38 replies to this topic

[Quixotic]

Which race team had the strangest or oddest name in Racing. I saw some very odd names when I was in Japan buying GP Bikes from Battle Racing at Suzuka in the early/Mid 90s.

Some that I remember:

Tasty Old Auto Parts Racing,

Warrior Frog Racing,

James Dean Freedom Team, (no kidding),

and my Favourite.....

Flower Love Super Race.

Gotta love the Japlish.


And some Aussie ones.

WOFTAM Racing..... (work it out for yourself),

Don Quixote Racing, and

Lucky Dog Racing.


I just know that there has to be some stranger ones out there.

[Frank S]

In the heyday of specialist Brit sporty cars, a Southern California group fielded one under the banner:

Fairthorpe Automotive Racing Team.

At the bottom of this page from the November 5-6 Pomona Road Races program (can you tell it rained that weekend?)

Page view

Edited by Frank S, 28 June 2010 - 00:58.

[Ray Bell]

Team Party House...

Of which TNFer Paul Hamilton was a member, of course. He really should tell the story behind the name.

[David McKinney]

See also
http://forums.autosp...wtopic=74487

[Terry Walker]

There was a team racing in Western Australia informally known among friends as the Dad and Dave Racing Team. "Dad and Dave" were the stars of a long-running radio series in Australia, and the racing team comprised Dave Sullivan and Dave Sullivan Jr - inevitably Dad and Dave. The cars were the DSM Holden single seater (Dad) and an U2 Mk8B (Dave).

Here they are in 1969 with the DSM Holden, unloading it from the trailer (That's a slave wheel on the front). No prize for guessing which one is Dad.

[ExFlagMan]

'Betty Swallocks Racing" - seen running a saloon car on the British club scene a few years ago

[David McKinney]

Terry Walker, on Jun 28 2010, 07:19, said:

There was a team racing in Western Australia informally known among friends as the Dad and Dave Racing Team. "Dad and Dave" were the stars of a long-running radio series in Australia, and the racing team comprised Dave Sullivan and Dave Sullivan Jr - inevitably Dad and Dave. The cars were the DSM Holden single seater (Dad) and an U2 Mk8B (Dave).

Where's Mabel? Back at Snake Gully?

[David Shaw]

I rather like Bryan Thompson's Ecurie Shepparton.

[wenoopy]

I remember an article in a US magazine (?Sports Car Illustrated?) in the late 1950's about the exploits of two US enthusiasts who bought (hired?) two Formula 2 cars and had a several week European motor racing holiday (well, UK and a Channel Islands hillclimb).

They called themselves "Fifth Avenue Racing Team" because it had a nice ring to it when abbreviated.

[CoulthardD]

My team is Red Bill Racing. We're on a budget, so if it's a question of paying the gas bill or going racing, we'll wait for the red bill.

David Coulthard

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

I ran a Crossle FF in club races in Ontario in the late 1970's at Mosport and Shannonville. As you could readily guess at this low level of motorsport, these efforts were sans sponsorship.

I was also a big fan of the Monty Python group having been first exposed to their mirth circa 1970 via our national Canadian broadcaster, the CBC.

Rather than just enter the car under my own name as was typical of the day for all, I sometimes used Python-inspired team names. I once entered under "Bert Fegg's Nasty Racers". It made the posted results including the subsequent mailout.

Also, I was born and raised in Bowmanville, Ontario, in the county, Durham. Again, Python-inspired, I once entered under the name, "D.R.A.G. Racing", which also made the results. On the actual entry form, D.R.A.G. was spelled out as, "Durham Region Amateur Gynecologists". That was NOT spelled out in the results.

[arttidesco]

Here are a couple I picked up from the late 80's on the Formula Nippon Data Centre, just now :-

Supercad Racing Team

Sundai Spilit Team

[captkenn]

I raced under the team name of 'Scotties Man Size Tissues'. Up until the late 60s you weren't allowed to put sponsors names on the cars except a small sticker. I got sponsored by Bowater Scott just as the ban was lifted and was one of the very first to appear with more than 55 square inches of advertising. (that is 5" x11")

see here http://www.captkenn....cottiesads.html

Edited by captkenn, 28 June 2010 - 22:23.

