7 replies to this topic

[richie]

These guys raced in F5000 as also rans, occasionally producing good results.
What do we know about these racers?

[ian senior]

Dave Berry raced in F3 before he turned to F5000. I think he was a Welshman. There was a comprehensive article about him in an early 1968 or 69 edition of Motoring News, but my copies ended up in the skip some time ago so I can't trace it now. As far as I recall, he achieved good results in F3 but his attempts to progress further in F5000 were scuppered by lack of money to turn out a decent car (where have we heard that before?). His F5000 car was. I believe, a 1965 Brabham F2 with originally a Ford T/C engine, but later a Rover V8 was surgically inserted. I saw him race it at Oulton in 1971; not surprisingly it wasn't that quick but Dave drove well and looked good in the corners.

I've heard of Chris Featherstone, but know nothing about him, I'm afraid. As for Rob Ashley, complete blank, unless you mean Ian Ashley (which you probably don't). Somewhere at the back of my mind is a Rob someone, who drove the Kitchiner K3. I'll do some more thinking!

[ian senior]

Just checked on oldracingcars.com..The Kitchiner K3 bloke was Rob Taylor.

[David McKinney]

Without checking anything, Chris Featherstone rings bells in the Monoposto series with an ageing Lola, which he raced for years.
I think Dave Berry was one of the libre regulars with Lotus and/or Brabham t/c cars before (or after?) doing F3

[WGD706]

Chris Featherstone raced in the Kingsdown Trophy 1963 October 6th B.A.R.C. / Express & Star Championship, Round 21 at Brands in a 'Bond-Ford' entered by himself. He DNF'd in 23rd place.
http://user.tninet.s...w/FJ63_GB67.htm

He had better luck in the August 5th round at Mallory Park, finishing 7th.
http://user.tninet.s...w/FJ63_GB43.htm

From oldracingcars.com, McRae GM1 015-Built for 1973 season with a longer wheelbase. Graham McRae: raced in UK 1973 (practiced at Misano 10 Jun and raced from R10 Mallory Park 8 Jul 1973 onwards) - Chris Featherstone: raced in UK 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977.

I don't know if this is the same person, but "Great Central Racing would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all our current sponsors.
If you would like to be associated with Britain's best Pedal Car Racing team, please contact either:
Team Manager Chris Featherstone; or
Technical Director Jeremy Featherstone
http://www.greatcent...k/sponsors.html
http://www.greatcentralracing.co.uk

[Cirrus]

I was looking at oldracingcars.com for something else, and began to look at Dave Berry's performances in 1971. Bearing in mind the equipment he was using, his times would suggest he was pretty useful, particularly at Mallory.

[Ted Walker]

Dave Berry ran the ex works ex John Watson BT16 first with a twin cam and later Rover V8 power, this car in the hands of Matthew Watts won the HSCC Classic Racing Car Champiomnship,and Dave came along to the final round at Silverstone to see his old car perform.

[Barry Lake]

Chris Featherstone ran a McRae GM1 in the 1978 Rothmans Series in Australia.

Here is the quote from my review of the series:

CHRIS FEATHERSTONE from England was preceeded by publicity which labelled him as a "young driver" (he is 41) "who has a towering reputation as a man who can tweak slightly aged cars to better things." When he first arrived, Featherstone described himself as someone who likes driving F5000 cars but who usually lets Keith Holland run his cars because he (Featherstone) "isn't quick enough." Chris runs Featherstone's, a department store in England and is involved in a trucking business with Holland. He drove an old Mcrae GM1 (formerly had the ex-Malcolm Cuthrie Lola T190 which had raced in Australia). He never at any time looked like being competitive, scored an eighth at Sandown by keeping in there while others fell by the wayside and looked like at least finishing all rounds until he broke the water pump drive belt at Oran Park, the same problem which had caused him to have a long pit stop in the AIR round.

I listed his birth date as 31 August 1936. Results table shows 8th-17th-16th-ret for the four rounds.