54 replies to this topic

[petestenning]

There have been a few club drivers who have achieved milestones who have not been mentioned a great deal so to put this right here are my nominations from 1970 to date


Most cars raced
Apart from the obvious trio of Gerry Marshall, Tony Lanfranchi. and Barrie Williams all of who have driven a wide variety of cars i would like to nominate fellow TNF member
Syd Fox . Syd has mainly raced single seaters but has been seen in other cars too along the years , he was also a prolific tester i believe.



Longest career in club racing

Derek Walker
Norman Lackford
Bob Simpson
Peter Baldwin


Still racing today although may have stopped for a while

Ian Ashley
Norman Lackford
Bob Simpson
Peter Baldwin

Longest run in a single car

Joe Applegarth
Frank Lockhart
Bob Simpson again


Are there any such racers in the USA OR Australia/NZ .?



Pete

[Alan Cox]

Longest run in a single car

Joe Applegarth
Frank Lockhart
Bob Simpson again

As I see you have nominated the late Frank Lockhart from the historic racing world, I would add Donald Day who has owned ERA R14B since 1958, raced it for donkey's years before his accident, and is still competing in sprints and hillclimbs with it today.

[Derwent Motorsport]

Ian Forrest has bene racing since the seventies.

[Tim Murray]

Are there any such racers in the USA OR Australia/NZ .?

The Aussies have already had a go at this:

Australia's longest-active race driver

[petestenning]

I seem to remember that a Kelvin Foy is racing at Castle Combe , i seem to recal him in FF200 many years back.
i am sure there are others like Derek Walker and his ladybirds of various guises.

Edited by petestenning, 29 January 2012 - 11:40.

[Alan Cox]

Not sure if Warwick Banks is still racing but, until very recently he was running his Cooper Bristol in historics

[alansart]

Mike Wilds and Tony Trimmer are still at it.

Stuart Kestenbaum and Simon Davey and Mick Harris seemed to have been around since probably the late 70's.

[jcdeleted]

May I respectfully suggest Ginger Marshall, who I believe has been out there since the late '60s, and was last seen pedalling the Bowlby at a highly respectable rate of knots.

[Pete Stowe]

Ian Hall started in 1966 with an AH Sprite; - in 2012, Darrian T98GTR.
Brian Cox was racing a Mini in 1965 (maybe started even earlier) - in 2011, Seat Leon Cupra .
(Norman Lackford began in 1969).

[Tim Murray]

If historic racing is to be included, then surely Stirling Moss must be a contender: first race 1948, last race 2011.

[Allan Lupton]

One-car nomination could include Lord Cross who had his Cobra from new in 1963 to his death in 2007 - he raced it last in the 1990s after a break, so probably not a contender.
Tom Delaney first raced in 1930 and raced last in 2006 (and won last in 2005!) - there was a gap of some decades of course. The car he raced in recent times (the 1928 Lea-Francis that won the TT) was his in 1931 and he raced it that year.

[petestenning]

Oh i had missed Brian Cox and i remember Lord Cross and his Cobra.

[bsc]

David Stevenson is another one with a lengthy career having started in the early 60s on bikes before switching to Formula Juniors and 500cc F3.

[Cirrus]

Alan Baillie is worth a mention - racing since the sixties and still competitive in his seventies.

[delta44]

I know the last two drivers very well,I keep reminding them both, that their car trailers are from the 60's when they started racing."falling apart"

[Alan Cox]

Alan Baillie is worth a mention

Excellent call, Alan.

[Lee Nicolle]

On the Oz thread mentioned. Jim Doig has been racing the same ASP sportscar in several different incarnations for over 40 years consistently.And it is always recognisable as the same car. And he raced other cars before that so he would be pushing 50 years of consistent motorsport.
He did not miss a local meeting that hios car was elegible for for many years and even now would be the most regular Sports Car competitor of the whole bunch. There is a couple of others though who have been regualrs at nearly every meeting for 20 odd years.
And a lot of competitors who have been around over 30 years and still active on occasion.Myself included who has done some form of motorsport or another for 43 years. Though occasionally only 1 or 2 events in a year. Money, lives and enthusiasm does get in the way often.

