82 replies to this topic

[bsc]

If this source is to be believed, he did not the impact on FV Junior that is claimed in this piece. His name doesn't even appear? Although the same website does have his subsequent career No mention of NZ though.

We have some hill-climb aficionados on this forum so can anyone cast light on his efforts at Viscombe (sic)?

My hunch is that the FVJ performances was in something like Monoposto - where he might have taken a class win, etc against relatively limited opposition in class. There were some strong names in the '91 Vauxhall Junior championship and it seems unlikely that Taylor would have secured the quoted results in that championship.

I'm guessing Viscombe might be Wiscombe.

[Carl R.S.]

The Formula Vauxhall Junior races referred to are probably Jim Russell Racing Driver School races at Donington Park;

 

I have found the following results for James Taylor in these races:

29th June 1991 - Finished 5th

27th July 1991 - Finished 1st

31st August 1991 - Finished 3rd

5th October 1991 - Finished 6th

 

He also won two JWPDC school races at Silverstone in 1991. The FF1600 race at the 14th September meeting and the Saloon Car race at the 19th October meeting.

[opplock]

The Formula Vauxhall Junior races referred to are probably Jim Russell Racing Driver School races at Donington Park;

 

I have found the following results for James Taylor in these races:

29th June 1991 - Finished 5th

27th July 1991 - Finished 1st

31st August 1991 - Finished 3rd

5th October 1991 - Finished 6th

 

He also won two JWPDC school races at Silverstone in 1991. The FF1600 race at the 14th September meeting and the Saloon Car race at the 19th October meeting.

 

This explains his 750MC entry - signature hunting. Its a bit of a leap from JRRDS to Formula Pacific. Even further to F3000. 

[BRG]

I'm guessing Viscombe might be Wiscombe.

Yes, so has anyone got results from Wiscombe in the period of, say 1988-1991?  It is not clear when Taylor may have competed. He certainly wasn't 2nd in any British Hillclimb Championship rounds there, so maybe a more clubby event?  I am presuming it was before he went to the circuits.  I wonder what car(s) he was using.  The newspaper article says he took a class win at Goodwood, but I believe that single-seaters weren't permitted in sprints there?

 

It is interesting that Wiscombe (Devon), Ocean Village (Southamppton) and Goodwood (Sussex) are all south of England as is his 'address' at Arundel Castle.  So can we assume he was based in that area at the time?

[Sterzo]

Whatever James Taylor's background and history, it's clear that he achieved the highest accolade any driver could aspire to - a thread on TNF.

[GLaird]

''Whatever James Taylor's background and history, it's clear that he achieved the highest accolade any driver could aspire to - a thread on TNF.''

 

 

 

Not only that, but two pages and still going.......!

[BRG]

Can I nominate him for the TNF Hall of Fame?

[GLaird]

I think we need an address to send him the Invitation! See above

[RS2000]

Yes, so has anyone got results from Wiscombe in the period of, say 1988-1991?  

It is interesting that Wiscombe (Devon), Ocean Village (Southamppton) and Goodwood (Sussex) are all south of England as is his 'address' at Arundel Castle.  So can we assume he was based in that area at the time?

 

 

Actually I do have those results. Now I have to find where they are (It's very warm so the loft may be accessible without frostbite).

I won the class at Ocean Village the year I did it. Pure street racing and a class combining "Locaterfields" with saloons would normally have been a disaster for tin tops - but the "street furniture" and curbs frightened the sports car drivers.

[RS2000]

His place of residence was listed as the Worcestershire village of Inkberrow. Possibly interesting in that a similar late entrant was a Kerry Horan also of Inkberrow.

 

Where rally driver Russell Brookes was the resident of the Forge House.

[Allan Lupton]

His place of residence was listed as the Worcestershire village of Inkberrow. Possibly interesting in that a similar late entrant was a Kerry Horan also of Inkberrow in a TVR Griffith. I've not found any other references to a James Taylor in similar 750MC races.

