Who could help me with some Formula Ford images, late 60's at Brands?

hi all,  I've been given a half a dozen slides of a Formula Ford race at Brands in the late 60's. They are all grid shots, taken from the pit wall. Of course, I've no way of knowing who is in the pictures, would anyone here be able to help me?  One notable person in one picture is none other than Jim Russell striding across the grid.

 I'll attach them all here.

 

Running in number 51 here is 'Roy Turner', do we know him??

 

 

 

Looks like the driver of number 66 has a Scottish Saltire on his crash helmet?

Jim Russell!

  as usual, click on the images for larger pics.

As an aside, where would I find the results for the very first FFord race at Brands in 1967?

Edited by Gary C, 09 September 2019 - 19:32.

I have a copy of ' The Formula Ford Book ' by Nick Brittan which contains the first ever Formula Ford result sheet . PM your Email address and I'll send over the relevant page .

In the final slide the chap walking across the shot looks very much like Jim Russell, whose eponymous racing school featured prominently in the early FF races, as well as later. That may help to identify the meeting. Quite often the JRRDS cars made up almost half the field, in others they made up the whole thing in dedicated JRRDS races. Sorry, but I cannot help with names etc in the slides.
Roger Lund

I think it could be the Formula Ford race supporting the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in March 1968 . The size of the crowd and the fact that they all look as they were freezing on that March day points to that particular race .

Looking through The Formula Ford Book , Nick Brittan mentions that he had a drive in the works Titan that day , finishing fourth behind Tim Schenken ( the runaway winner ) , Renato Bertarelli ( in the yellow Merlyn number 56 ) and Keith Holland and ahead of the Lotuses of Bob Ellice and the aforementioned Roy Turner . The nose of the car behind Bertarelli belongs to the Bardahl Brabham of Brian Smith .

I can't help with car 66 except to say that is a Lotus 51 and that it is unlikely to be Gerry Birrell as his Formula Ford career didn't start until 1969 as far as I'm aware .

Some extraordinary looking cars further down the field and it would be interesting if anyone has a programme from the 1968 Race of Champions to see what they were .

Edited by GazChed, 10 September 2019 - 12:22.

Goodonya Gaz, we have a winner!

Cheers Eric , I knew there was a reason I had kept that book for the last forty odd years !

excellent info, many thanks indeed!

I don't think it is the F Ford race at the Race of Champions in 1968. I have the programme and the numbers don't tally - Roy Turner was no. 38 that day and no.55 Claude Bourgoignie non-started. I think it is a race at the Maidstone & Mid-Kent CC races in May of that year. Roy Turner was carrying race number 52, no. 55 is R.Cowmans's Macon, no.50 is George Wicken, no.56 is Renato Bertorelli and no.66 Jan Churchill.

 

Yes, it is quite a large crowd but the that start line stand was usually full whatever the meeting, big or small, and, club events back then would often draw large crowds. On this particular day the event was designated the Grand Order of Water Rats race meeting and stars such as Tom Jones, Jimmy Tarbuck and Frankie Vaughan were due to attend which in itself would have probably pushed the attendance up.

Cheers Eric , I knew there was a reason I had kept that book for the last forty odd years !

Yep, we still have all our books, 40+ feet of 'em, all in storage awaiting unboxing someday.

Thanks Bud.

I wasn't one hundred per cent sure Pete and it certainly seems as if you are right . I had forgotten how large crowds used to be even for relatively small meetings ( although as you say the stars who attended doubtless pushed the attendance up ) . These days we are used to seeing acres of empty Grandstands even at important meetings such as the recent Silverstone 4 Hours WEC race . At clubbie meetings now the competitors outnumber the spectators ! By the way what is George Wicken (50) driving in the above photographs ?

Hopefully it won't be too long before you're reunited with your book collection Eric . We recently had our nineteen year old granddaughter stay with us and I got withdrawal symptoms not being able to access my programme collection in her bedroom for six weeks !

I wasn't one hundred per cent sure Pete and it certainly seems as if you are right . I had forgotten how large crowds used to be even for relatively small meetings ( although as you say the stars who attended doubtless pushed the attendance up ) . These days we are used to seeing acres of empty Grandstands even at important meetings such as the recent Silverstone 4 Hours WEC race . At clubbie meetings now the competitors outnumber the spectators ! By the way what is George Wicken (50) driving in the above photographs ?

Hopefully it won't be too long before you're reunited with your book collection Eric . We recently had our nineteen year old granddaughter stay with us and I got withdrawal symptoms not being able to access my programme collection in her bedroom for six weeks !

Apparently a Lotus 51 - with the nose cone removed it doesn't immediately identify itself as such!

I'm pretty sure those early Formula Ford's didn't have separate nosecones - the bodywork would have consisted of engine cover and top and bottom halves . It looks to me as if Mr Wicken has been busy with his hacksaw and he's also taken off his engine cover . Wonder if it would pass an F.I A. crash test these days ?!

Hopefully it won't be too long before you're reunited with your book collection Eric . We recently had our nineteen year old granddaughter stay with us and I got withdrawal symptoms not being able to access my programme collection in her bedroom for six weeks !

We were forced into living on the road after our wonderful "medical system" disabled my wife, so it'll be a very long time yet.

Books were all boxed up around Christmas of 2012.

Talking of boxed up books, I have a program from the 1968 Race of Champions.

It was the first race I ever attended.

 

But I boxed it up a couple of weeks ago, ready for shipping.

So unfortunately, I will not be able to get my grubby paws on it for a few weeks/months. Sorry.

 

 

BTW, I had the front cover signed by Bruce McLaren.

Unfortunately I only had a red biro with me at the time & he signed the red part of the cover.

It was visible for a while but has now faded away completely!  

Oh Buddy, I made that mistake on my "Encyclopedia of Motor Sports."

About 50 autographs, many major ones, in the wrong pen, in and out of the shelf a few hundred times, almost worn off.

Damned kids!

Enzo Ferrari's famous purple ink also fades to near-invisibility, sadly. So it's not just us mere mortals using the wrong colour.

Thanks Tony.

Whew, I'm vindicated! ;-)

Talking of boxed up books, I have a program from the 1968 Race of Champions.
It was the first race I ever attended.

But I boxed it up a couple of weeks ago, ready for shipping.
So unfortunately, I will not be able to get my grubby paws on it for a few weeks/months. Sorry.


BTW, I had the front cover signed by Bruce McLaren.
Unfortunately I only had a red biro with me at the time & he signed the red part of the cover.
It was visible for a while but has now faded away completely!

Wow, 51 years ago...

What's that in dog years?

I don't think it is the F Ford race at the Race of Champions in 1968. I have the programme and the numbers don't tally - Roy Turner was no. 38 that day and no.55 Claude Bourgoignie non-started. I think it is a race at the Maidstone & Mid-Kent CC races in May of that year. Roy Turner was carrying race number 52, no. 55 is R.Cowmans's Macon, no.50 is George Wicken, no.56 is Renato Bertorelli and no.66 Jan Churchill.

 

Yes, it is quite a large crowd but the that start line stand was usually full whatever the meeting, big or small, and, club events back then would often draw large crowds. On this particular day the event was designated the Grand Order of Water Rats race meeting and stars such as Tom Jones, Jimmy Tarbuck and Frankie Vaughan were due to attend which in itself would have probably pushed the attendance up.

'Allo 'Allo, sorry to divert. Is no. 56 our beloved Captain Bertorelli. Sorry again....