105 replies to this topic

[David Birchall]

James Hunt died twenty two years ago today. Perhaps not the most significant driver in eff won he made quite an impact.

[E1pix]

Winner of my first two USGPs in 1976-77 and Hero to millions. Great character, loved him.

Thanks for honoring him, David. RIP.

[Dick Dastardly]

The "best"[?] British driver once Sir JYS retired....OK, other Brits may have been better but he got some wins in the Hesketh [F1 Dutch GP and the non-championship International Trophy in 74] then got lucky when Emmo switched from McLaren....as I wrote on the Driver Signings thread in the Racing Section, I didn't expect him to become WDC based on his F3 experience but he improved a lot in F1 and I rooted for him in 76, felt very patriotic when he "won"...on the road at least....the 76 British GP at Brands     

[ensign14]

I do wonder how good he was at his peak, because his peak was so short; once he won the title F1 seemed to be a bit of a bore to him (q.v. his fan Kimi Raikkonen).  After all, look at his comparators in the same car.  Not directly applicable, as they all had different environments, but he was scoring podia in a private March when Jarier - he of the multiple F2 wins - couldn't score a point.  Hunt won for Hesketh, a car in which the likes of Alan Jones and Jacky Ickx failed to trouble the scorers.  And whereas Mass was never far from Fittipaldi, Hunt was in a different league.  Plus winning the title in a four year old car...and he would have won it by a street without his British DQ and the Italian shenanigans.

[SEdward]

I grew up with James. He was only a few years older than me. I followed him through the junior formula at Brands Hatch, right up to the top. My passion (long gone) for motorsport reached its peak in the late 70s, when James was at his best.

1976 was an unbelievelable year, and much better in real life than in THAT film.

 

I think he was a good, but not great, driver. He climbed into the right car at the right time, a fact that gave him a shot at the top spot. Without Nikki's accident at the Ring, I doubt very much that he would have won the championship.

We could do with a few more characters like him in F1 today. Plenty of booze, sex, bad behaviour and honesty. It would make a refreshing change from corporate-compliant and squeaky clean bullshit that all of today's drivers spew out race after race (probably because they have to).

 

Edward

[RS2000]

TV debut of "Rush" on Channel 4 next Saturday.

[RStock]

RIP James. The history of auto racing would be very boring without men like him.

[sterling49]

Sadly missed, i watched James from his very eatly days at Brands and was elated with his Silverstone '73 GP finish, and the Surtees finish at the ROCs. He was on his way !

[jj2728]

Another year gone by.

RIP James

[JtP2]

One thing about Hunt compared to other British DWCs since JYS is that if you took F1 racing away from him, he still was somebody. Put F1 back on British tv as well.

[David Birchall]

I was unsure whether TNF really cared about Hunt but I am gratified you do! His Championship year was the year I actually became involved in racing and in '77 started racing myself. That Championship year was memorable. I read all I could on F1, primarily what was written by Rob Walker at that time. When Hunt quit, so did I. He also transformed race commentating by being so knowledgeable and unafraid of offending anyone.
RIP James.

Edited by David Birchall, 16 June 2015 - 00:08.

[BlinkyMcSquinty]

A truly unique and lovable scamp. Formula One would not enjoy it's prestige without his "contribution"

 

.

[BRG]

Probably the last of the old school racing drivers (in F1 at least.  There were still plenty elsewhere like Gerry Marshall!)

 

I remember chatting to him and Ronnie Peterson at Brands in the paddock.  We didn't talk about racing at all.  

 

It would be great if modern day drivers were like James, but if they were, this forum and the social mejja would explode in about 5 secs flat in indignation and outrage..

Edited by BRG, 16 June 2015 - 12:24.

[JacnGille]

A truly unique and lovable scamp. Formula One would not enjoy it's prestige without his "contribution"

 

.

[E1pix]

Agreed! What a great image.

Who wouldn't want to hang out with that guy?

[PVC]

This is a typical Leo in astrology.

[ensign14]

Agreed! What a great image.

 

This one is surely peak Hunt. Beer, bird and fag.  Oh, and a GP win.
 

[E1pix]

Thank You E14, bloody fantastic! (using my best, really tragic English accent)

Like how the GP win came fourth. Something tells me that might be the lineup of priorities for James as well... (Bird = #1)

I take it this might be his '77 win at the Glen? I say so 'cause he's drinking a Schlitz, not the best beer but my mom used to work there in Milwaukee. Personally I'd have given Mr. Hunt a Boddington...