[David McKinney]

Manfred Cubenoggin, on Jun 28 2010, 13:24, said:

Also, I was born and raised in Bowmanville, Ontario, in the county, Durham. Again, Python-inspired, I once entered under the name, "D.R.A.G. Racing", which also made the results. On the actual entry form, D.R.A.G. was spelled out as, "Durham Region Amateur Gynecologists". That was NOT spelled out in the results.

An English gynaecologist sometimes enters historic races as Ecurie Fanny (bearing in mind that the word means something different in English English and American English- though they're only inches apart)

[bradbury west]

At the time, 1963/64, when SCM had his SMART racing Elan for Val Pirie, Yorkshire hillclimber ed Fargus entered his big sports racer under the Fargus Automobile Racing Team .

The other one which always made me smile was in the late 80s in HSCC sportcars, Lightwork Racing. The team was made up of Stuart Hands and various members of the Hands family, and in the words of the old adage, Many Hands Make Light Work.........

Roger Lund

[oldtransamdriver]

In 1979 I towed, with my van, a race car team known as "Dead Bear Racing". Their tow vehicle had broken down and I helped them for 3 races. The driver was a well known Canadian racer. The crew were some real characters - we had a ton of laughs. There is a story behind that name, but I can't recall it now.

Robert Barg

[David Wright]

Flintstone Racing, who entered a Mini Cooper in the BSCC in 1965, appeals to me. Of course it may have nothing to do with the cartoon. Another is Moonraker Racing, who entered a Lotus Cortina in the 1964 BSCC.

Edited by David Wright, 28 June 2010 - 21:19.

[peterd]

Back in the 70s there was the notorious Far Canal motorcycle team, who travelled New Zealand during the summer racing season in an extremely party-friendly ex NZ Road Services Bedford bus. Women passengers welcomed.

[D-Type]

Tiger readers will recognise Tony Trimmer's Melchester Racing

[arttidesco]

Well remembered D-Type :-)

[Ray Bell]

If we're getting into the less extraordinary...

Church Farm Racing, I think that's how it was termed.

[Twin Window]

When my friend Jo Gartner ran his own privateer F2 team he called it 'Racing Team Albatross'

[Marc Sproule]

I don't remember the specifics...I'm sure somebody here can come up with them...but there was a team that called themselves "Rubber Chicken Racing" out here on the left coast of the US. I became aware of them sometime in the '70s.

They always had a rubber chicken hanging out of the boot/trunk of the car.

Edited by Marc Sproule, 30 June 2010 - 20:42.

[Ren� de Boer]

A well-known team in German endurance racing is Bonk Motorsport, which is, of course, named after team owners Peter and Michael Bonk.

[Marticelli]

In the 70s I raced vintage bikes in Scotland under the name of 'Gold Loaf - Team Hovis', which one paddock wag improved by adding - "I see racing improves the breed"!

When I returned to racing in 2005 with the mighty 9 litre Targa Florio SCAT in VSCC and international events, I resuscitated another name I used in the 70s, 'Ecurie Ossity', using the SCAT radiator as the basis of the logo on my race suit... And I can certainly recommend spectating an Edwardian race from mid field... The Walker 1908 GP Panhard going round Gerard's with the inner tyre smoking is certainly not a sight you forget in a hurry...

Marticelli

[RTH]

Il Barone Rampante F3000 team

http://en.wikipedia....Barone_Rampante

Also had some Italian literary significance

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

In 1979 I towed, with my van, a race car team known as "Dead Bear Racing". Their tow vehicle had broken down and I helped them for 3 races. The driver was a well known Canadian racer. The crew were some real characters - we had a ton of laughs. There is a story behind that name, but I can't recall it now.

Robert Barg

Bob: I well remember 'Dead Bear Racing'. This was the blindingly fast Corvette of Bill Adam. Geez, but that thing was FAST! Bill took it up against the Jags of Group 44 several times and he was fast enough to impress the G44 lads into offering Bill full-time employment.

With some of my club FF events, I sent entries to Leny Adam out of Hamilton, Ontario. I believe I'm remembering that first name correctly. I always wondered if that was Bill's wife or sister?

[Allan Lupton]

ExFlagMan, on Jun 28 2010, 07:49, said:

'Betty Swallocks Racing" - seen running a saloon car on the British club scene a few years ago

There certainly was a team of that name in the 750MC 6-hour relay one year (Sid Marler and his friends).

