17 replies to this topic

[pressman]

Just been informed of the death of John Myercough.
I remember him racing F5000, Alfas ,Anglias,
Sad news
Steve.

[Giraffe]

I was only chatting about John with RS250 / Ian recently. I first saw John race the Westune Anglia at Aintree were he was very much a local hero. He was also entered in a Brabham BT11/19 4.5 in early F5000 races by John Butterworth. I remember being very impressed by his roadgoing MGB into which he had neatly installed a Daimler 2.5 V8. Later in his career he went on to race a McLaren M10B. Sad to hear of his passing.

Edited by Giraffe, 27 July 2011 - 15:16.

[richie]

Just been informed of the death of John Myercough.
I remember him racing F5000, Alfas ,Anglias,
Sad news
Steve.

http://img690.images...1971imageof.png
Produced as part of a page of Autosport

[ensign14]

I only know him as a name. Anyone got any more information/stories?

[ReWind]

Anyone got any more information/stories?

Mike Kettlewell's 1979 "Motor Racing Directory", p. 101
(Maybe someone else has the time to scan or type.)

[Tim Murray]

Here it is:

John Myerscough

13 Stoneycroft Avenue, Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 6AN. Tel: Horwich (0204) 68621 (day), Horwich (0204) 67274. Sales director of Westune (Alfa Romeo dealers), working in Horwich. Born May 30, 1936, in Liverpool. Married to Nicky. Two children, Gail and Gary. Member of BRSCC, BARC, Aintree CC and L&CCC. Hobbies and interests: jazz, squash, birdwatching and Liverpool Football Club.

John began in rallying, as a navigator, and then progressed to hillclimbs, sprints and autocross. In 1966 he had his first circuit race in a Mini at Oulton Park and he made a name for himself in the late 1960s as a capable conductor of big-engined Ford Anglias. In 1970 and 1971 he had a spell in Formula 5000, first with a somewhat troublesome Oldsmobile-engined Brabham BT11 and later a pukka Chevy-propelled McLaren M10B, the ex-Mike Walker car. Both were owned by ex-hillclimber John Butterworth. Myerscough reverted to saloons, driving Ford Escorts for Brook Hire and Thomas Motors and then various Alfa Romeos for the dealer team. Co-driving Ken Coffey's Ford Escort, John has also twice finished the Francorchamps 24-hour saloon car race. He has also driven in two seven-day record attempts in a Vauxhall Viva at Montlhery. During 1978 John raced an Alfa Romeo GT Junior in all but one round of the Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship, thoroughly enjoying himself in the process. He secured a second and a third, despite the presence of Richard Longman's Mini and the faster Alfasuds. John also shared an Alfasud Sprint in the TT, finishing second in class.

This takes his story to the end of 1978.

[Kevan]

Sad news- My condolences to his family

Here it is:

This takes his story to the end of 1978.

Thanks for that Tim- I only started to follow racing seriously in the early/mid 80's, so although I was aware of John (and think I've seen him race- see below), he's one of many drivers from that period that I know little about.
As for the post-78 history, as I remember, John was racing one of the black Napolina/ARDT Alfasud in the BSCC/BTCC in about 1983/4.
Did he race in prodsaloons for a season or two after that?. I won't swear to it, but I think I've got a vague recollection of him in a Capri in the first couple of seasons I seriously followed racing, so that would which would have been 1985-ish.?

[ExFlagMan]

I remember him balancing the Brookhire Escort on top of the jump on the exit of Village corner at Aintree.

Sad news.

[Andrew Kitson]

Very sad. I remember John from my youth...a very friendly chap and a friend of my father. Often parked nearby in the paddock at some meetings as he had his big Anglia and in the same class was the Bond-Smith car that my father looked after. Also recall him doing F5000 in those early years.

[Kevan]

See photo in post #5, Kevan

Thanks Alan- I saw post #5, but I was really thinking of a later period, around 1985/6- I didn't start to spectate at race meetings until 1985, and certainly don't remember Mk2 Capris and Dolly Sprints in Prodsaloons.

As I recall, John M. drove an Alfasud in the BSCC in 1983/4, but I was trying to recall if he raced after that

[Pullman99]

As I recall, John M. drove an Alfasud in the BSCC in 1983/4, but I was trying to recall if he raced after that

He raced in some, or possibly all, of the rounds of the first SAAB Turbo Mobil Challenge in 1986 but I cannot remember the name of the dealership or team involved. I remember him racing the M10B at the Oulton Park Gold Cup in 1970 and in other F5000 rounds too. Went on a training course with SAAB where he was also an attendee and recall picking up, with a work colleague, an Alfa Romeo GTV6 from him in about 1990. Sad news indeed.

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

iirc , I saw him race a lotus ELAN CHASSIED mk 1 Escort , could have been yellow , I saw it at Aintree

[Gav Astill]

A little annecdote: Back in the 80's my mum and dad were on some group "adventure" type holiday in a far flung locale. Over dinner my dad got talking to a fellow guest who turned out to be one John Myerscough, whom, having no interest in racing, my dad hadn't heard of. Anyway my dad mentioned that his son (me, obviously) was a young impoverished Alfa fan who had just bought an elderly 'Sud. Without prompting Mr M took down my address on a napkin and promissed to send me a free Alfa t-shirt in the post. It arrived 2 days after they got back.

Being a huge F5000 as well as Alfa fan, I was double-chuffed and wore it until it wore out! (it lasted longer than the 'Sud....)

A gentleman obviously, and it saddens me to hear of his passing

Edited by Gav Astill, 04 August 2011 - 19:48.

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Very sad indeed
I was a regular customer at Westune in the early 70s and John was allways ready to give advice and do a good deal.
I would bump into him at Oulton many times and he would allways find time for a chat about whatever he was racing that day.
In Tims extract theres also a mention of ken Coffey, another blast from the past. Is he still with us? He had a tyre dealership in Sale.

Edited by Paul Hurdsfield, 06 August 2011 - 19:20.

[alansart]

In Tims extract theres also a mention of ken Coffey, another blast from the past. Is he still with us? He had a tyre dealership in Sale.

I think Ken may have passed away a few years ago.

[Phil Rainford]

I think Ken may have passed away a few years ago.

Ken sold his Tyre Dealership some years ago and I think retired to his house in Anglesey.......... not sure what happened to him after that but I can tell you that time spent in Ken's company was always an experience


PAR

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Now there's a subject for discussion at the next TNFNW meeting

[Phil Rainford]

From the BRDC Bulletin Obituary Section (Autumn 2007)

KEN COFFEY
Ken joined the BRDC in 1975, having
competed in events that qualified him for
Club membership during the period 1968
to 1974.
In the 1000-mile race at Brands Hatch, and the
Spa 24-Hour Race, Ken enjoyed class podium
finishes in cars such as the Lotus Cortina and Twin
Cam Escort, and behind the wheel of a Ford Escort
RS2000 he was classified third in class and twelfth
overall in the Silverstone Tourist Trophy of 1975,
sharing driving duties with Cyd Williams.


PAR