Thanks Again!

[PVC]

Wine/beer, song and women. Meaning of life.

[kayemod]

... he's drinking a Schlitz, not the best beer but my mom used to work there in Milwaukee. Personally I'd have given Mr. Hunt a Boddington...

Thanks Again!

 

If you mean the one brewed in Manchester, I take it you've never tried the stuff? I spent five years in Manchester, a few minutes walk from a Boddington pub, and I used to prefer to walk a couple of miles to one that served Robinson's beer. No doubt it has its fans, but I always thought, and still do, that Boddies was horrible stuff, I very much doubt that James would ever have touched it, no matter how great his thirst.

[E1pix]

I take it you've never had a Schlitz then? ;-)

Was gonna say "Guinness" (my pref by far), but didn't wanna create an inner-isles rivalry derail. :-)))

[E1pix]

Wine/beer, song and women. Meaning of life.

Don't forget racin' and climbin'! :-)

[JtP2]

And budgiregars

[PCC]

Don't forget racin' and climbin'! :-)

And shootin' (cameras, that is, not guns!).

[David Birchall]

Kayemod: You would have walked a hundred miles to avoid drinking a Schlitz! Unless you had just driven a Grand Prix of course!

[RStock]

Must have been a Lauda fan that gave him that Schlitz. Pretty mean thing to do. I think sanity has prevailed and they quit making that stuff.

[David Birchall]

For the perpetually bored:
https://en.wikipedia...Brewing_Company

[E1pix]

Just bored enough to read and enjoy that!

Go, Joe.


(RS, if not on my phone I could put that rolling laughter guy here... ...)

[B Squared]

David Uihlein was an acquaintance who founded the Miller Mile vintage reunion, owned many historic racecars and artifacts, kept part of them in a beautifully restored stone building complete with waterwheel in the Milwaukee suburb of historic Cedarburg, Wisconsin, was the founder of Banner Welders and involved with the U-Line cooler products, plus he was part of the founding family of Schlitz - best of all, he was a very nice man that absolutely loved racing and cars in general. His first wife was a Bradley from the Allen-Bradley controls family and the Bradley Center in Milwaukee was the result of her donation, if I understand correctly. His second wife was Margery Holley, the daughter of George M. Holley, co-founder of Holley Performance Products.
 
A photo I took of Hunt at Watkins Glen in 1975. Apologies for this being a repeat from another thread I posted in back in 2008

Edited by B Squared, 18 June 2015 - 18:04.

[Michael Ferner]

For the perpetually bored:
https://en.wikipedia...Brewing_Company

"Faced with a desire to meet large volume demands while also cutting the cost of production, the brewing process for Schlitz's flagship Schlitz beer was changed in the early 1970s. (...) The reformulated product resulted in a beer that not only lost much of the flavor and consistency of the traditional formula but spoiled more quickly, rapidly losing public appeal."

Ain't that grand? Once in a million, greed doesn't pay.

[BRG]

Not a lesson that Coca-Cola took on board obviously.  Fancy a New Coke? No?

[racinggeek]

David Uihlein was an acquaintance who founded the Miller Mile vintage reunion, owned many historic racecars and artifacts, kept part of them in a beautifully restored stone building complete with waterwheel in the Milwaukee suburb of historic Cedarburg, Wisconsin, was the founder of Banner Welders and involved with the U-Line cooler products, plus he was part of the founding family of Schlitz - best of all, he was a very nice man that absolutely loved racing and cars in general. His first wife was a Bradley from the Allen-Bradley controls family and the Bradley Center in Milwaukee was the result of her donation, if I understand correctly. His second wife was Margery Holley, the daughter of George M. Holley, co-founder of Holley Performance Products.
 

 

Since we've gotten a little off track here, I'll add that the Cedarburg stone building remains perhaps the coolest racing "museum" I've ever visited. The time I stopped in, a Sig Haugdahl land speed car (or re-creation thereof) was in the building along with more than a few 1920's champ cars. Sadly, the "museum" no longer is there, although the building still stands. Wish I had the binders filled with race result clippings from the Milwaukee sports pages.

 

Oh, and the 21st Millers at Milwaukee is July 10-11, with today's indyCars on the Mile on the 12th.

[wolf sun]

A truly unique and lovable scamp. Formula One would not enjoy it's prestige without his "contribution"

 

.

 

What a lovely shot this is!

