17 replies to this topic

[DMB81]

Sorry to learn today the news of the passing of Mike Salmon. A good friend of mine knew Mike

pretty well and always said he was an extremely funny man with many interesting stories, most of

which were not suitable for print, which made them all the funnier.

If anybody knows of the funeral arrangements, I'd be very grateful.

Darren

[Paul Parker]

Sorry to learn today the news of the passing of Mike Salmon. A good friend of mine knew Mike

pretty well and always said he was an extremely funny man with many interesting stories, most of

which were not suitable for print, which made them all the funnier.

If anybody knows of the funeral arrangements, I'd be very grateful.

Darren

 

Very sad news, my condolence to family and friends.

[d j fox]

Very sad news indeed.

Excellent racer in a huge variety of cars-Jaguar D Type, and 3.8 MkII, Aston Martin DB4 GTZ,all sorts of Ferrari’s ,Ford GT40 and Mustang etc.

He also worked for Maranello Concessionaires -I once borrowed a 308 from them for a photo shoot- he was very pleasant to deal with.

Condolences to his family and friends

[D-Type]

This is sad to hear, but he had a good innings.  My condolences to family and friends.

[Alan Cox]

Very sorry to hear this news. I hadn't realised that he had been ill for some time. Apart from his career noted above, I also remember him driving historic Aston Martins for Viscount Downe, including the DP212 project car fpr a number of years. Many will remember his fiery crash at Le Mans in 1967 which, I seem to recall, featured in an advert for Nomex underwear

 

Career résumé from Autosport here http://www.autosport...t.php/id/122477

[Andrew Fellowes]

Memories of Historic race days at Silverstone in the 70s and 80s, a great driver to watch, sad news, condolences to his family & friends.

[Doug Nye]

Very saddened to hear this - I only spoke with his wife Jean - widow of Lister-Jaguar owner-driver Roy Bloxam - last month, and Michael was not well then. Both had been great Goodwood supporters for decades, and he was a most competent International-standard driver of very potent cars for their period. He was a Channel Islander, and a former Jaguar apprentice, and I have spent many hours in recent weeks working with what had been his first C-Type Jaguar, 1957-58.  Not least during his long time with Maranello Concessionaires he also proved to be a very wise old bird, dispensing sound advice and the benefits of his huge experience to several younger customers with racing aspirations.  Sincere sympathy and condolences to Jean and to all his other nearest and dearest...

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 14 January 2016 - 22:08.

[RCH]

So saddened to read of the passing of Mike Salmon. I suspect I've always had a soft spot for Project Astons; Mk II Jags; Mustangs and Nimrods because Mike drove them. He seems to have been universally liked and respected.

 

My condolences to friends and family

[Alan Cox]

As Doug has alluded to, Mike was a keen supporter of Goodwood and here he is at the first Festival of Speed in 1993 at the wheel of John Coombs' D-Type

 

Gunning Viscount Downe's Project 212 Aston at Aintree in the early 1970s

 

[Haine Kane]

Sad news to read this obituary

 

Someone have the exact date and deathplace about Mike ?

[Dick Dastardly]

Dad [Arthur Senior] remembers Jean.....in a 50s Handicap race at Aintree, Dad in an Austin A50 just held off Jean in an Aston, to win [another 100 yards, she'd have won]....but she was unable to slow down sufficiently to follow him back to the paddock, and passed him....etiquette at the time was that you followed in order. Back in the paddock, she came over and apologised for doing so....

[Tim Murray]

Andrew Frankel's personal memories of Mike:

https://grrc.goodwoo...COhgm5dfFP77.97

[dgs]

During the mid 1970's to early 1980's I used to go to the Ferrari Owners Club members meeting. The club put on a day for the members to (mainly) use their road going Ferrari cars on the circuit.

 

Spectators were able to try and persuade Ferrari owners to take them out for a few laps. I managed this on quite a few occassions. I wonder if this is why I know have grey hair !

 

Also at these ocassions the club would have a demonstrator Ferrari car (supplied by one of the Ferrari dealerships) to try and persuade members to upgrade to a newer model. One year the demonstrator driver was Mike Salmon, and I was lucky enough to 'blag' a ride with him. What a difference this was compared to being driven by a Ferrari Club member.

 

This was a real thrill to be driven by such a well known race driver. 

 

The best of it was that until the last two events I attended it was free to go to the circuit if you knew the date the FOC had booked the circuit.

 

I say it was mainly road going Ferrari cars, but I did see on two occassions Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason at the circuit once with his Ferrari 512 and on another occassion his Maserati 250F

 

Happy days

 

[Graham Gauld]

Michael was one of life's true characters and I first saw him in action at a driving test meeting held by Lothian Car Club in 1955 on a former small airfield called Drem. He was young and had been sent by Jaguar to learn the selling trade to Rossleigh Ltd, the Edinburgh Jaguar distributors. He arrived with a flourish in his Jaguar XK120 that he had been given as a 21st birthday present. There was about three inches of snow on the ground and some of the driving tests utilised straights about 200 yards long followed by a stop line. I well remember Michael on his first run hitting the brakes at close on 80 mph and sliding for at least another 100 yards after crossing the stop line ! He had thus established his credentials. He later was moved to the Aberdeen branch and ran in many Scottish events before moving south to better things. He was later to become friendly with David Murray of Ecurie Ecosse and bought one of the Ecosse D type Jaguars which he raced with verve.

[FERRARINIGEL]

As a near neighbour of Mike here in Jersey, I knew him well. Mike was an Island Racing Legend. I bought my first Ferrari from Mike a 308 GT4.

Mike passed away peacefully on Wednesday 13 January 2016, age 82 years, after a long illness, at Palm Springs Nursing Home, Jersey. 

Mike's funeral is at Trinity Parish Church, Jersey, on Friday 29 January 2016, at noon.

Donations, in lieu of flowers to: BRDC Benevolent Fund, The Jimmy Brown Centre, Silverstone Circuit, Towcaster, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN.

Trinity Church is about five miles from Jersey Airport.

R.I.P dear Mike and do not be driving to fast up there! 

Edited by FERRARINIGEL, 20 January 2016 - 02:25.

[Tim Murray]

His obituary has now appeared on the BRDC site:

http://www.brdc.co.u...mon-1933---2016

[Ian Stewart]

This is sad news indeed.  I first met Michael during his days at Maranello Concessionaires, and enjoyed many a long talk with him about his experiences.  Understandably he never mentioned the fiery accident which left him so scarred, and his bravery in calmly stopping a blazing car and stepping out despite the pain is a fine example of his courage.

 

I cannot forget the day he took me for a run in Maranello's first Daytona.  I am normally a bad passenger, but despite never having been driven so fast in my life I had no qualms at all.  Michael was quite simply a most wonderful driver.

 

Sincere condolences to Jean and his family and his many friends.

[James Fraser]

Have just learned this very sad news. Until recently I owned Mike's XK120 and he kindly spent a long time on the phone discussing his various adventures in it. It was a real privilege to speak to him and I'm just sad I never got to say hello in person.
My thoughts and prayers are with all his family.