Someone at college ran as "Equipe Ontrying"

[rwills]

There is a yellow Falcon Sprint running in historics now with "Falcon Hell Racing" on the back.

And a race prep outfit in Hampshire called WDK Motorsport - short for Wife Doesn't Know. Apparently what all their clients kept telling them about their historic racing hobby and they decided the name would stick!

http://www.wdkmotorsport.com/

[Paul Hamilton]

Ray Bell, on Jun 28 2010, 12:09, said:

Team Party House...

Of which TNFer Paul Hamilton was a member, of course. He really should tell the story behind the name.

Team Party House was an informal group of 'desperates' from the southern suburbs of Sydney who congregated during the late '60s / early '70s at no. 76 Fore St. Canterbury otherwise known as the Party House as it was the centre of most of the group's social activity. The house was owned by twin brothers Geoffrey and John Simmons and their sister Pammy. Their parents had died when all three were quite young leaving them the house with its very large workshop which fronted a rear lane conveniently located as a trailer storage area cum test strip. Quite a few of the cars carrying the Team Party House banner were very competitive in sports car and sports sedan racing and the leading lights included Lynn Brown, Barry Sharp, Bruce Cary, Bruce Taylor, Dave Mawer, myself and others several of whom progressed to greater things.

The social side of the party house was pretty wild at times and we had a strong feminine support group from which some quite enduring relationships developed. Many of us are still involved in the sport and maintain regular contact within a network which can be relied on to provide support when needed. The trailer used to transport my Elfin to historic events still proudly carries a discreet Team Party House banner and Dave Mawer's son Bart has carried the name when competing in contemporary events both at home here in oz and internationally.

Team Party House should NEVER be confused with Team Panty Hose which was a shortlived attempt to poke fun at some of our glorious exploits!!!

[Ray Bell]

And Peter Wallace, right? What about Mike Morris? There was a blue Morgan too, Jane Richardson...

And while you're here, why not explain your former brother in law's team name?

I must say, I once went to the Party House, but there was no party. Only one other house I've ever been in had anything close to the amount of grease marks up the walls. To shoulder height, the walls were marked from a thousand people walking in and out filthy from working on cars.

I've forgotten why I was there, it certainly wasn't any gathering or anything, maybe I had to pick up something or drop something off.

Geoff and John are characters all right, I don't know that I ever met Pam but I've spoken to her on the phone.

Edited by Ray Bell, 30 June 2010 - 09:47.

[Paul Hamilton]

Ray Bell, on Jun 30 2010, 19:29, said:

And Peter Wallace, right? What about Mike Morris? There was a blue Morgan too, Jane Richardson...

And while you're here, why not explain your former brother in law's team name?

I must say, I once went to the Party House, but there was no party. Only one other house I've ever been in had anything close to the amount of grease marks up the walls. To shoulder height, the walls were marked from a thousand people walking in and out filthy from working on cars.

I've forgotten why I was there, it certainly wasn't any gathering or anything, maybe I had to pick up something or drop something off.

Geoff and John are characters all right, I don't know that I ever met Pam but I've spoken to her on the phone.

Ray, you are confusing Team Party House with Scuderia Testudo (team of the tortoise!!) which centered around Peter Wallace and was more Eastern Suburbs based. It also involved Mike and Lorraine Morris, the Richardsons with the blue Morgan and some others. There was something of a cross over in that my early cars (MG and Turner) carried both banners some of the time. However, my Testudo membership was more of an 'associate' nature while I was (and still am!!) very definitely a full blown Party House man. Its still a very loyal bunch of people with a great deal of mutual respect. Party House 'associates' included Dave Medley and luminaries such as Peter Brock (mainly in A30 days) and John Leffler whose connection was strong enough to bring him along to a reunion function we all had a few years ago.

I can't say that I ever noticed the grease on the walls but 76 Fore St was certainly a very busy place and the scene of many highly technical discussions as well as some serious social activity.

The other Sydney based 'team' from those years with something of a geographic orientation was Team Bundabah which was more northern suburbs based and revolved around the Schroeders' Town and Country garage workshop at Hornsby. I had some connections with them when I used the Town and Country engine dyno facility although that tended to fall away a bit after Lynn Brown introduced me to Merv Waggott and I moved my trade to Greenacre.

