19 replies to this topic

[Michael Aikey]

I am seeking biographical information on British driver Philip Barak, i.e. place of birth, cars driven, etc.

Thank you in advance.

[Gregor Marshall]

Stephen W has a few photos of him from Aintree and I have e-mail contact with his son Gary (not sure if he's a TNF member but is on Facebook); what would you like to know about him?

[Twin Window]

Email me and I'll give you his eldest son's email address.



EDIT: Ooops - so can Gregor!

[Michael Aikey]

Thanks Gregor and Twin. I am looking for confirmation on date of birth (Sept. 16, 1934?), place of birth, brief racing history. I am assuming he is not deceased. Recently I acquired a great signed racing photo of Philip from 1962. Part of the fun for me in collecting driver's autographs is researching their history. I cannot find much on Barak. It appears he raced mainly in the UK. If you could provide me with his son's email, that would be nice. Email me direct.

Regards, Michael

[Gary Barak]

HI Michael, my father was born in Whitley Bay, Newcastle upon Tyne. he started racing Formula Juniors (Cooper Norton) in the 50's and has raced many different cars and competed against several known greats. he has also set many lap records. You are correct, he raced almost exclusively in the UK.

He raced as Lotus 11 and 17B as well as Roy Salvadori's famous Cooper Monaco/Maserati. He retired when he began a family and then came back into the sport driving Formula Fords including a Hawke DL2 and a DL2B, then an Alexis and then his own Peters Stores Special. After that he went into the fabulous Formula Libre championship driving my favourite car, the Brabham BT36 F2. It had both an FVC and a BDA engine in it's time. it was bought from Bob Leckie and sold to Bobby Howlings.

Next up was Special Saloons and he had an Escort with a Jag V8 engine as I recall before entering the exciting Donington GT Championship with Baby Bertha, which ultimately was sold back to the great and late Gerry Marshall. there's a story to that as well. He then bought George Wally Potter's Lotus Esprit, which had a 7.2 Chevvy engine and built on a chassis of an Ensign F1 I think.

Then came Classic Saloons and a Lotus Cortina Mk2. Since then he has driven several cars and still races today at the age of 70+. Unfortunately the results in recent years have not been too good, but I understand he is still enjoying his motor sport.

Hope this helps. I'm sure I have missed things out as he has driven so many cars, but hopefully this gives you some info. An exciting time for me was when we both started racing at the same meetings.

Regards,

Gary

P.S. Thanks SKD!

[Andrew Fellowes]

Hi Gary,

I spoke to your father a couple of years ago and he kindly sent me a photo of the BT36. The irritating thing is that it is the only BT36 that is still missing. I recall it went to Bob Howlings in exchange for a road car and I guess the point to my posting is to see if anyone can recall what happened next with the 36, Gary you haven't seen hide nor hair of it have you?

Andrew

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by Gary Barak

P.S. Thanks SKD!

Don't mention it UP/JWB

[Gary Barak]

I'm afraid I don't know what happened to the BT36 and it was great. I'd love to know where it went. I have in the back of my mind South Africa, but I'm not sure.

[Graham Gauld]

Phil did buy the ex-Coombs/Salvadori Cooper Monaco but which I think he bought from George Pitt. It had no engine and he bought the Ferrari engine that Brian Naylor had obtained for the JBW-Ferrari. It was a pretty good piece of kit and on one occasion he entered for Aintree on the Saturday but had problems at scrutineering and so he packed up the car and brought it to Charterhall where he was very quick. Indeed he held the outright lap record for the circuit around 1963 and was very peeved when a young guy called Jackie Stewart came along with the Ecurie Ecosse Cooper Monaco and broke his lap record.
At that Charterhall meeting he put a rod through the side of the Ferrari engine - disaster. However he managed to get a pal who worked in Newcastle shipyards to weld up the engine. Eventually the engine was sold separately when he got rid of the car.
Phil and the Cooper-Ferrari is one of the chapters in my book " Ferrari Gauld Mine" which is a series of my "Gauld Mine" columns from Prancing Horse, the magazine of the Ferrari Club of America. Check it out on www.smrh.co.uk.

[Gary Barak]

Hi Graham,

Wow, I didn't know all of that. When Jackie broke Dad's outright record at Charterhall, the one thing you didn't mention was that it was at the last race meeting ever to be held there, so he used to tell us. Maybe why he was ever so slightly peeved as you say!

He did buy the car from George Pitt, sorry if I gave the impression it was direct from Roy. I saw a very similar car at Goodwood last year, but I don't think it was the same one. I'd love to see your book.

Gary

[Gary Barak]

Graham - I've just ordered you book.

[Gregor Marshall]

Hi Gary - hope you're well.

Interesting stuff about your Dad - nice to know a bit more about him.

[Gary Barak]

Thanks Gregor

[Andrew Fellowes]

Originally posted by Gary Barak
I'm afraid I don't know what happened to the BT36 and it was great. I'd love to know where it went. I have in the back of my mind South Africa, but I'm not sure.

Thanks, out of the country would certainly explain the sudden total disappearance,

BT36-8
1971 Archie Phillips in Irish libre
1972 Archie Phillips in Irish libre (also driven by John Watson and Jay Pollock)
1973 Eddie Regan in Irish libre
1973 (from June) Bob Leckie in Scottish libre
1974-75 Phil Barak in libre sold to Howlings in exchange for road car
?

[Gregor Marshall]

Mr Brown would be the man to ask!!

EDITED to add - nothing new unfortunately http://www.oldracing...es/brabham/bt36

[Groucho]

Michael,

I swopped cars with Philip in mid 1993. He had my Mallock Mk28B which had previously been owned by Terry Nightingale, which Philip raced in the clubmans championship. I had a Mk1 Lotus Cortina in exchange, which I raced in the Historic Touring car Championship, until my house needed re-thatching, upon which Paul Matty sold it to someone in Japan.

Philip also had a very quick Lotus Elan Modsports racer which was previously built / owned and raced with considerable success by Nigel Ruben. The car having all March F2 suspension and was powered by an ex-Benetton BDT which had been converted back to normal aspiration.

Steve Watton.

[Phil Rainford]

Not only did Philip made the cover of the Oulton Programme from 29th April 1983 ........



.....but so did I with my best Burtons for Men hands in pocket male model pose ;)

PAR

[paulsenna1]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford
Not only did Philip made the cover of the Oulton Programme from 29th April 1983 ........



.....but so did I with my best Burtons for Men hands in pocket male model pose ;)

PAR

Me too! I'm three to the left of Phil with my dad on my left.

[Gary Barak]

Very funny. A whole new idea of where were you when ........!

[Gregor Marshall]

That must have been one of Phil's last races in Baby Bertha as Dad bought her (again!!) in mid/late 1983.

Not sure what's going on with the suspension travel and as for the fashion parade in the background.....