[Peter Horsman]

And John Harper - still a very competitive peddler even in his 70s also.....

[Giraffe]

Ok, he took a break, but Stuart Baird who has run in historic Formula Ford for the last couple of seasons was a regular in Mini, Ford Falcon & FF2000 from the late 1960s.

[Alan Cox]

And John Harper - still a very competitive peddler even in his 70s also.....

...as well as Cheshire legend Alan Minshaw, now over 70 also and racing sice the 1960s.

[David McKinney]

And John Harper - still a very competitive peddler even in his 70s also.....

Richard Pilkington's been going longer. Also in his 70s
He started in the '50s - I don't think Harps raced until 1963

[Lee Nicolle]

Also in speedway there is Dud Lambert, he started racing latein his early 30s but was still racing at about 84 y/o, around 50 years. Supposedly the oldest midget driver in the world. Always in midgets or midget based cars. And he is a very tall man. And still around as a spectator.
I feel there may well be a few Americans with similar longevity though started and finished earlier.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 31 January 2012 - 07:46.

[Pete Stowe]

Barry Sidery-Smith started in the late '50s, and has raced MGBs since 1970.

[delta44]

Just thought of a very good contender. Marcus Mussa,started in F4 in the 60's. Stll racing now in a M1 McClaren. Him and Alan Baillie are both down in South Africa racing at the moment.

[Giraffe]

Just thought of a very good contender. Marcus Mussa,started in F4 in the 60's. Stll racing now in a M1 McClaren. Him and Alan Baillie are both down in South Africa racing at the moment.

Which prompts me as I've just had an e-mail from him in South Africa: not a racer as such but still very much involved, Paul Owens (of Chevron). Also good to see Geoff Richardson still around the paddocks.

[garyfrogeye]

As far as I know Terry Brown has been competing for a long time, 44 years in his Lenham Sprite alone and I don't know for how long before that in other vehicles.
You can see more about the car here on John Shep's Lenham website http://www.lenhamspr...Terry Brown.htm

[David McKinney]

Which prompts me as I've just had an e-mail from him in South Africa: not a racer as such but still very much involved, Paul Owens (of Chevron). Also good to see Geoff Richardson still around the paddocks.

Neither of those goes back even to the 1960s, does he?

[Macca]

Paul Sleeman raced for about 35 years until 2006, and may still be around yet.

Paul M

[bradbury west]

I think Alan Baillie goes back to 1961/62ish as North London Racing Team with Clive Garnham IIRC, et alia - not checked them all-, and I suspect the 750MC championships will show him. Lew Bergonzi, last racing an MGB a couple of years ago started in 1961. I have Minshaw at Oulton in 5/61. Does Tom Threlfall still turn out with the VSCC as I have him somewhere here in 1960
Roger Lund

[Giraffe]

Neither of those goes back even to the 1960s, does he?

err yes David, they does....

Geoff was with Aston Martin & Charlie Lucas & Paul of course, the early days of Chevron.

Edited by Giraffe, 30 January 2012 - 16:25.

[David McKinney]

My apologies

[David McKinney]

Does Tom Threlfall still turn out with the VSCC as I have him somewhere here in 1960

No, Tom hasn't raced for some years. I have him as a sportscar winner in a Lotus in 1958

[bradbury west]

Thanks, David.
RL

[Alan Cox]

Barry Sidery-Smith started in the late '50s, and has raced MGBs since 1970.

Correction, Pete. Barry was racing an MGB even earlier than you reckon. He was in the Redex Trophy at the first meeting I attended at Brands in 1964, the Guards Trophy.

[Giraffe]

My apologies

Accepted but quite unnecessary, David.

[petestenning]

How odd Marcus Mussa crossed my mind today as i saw him often at Snetterton in a F4 early 70 'S.

I used to sprint against Terry Browns Lenham some years back .

[Bloggsworth]

Paul Sleeman raced for about 35 years until 2006, and may still be around yet.

Paul M

He might well hold the world record for number of single-seater races won. I think Autosport cancelled their Golden Helmet award after Paul won it 2 years running, must be over a hundred.