My banker's obligation of financial confidentiality would preclude an explanation of the Milldent name which Chris has used for many years but the 'dent' bit is clearly occupational based!!! Lets just say that he has worked very hard to earn the other half of the name which, these days, would be an entirely apt description.

[mwphoto]

Manfred Cubenoggin, on Jun 29 2010, 08:58, said:

In 1979 I towed, with my van, a race car team known as "Dead Bear Racing". Their tow vehicle had broken down and I helped them for 3 races. The driver was a well known Canadian racer. The crew were some real characters - we had a ton of laughs. There is a story behind that name, but I can't recall it now.

Robert Barg

Bob: I well remember 'Dead Bear Racing'. This was the blindingly fast Corvette of Bill Adam. Geez, but that thing was FAST! Bill took it up against the Jags of Group 44 several times and he was fast enough to impress the G44 lads into offering Bill full-time employment.

With some of my club FF events, I sent entries to Leny Adam out of Hamilton, Ontario. I believe I'm remembering that first name correctly. I always wondered if that was Bill's wife or sister?

Dead Bear Racing at Mosport 1979

[HeskethBoy]

Associates of mine raced under the banner of "Mad Cam Racing". They later married and she became Madonna Cameron.

In Australia there is/was an ocean racing yacht named "The Office", as that is where the boys would always tell their wives where they were going on the weekends.

[gkennedy]

Paul Hamilton, on Jun 30 2010, 23:28, said:

The other Sydney based 'team' from those years with something of a geographic orientation was Team Bundabah which was more northern suburbs based and revolved around the Schroeders' Town and Country garage workshop at Hornsby.

In Linda Street. Didn't John's Nota run a Hillman motor - or am I mixing him up with another serious engineer/racer? Team Bundabah was named after the avenue in St Ives where one of them lived, and where they congregated. They were more into having a jolly good time in their Triumphs and Sprites than motor racing greatness.

In a similar vein, but in Sydney's southern suburbs, was the Far Kurnell rally team. Named after the Sydney suburb out on the southern headland of Botany Bay, and the landing place of Captain Cook in Australia back in 1770. It's nice to see people showing an historical or geographical inclination in these names. The F K R T boys were also more into the fun of racing around having fun rather than rallying greatness, but you wouldn't know it just from the name.

[Marc Sproule]

And then there's the IMSA Porsche team in the '70s..perhaps beyond?...called Ecurie Escargot.

[gkennedy]

..with a little image of a gastropod alongside the team name. They actually won the Daytona 24 Hour in 1977.

[Paul Taylor]

Young BARF Racing...Appears in the 1966 Le Mans 24H entry list and in two Can-Am races the same year...

[Ray Bell]

Quote

Originally posted by Paul Hamilton
Ray, you are confusing Team Party House with Scuderia Testudo (team of the tortoise!!) which centered around Peter Wallace and was more Eastern Suburbs based. It also involved Mike and Lorraine Morris, the Richardsons with the blue Morgan and some others. There was something of a cross over in that my early cars (MG and Turner) carried both banners some of the time. However, my Testudo membership was more of an 'associate' nature while I was (and still am!!) very definitely a full blown Party House man. Its still a very loyal bunch of people with a great deal of mutual respect. Party House 'associates' included Dave Medley and luminaries such as Peter Brock (mainly in A30 days) and John Leffler whose connection was strong enough to bring him along to a reunion function we all had a few years ago.....

I know Lyn and PB were close, it would not surprise me to have seen some identification of the Fore Street domain on the A30...

Quote

.....I can't say that I ever noticed the grease on the walls but 76 Fore St was certainly a very busy place and the scene of many highly technical discussions as well as some serious social activity.....

Not to put too fine a point on it, but it wasn't a matter of 'grease on the walls', rather it was a matter of grease obliterating the walls.

Quote

.....My banker's obligation of financial confidentiality would preclude an explanation of the Milldent name which Chris has used for many years but the 'dent' bit is clearly occupational based!!! Lets just say that he has worked very hard to earn the other half of the name which, these days, would be an entirely apt description.

Superbly worded!

And for gkennedy... yes, there was a Minx motor in the Nota. And your other team from the southern suburbs certainly fits in with the theme of this thread!