Perhaps it would be worth asking Kerry Horan - and other former Inkberrow folk such as John Brown.

Edited by Allan Lupton, 02 January 2022 - 10:05.

[BRG]

Inkberrow seems to have had a number of motorsport figures in its populace!  It was also supposedly the model for 'Ambridge', the village where the Archers radio soap opera was set.  So maybe Taylor was an alias for one of the Archers' cast? 

 

If he did those sprints, he must have held a MSA speed licence and been a member of an invited club or perhaps an ACSMC championship contender.  So there must be some records of him.....somewhere!

Edited by BRG, 02 January 2022 - 10:23.

[sstiel]

I've shared this thread with Sam Smith, the author of the article. 

[BRG]

Isn't Sam Smith a singer/songwriter like James Taylor?

[sstiel]

Isn't Sam Smith a singer/songwriter like James Taylor?

Ha. Not that Sam Smith. Sniffermedia Sam Smith, formerly press officer for Lola. 

Edited by sstiel, 02 January 2022 - 17:14.

[RS2000]

No record of a James Taylor at Wiscombe during that period although I seem to be missing entry/results for the Sept 90 ASWMC/Brit Championship weekend. Also I only have data for the 500 OA and MGCC meetings for later years (I have AMOC for those earlier years). That only leaves the VSCC meeting and the Bike meeting for then.

 

It is somewhat bizarre that the posted cutting refers to being "second" at "Viscombe". The only what might be called overall classification would be the British Championship run off. Otherwise all results are by class at all speed events. To be "second" he would have had to be: 1. a registered British Hillclimb Championship contender and 2. in one of very few top hillclimb cars ie.DFR/DFL etc. powered then.

I'm sure Ocean Village never had a track licence for racing cars for the two or three years it ran. Also (although almost the entire ACSMC speed championship consisted of rounds at Goodwood around then) it is difficult to think of many who competed at both Wiscombe and Goodwood - for the simple reason that they are opposite ends of the spectrum. I did a Goodwood sprint twice simply to get the odd point in another championship and it involved a diff/axle change, quite apart from a "pointy" hill climb car being totally wrong for the fastest UK Sprint course. Even brakes needed to be different. Harder pads for Goodwood, especially the 2 lap sprints, and bog standard for hillclimbs (to heat up quickly).

 

One other point for anyone researching further. There was a J.Taylor competing at Wiscombe then but it was Justin, one of two brothers in a replica Lotus 23.

Edited by RS2000, 02 January 2022 - 19:19.

[bsc]

I've found a reference to a James Taylor in the programme for the 750MC meeting at Snetterton for the 15 September 1991 (the day after one of his FF1600 races).

He was entered in a Datsun 240Z in a Modsports race. However, he's not listed on the results sheet, which leads me to suspect that he might not have arrived.

His home town is listed as Borough Green in Kent - another southern location.

[PZR]

He was entered in a Datsun 240Z in a Modsports race. However, he's not listed on the results sheet, which leads me to suspect that he might not have arrived.

His home town is listed as Borough Green in Kent - another southern location.

Taylor was probably entered in 'The Bluesmobile', a Modsports-style Datsun 240Z with a one-off wide body and dark blue paint, at that time in the care of Geoff Jackson of Fourways Engineering (based in Borough Green, Kent).

 

Taylor was a regular customer at Fourways - possibly with a share/interest in 'The Bluesmobile' - and certainly as a customer for a special candy red-painted 240Z which he used as a road and show car, which Fourways built for him.

[SamoanAttorney]

Ha. Not that Sam Smith. Sniffermedia Sam Smith, formerly press officer for Lola. 

Let's not forget his criminal practice with Mangoletsi....

[barrykm]

Two pages and no conclusion...

[Doug Nye]

Let's not forget his criminal practice with Mangoletsi....

 

Ooh do tell...

 

DCN

[Charlieman]

Two pages and no conclusion...

