136 replies to this topic

[LotusElise]

Originally posted by PMac
Whilst running the PR for Vauxhall in the late 90s, we put (BBC Children's TV programme) Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill in the Vectra Challenge 'Celebrity' car. Whilst her broadcasting and attitude were A1, her driving was disappointing. We instructed a disgruntled regular Vectra competitor to finish behind her...

I remember hearing something similar about another BP presenter, Konnie Huq, "co-driving" on the 2001 Swedish Rally with a British privateer. The driver's name was Ben Briant. One onlooker claimed that Konnie was asleep in the car!

I heard fairly recently that Frankie Muniz of Malcolm in the Middle fame was jacking in his acting career temporarily to concentrate on racing.

[alansart]

Originally posted by LotusElise


I remember hearing something similar about another BP presenter, Konnie Huq, "co-driving" on the 2001 Swedish Rally with a British privateer. The driver's name was Ben Briant. One onlooker claimed that Konnie was asleep in the car!

I heard fairly recently that Frankie Muniz of Malcolm in the Middle fame was jacking in his acting career temporarily to concentrate on racing.

Formula BMW in the USA?

[ensign14]

Konnie Huq and Katy Hill in the same thread? I think I need a cold shower.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Graham Gauld
Ref Petefenelon

The car that Noakes drove was the unique Chevron BMW the only one fitted with a 3 litre straight-six BMW engine.When researching a potential book on Chevron I dug up the story of this car.A German enthusiast arrived at Chevron with a 6 cylinder BMW engine in the back of his car and wanted it squeezed into a Chevron B19.
It was chassis no M71/15 and according to Derek Bennett's hand written chassis book the man who ordered it was Dieter Bentz. However, I believe he never came back to collect the car and it was eventually sold off. So it was a formidable car to drive up a hill climb.

Graham,

Amazing stuff as ever. Thanks very much!

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by ensign14
Konnie Huq and Katy Hill in the same thread? I think I need a cold shower.

Today's other shocker is that Valerie Singleton and Peter Purves allegedly had a bit of under-duvet action - and for all those years everyone thought Val was a 'close friend' of Joan Armatrading ;)

[fbarrett]

Friends:

American cartoonist Charles Addams, early Watkins Glen, Mercedes-Benz Type SS, I think. He also drove a pre-war Aston Martin, a Bugatti, a Bentley Continental, and a 300SL.

Frank

[cpbell]

Further to the mention of Knopfler, I recall as a kid seeing him pedalling a Lancia Aurelia GT in historic racing at Snetterton (my local circuit) then seeing the car again at the petrol station on the A11 towards Norwich on a trailer; the tow vehicle having just been refuelled, with Knopfler presumably paying for the petrol.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by alansart


Formula BMW in the USA?

He's doing Atlantics at Pacific Coast (a promising team who've recently tried GA, ALMS (but didn't get enough works support for their Corvette) and are now in the IRL).

[ensign14]

The Sunday Times claimed that Jason Bateman used to race. Apparently he's an actor, can't say I am familiar with his oeuvre.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by ensign14
The Sunday Times claimed that Jason Bateman used to race. Apparently he's an actor, can't say I am familiar with his oeuvre.

He won a celebrity race at Long Beach a couple of years back. Don't know if he races other than that. And I can't say I know his work!

[f1steveuk]

Nigel Green, actor, Tobruk, Ipcress file

http://forums.autosp...&threadid=95656

apprently quite good, and built his own FJ cars.

[MrAerodynamicist]

Originally posted by ensign14
The Sunday Times claimed that Jason Bateman used to race. Apparently he's an actor, can't say I am familiar with his oeuvre.

I don't want to hijack the thread so I'll just say Arrested Development, and point you in the direction of this thread. (Except that doesn't actually explain much, so try this.)

On the subject of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at Long Beach, I can report I once watched an episode of Girls of The Playboy Mansion, in which one of the playmates takes part in the race (I think she crashed in to George Lucas, which I think counts as a success.) I of course watched it under duress, and only did so out of the motorsport connection ;)

[Option1]

I watched it for the articles.

