malkie tells me he rebuilt one of his engines for him. What more do you need to know. Allan?

[Allen Brown]

Ok, the guy's name was Frank Kelly & Vin Malkie tells me he rebuilt one of his engines for him. What more do you need to know. Allan?

Thanks Tony. I was hoping he might have a good memory for the cars in which his engines competed. Peter Smith and Richard Simms appear to have been his first customers for FVA and FVC engines and then one of his engines appeared in Richard Sutherland's Chevron in 1976. Sutherland is the guy that had the big accident in the Zolder Interserie race and was killed. Might Frank remember if Sutherland had bought Simms' car or had bought Smith's car and the engine had gone with it. It's a long shot but worth a try.