Judging by the Robert O'Brien thread, we're about one third of the way to not having an answer.

[SamoanAttorney]

Ooh do tell...

 

DCN

 

Sam's first paid (?) role in motor sport was PR/press/tv for ISRS/SRWC/FIASCC, or whatever flag Mango's Barmy Army was sailing under that weekend. He escaped to Lola a few years later and has prospered since. Any connection to Bona Law is entirely accidental.

Edited by SamoanAttorney, 05 January 2022 - 09:10.

[Derwent Motorsport]

Sam's first paid (?) role in motor sport was PR/press/tv for ISRS/SRWC/FIASCC, or whatever flag Mango's Barmy Army was sailing under that weekend. He escaped to Lola a few years later and has prospered since. Any connection to Bona Law is entirely accidental.

That's even more of a puzzle as I've not heard of any of those bodies!

[AJCee]

Any connection to Bona Law is entirely accidental.

As in Julian and Sandy or the briefly-serving 1920s Prime Minister?

[Vitesse2]

As in Julian and Sandy ...?

Gratifyingly, Bona Law Ltd now actually exists - the directors are the comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, whose career of course started some time after Round the Horne disappeared from the airwaves. AFAIK, unlike the original, it's not a criminal practice which takes up most of their time.

 

Quite makes the old lallies tremble, eh ducky?

 

We now return you to our regular programming ...

[Alan Lewis]

That's even more of a puzzle as I've not heard of any of those bodies!

ISRS = International Sports Racing Series
SRWC = Sports Racing World Cup
FIASCC = FIA Sports Car Championship

Successive names for an attempt at the turn of the millenium to revive prototype racing following the demise of the World Championship in 1992 (GTs being catered for by Stephane Ratel et al).

[SamoanAttorney]

ISRS = International Sports Racing Series
SRWC = Sports Racing World Cup
FIASCC = FIA Sports Car Championship

Successive names for an attempt at the turn of the millenium to revive prototype racing following the demise of the World Championship in 1992 (GTs being catered for by Stephane Ratel et al).

 

John Mangoletsi launched ISRS at Donington in July '97. This transformed into the SRWC at Spa in May '99 with full FIA status coming in 2001-2003.

 

The launch of the Le Mans Endurance Series in 2004 killed the FIA SCC off. 'Mango' had disappeared from the scene late 2002 and, if I remember correctly, the organisation was taken over by Martin Birrane and Stéphane Ratel. Strange days indeed, Mama!

[SamoanAttorney]

Gratifyingly, Bona Law Ltd now actually exists - the directors are the comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, whose career of course started some time after Round the Horne disappeared from the airwaves. AFAIK, unlike the original, it's not a criminal practice which takes up most of their time.

 

Quite makes the old lallies tremble, eh ducky?

 

We now return you to our regular programming ...

Ooh, he knows all the Polari.........

[john winfield]

I trolled along to some of those Mangoletsi sports car meetings at Donington in the late 1990s and they were absolutely bona. Tell 'em Jules. Ferrari 333SPs, Lolas, Riley & Scotts, Domes, Ascaris, Pilbeams. Fabulosa!

[SamoanAttorney]

I trolled along to some of those Mangoletsi sports car meetings at Donington in the late 1990s and they were absolutely bona. Tell 'em Jules. Ferrari 333SPs, Lolas, Riley & Scotts, Domes, Ascaris, Pilbeams. Fabulosa!

For reasons that I cannot fully explain or rationalise I gave up FIA GT in '98, after a truly poisonous atmosphere, for a run of five seasons in Mango's Barmy Army. It was certainly different. Stéphane is still going strong....30 years this year....he was always three steps ahead of the opposition.

[arttidesco]

Two pages and no conclusion...

According to Post 16 on the previous page he has an apparent wish to remain enigmatic 😉

[barrykm]

According to Post 16 on the previous page he has an apparent wish to remain enigmatic

 

And he has been successful with that..