[RStock]

What a lovely shot this is!

 

Sort of symbolic for how we remember him, isn't it? I mean, the "Sex, Breakfast of Champions" patch, goodyear badge looks to be barely hanging on by a few threads. Then there is that mischievous grin.

 

Anyone know what the lettering below his name is about? I'm not familiar with that.

 

I think one thing that gets overlooked about JH is that he was actually a pretty good athlete, particularly in his school boy days. I recall something referred to as the "Formula Uno" race, which was a foot race organized by I think it was Frank Williams. I can't find any reference to it, but I believe Hunt won it handily. I'm working from memory though, which is a dangerous thing for me to do. The only thing I really remember is Graham Hill cheating by riding a motor bike. It's on an old F1 season review DVD I have. I'll have to give it a watch to refresh my memory and check my facts.

[JtP2]

Lettering below the name is his blood group. all the rage at the time.

[wolf sun]

Blood group A rhesus positive - is that what you're referring to, or did I get you wrong?

 

I seem to remember reading about the running competition, too. Might have been in one of Heinz Prüller's pieces.

[wolf sun]

Ah, beat me to it!

[RStock]

Ah, yes, thanks gentlemen. I recall drivers having that on their firesuit, did not realize that was the case here.

[JtP2]

Hunt's "cheat" through running was turning up at the last stage of the Tour of Britain and while waiting for the correct arrival time, realised that there was enough time for him to run the stage. So he jumped out the car and recced the stage on foot. It was illegal at the time to recce stages by car on UK rallies. Iirc, Hunt won the event in a Camaro.

[chr1s]

This is a typical Leo in astrology.

Except he was a Virgo!

[PVC]

Except he was a Virgo!

 

 

Yes, but in the sidereal system he was a Leo.

[Charlieman]

"Faced with a desire to meet large volume demands while also cutting the cost of production, the brewing process for Schlitz's flagship Schlitz beer was changed in the early 1970s. (...) The reformulated product resulted in a beer that not only lost much of the flavor and consistency of the traditional formula but spoiled more quickly, rapidly losing public appeal."

That is pretty much happened with Boddingtons. When it was a beer that you could only* find in the north west of England, it was a great pint. You bought a pint of Bod/Bods or a round of Boddies. It was never the same when mass produced.

 

* Boddingtons was available in London at the bar at St Pancras or King's Cross station pre-1983; it didn't always travel well.

---

Back to the topic... James Hunt was a great character although his judgment as a commentator was marred by dislike of Ricardo Patrese. Hunt's better judgment was demonstrated during the 1976 season when he (and Niki Lauda) observed that the championship battle was becoming personal, at least in press reports. Both of them turned down criticism of the opposition and the FIA to maintain their friendship.

 

It's been fun to watch recent interviews with Alastair Caldwell admitting that Hunt was the right driver for McLaren in 1976. The M23 had evolved, so whilst the model number was four years old and development potential was largely used up, it was a quicker car than an undeveloped M26. McLaren made a great decision to stick with the M23 after Hunt showed how quickly he could race the car.

 

Jame Hunt had excellent taste in road cars. Anyone who could persuade Ayrton Senna to have a go in an Austin A35 van deserves respect. Austin A35 van: vehicle of champions.

[PVC]

I don't know how to post pictures... never sniff glue. Can you see this?

 

http://i.dailymail.c...732_472x362.jpg

[ReWind]

I don't know how to post pictures... never sniff glue. Can you see this?

 

http://i.dailymail.c...732_472x362.jpg

 

Just put the jpg address between img tags:

 

[Jimisgod]

Would he have stayed on for more years had the Wolf WR7 not been a dud and he not broken his leg in 1980?

 

He was in line for the Ferrari drive in 1979, but would he have suffered from being in Gilles shadow?

[Glengavel]

Just put the jpg address between img tags:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are those regulation overalls? I think not. Disgraceful.

 

Edited by Glengavel, 19 June 2015 - 14:54.

[PVC]

What overalls? She's not wearing any.

[kayemod]

What overalls? She's not wearing any.

 

I think she's wearing Nomex knickers.

 

[E1pix]

That's so hot we all could use some Nomex.

[BRG]

That is pretty much happened with Boddingtons. When it was a beer that you could only* find in the north west of England, it was a great pint. You bought a pint of Bod/Bods or a round of Boddies. It was never the same when mass produced.

 

But it was advertised by the fabulous Melanie Sykes, so who cared about the taste?