Edited by Bloggsworth, 30 January 2012 - 21:54.

[Pete Stowe]

Correction, Pete. Barry was racing an MGB even earlier than you reckon. He was in the Redex Trophy at the first meeting I attended at Brands in 1964, the Guards Trophy.

Thanks for that Alan – I should have said at least since 1970 without checking further. I’ve now also found him in Aug 64 at Castle Combe in a ‘B’.

This year he’s inspired the HRDC ‘MGB 50’ celebration series which kicks off at Castle Combe on Easter Monday.

[RickT]

Hi Guys

Bit biased here, but my Father Anthony Taylor started racing in 61 at Lynton on Ouse in an 1172, and he was just filling in his 2012 licence application this morning. Hopefully be out with our McLaren M6B in Masters this year and maybe the M10B in Derek Bell later in the season if we can get it finished !!

With a bit of luck I might even get a go this year !!

Cheers
Rick

[bradbury west]

Hi Guys

Bit biased here, but my Father Anthony Taylor started racing in 61 at Lynton on Ouse in an 1172, Cheers Rick

Would that be G A Taylor in a Ford Special in July '61 ? If so I can help you with a race results sheet from the event
Roger Lund

[RickT]

Would that be G A Taylor in a Ford Special in July '61 ? If so I can help you with a race results sheet from the event
Roger Lund

Hi Roger

It certainly would be ! If you are able I would love to get a copy of that sheet, we still have almost all his results from the past 50 years but I dont hink we have that one, many thanks if you can.

Cheers
Richard

[bradbury west]

PM me with your e mail address and I will scan it and send forward.
Roger

[llmaurice]

Mike Wilds and Tony Trimmer are still at it.

Stuart Kestenbaum and Simon Davey and Mick Harris seemed to have been around since probably the late 70's.

Lets not forget Dave Lowe from Guernsey - in at the early days of FF1600 and still at it now in Classic and Hscc FF1600.Still loyal to Lotus too.

[Tim Murray]

Good Lord - I had no idea he was still competing. He was a regular competitor in the Val des Terres hillclimbs in the early '60's when I lived on Guernsey.

[jm70]

I'd have to nominate Andy Porterfield from Cal Club. I'm not sure of his first race, but believe it was 1957 in a Corvette. Still racing today in a GT1 Camaro. I think he was 80 last year, and still winning National races.

[Simon Arron]

I believe Murray Carter first began racing in Australia during the late 1950s and was a mainstay of GT and touring car racing throughout the next decade or three. I saw him in action during last year's Phillip Island Classic, a few weeks after his 80th birthday...

[bradbury west]

One-car nomination could include Lord Cross who had his Cobra from new in 1963

Prior to which he raced a Daimler SP250, not sure what prior to that.
Roger Lund

[Sharman]

Prior to which he raced a Daimler SP250, not sure what prior to that.
Roger Lund

I think he had a TR before the SP250, a gentleman of my acquaintance rolled his 100/4 at Island Bend in the course of a dice with his Lordship in the Daimler (I was in the Observers Box at the time and watched the whole thing with fascination. It appeared to me to be in slow motion.)

[Allan Lupton]

I think he had a TR before the SP250, a gentleman of my acquaintance rolled his 100/4 at Island Bend in the course of a dice with his Lordship in the Daimler (I was in the Observers Box at the time and watched the whole thing with fascination. It appeared to me to be in slow motion.)

The Good Lord was no slouch in the Cobra, but was rather overshadowed in his Daimler days by Dick Crosfield whose car was rather more in race tune.
I treasure the memory of him and his wife driving into the paddock at an 8 Clubs Silverstone in the Cobra, unloading the picnic hamper, spare wheel and tools from the boot, and going racing - during which he was nip and tuck with Mike and Vic Smith in their full race Cobras which had come on a transporter.

[ggnagy]

Still competing as of the 2011 SCCA Prod Fest and the VRG Turkey Bowl at Summit Point, Randy Canfield is 82 years young and started racing his first AH Sprite in 1961. He is on his second chassis now. 5 SCCA Runoffs HP championships and class win at Sebring 1968.