Neil

[Frank S]

Originally posted by ensign14
The Sunday Times claimed that Jason Bateman used to race. Apparently he's an actor, can't say I am familiar with his oeuvre.

I believe he was a boy ingénue in one or more weekly situation "comedy" vehicles. He has a sister of the same name, or close to it, maybe, also an actor.

[RStock]

Originally posted by alansart


Chris Rea is very much into Ferrari's and had built several very good replicas (the sharknosed F1 for instance).

I'm not sure if he has raced again after his illness.

Chris was behind the movie "La Passione"

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by Option1
I watched it for the articles.

Neil

[Collombin]

Mention of Mike Smith reminds me of the time he was stitched up royally on a Paul Daniels TV magic show at Silverstone.

Smith was commentating on an escapology trick, which involved Daniels being tied up in a wooden box in the middle of Woodcote, and having to escape before Jackie Stewart completed a lap of the track in a saloon car and smashed into the box.

However, if Daniels encountered trouble in making his escape, he was to pull a lever that raised a small flag on the outside of the box, which would warn JYS that Daniels was still in the box and therefore to miss it.

In the event, Daniels did get into difficulties and pulled the emergency lever, raising the flag. Stewart however failed to see it, and ploughed into the box at enormous speed, shattering it to pieces. Poor Mike Smith obviously thought Daniels had been killed, and his stunned commentary reflected this.

Tragically, it soon become evident that Paul Daniels was alive and well – when the car stopped, the driver popped out and revealed himself as Paul Daniels. JYS was not in the car at all, but operating the crane that lowered the box onto the track, and only then, after everyone fell about laughing, did it dawn on Mike Smith that he had been well and truly had.

Pre-Gotcha days, but sounds like just the sort of thing Noel Edmonds might have had a hand in.

[Mallory Dan]

Originally posted by petefenelon
Wasn't there a Go With Noakes where Halifax's finest adventurer had a go in an F5000? - I seem to recall it was David Purley's Chevron and Noakes was.... crap, basically...?

There's a sequence from the prog where Purley is in his F5000 B30, and Noakes (apparently) is in a FAt B29 following him - the Rapid Movements Spitzley car as it happens. Noakes looked OK in it, tho' obviously it may have been filmed very slowly.

[mikeC]

I've only just found this thread, and I am surprised no-one has mentioned ... J Y Stewart, Olympic champion and later a bit of a racing driver, I seem to recall?
I was also going to add Stig from Abba, but I got beaten to that one!

[Graham Gauld]

Jackie was certainly not an Olympic champion, British Champion, sure, but he was reserve for the British team in the Olympics.

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by Mallory Dan


There's a sequence from the prog where Purley is in his F5000 B30, and Noakes (apparently) is in a FAt B29 following him - the Rapid Movements Spitzley car as it happens. Noakes looked OK in it, tho' obviously it may have been filmed very slowly.

I am sure John Noakes would have been no slow coach.....remember the man had no fear.

When he jumped out of the plane with the Red Devils he broke the UK free fall record for a civilian. A record that stood for a number of years

Kind regards

Phil

[Macca]

Apropos Mark Knopfler; as well as the Maserati 300s which drove at Coys and the Revival, he had a Lotus 23 previously which he drove and also had driven by Alan de Cadenet.

Chris Rea had an arrangement with David Piper and drove his 275LM several times, including at Monza in '95 where he shunted it quite hard......

Paul M

[dbw]

i just watched the great new film on roman polanski [focusing on his trial and flight from the us] and in the first few minutes there was a still shot of him with a formula ford...does anyone know if he actually drove it??

[Brynmor]

Originally posted by LotusElise


I remember hearing something similar about another BP presenter, Konnie Huq, "co-driving" on the 2001 Swedish Rally with a British privateer. The driver's name was Ben Briant. One onlooker claimed that Konnie was asleep in the car!

I heard fairly recently that Frankie Muniz of Malcolm in the Middle fame was jacking in his acting career temporarily to concentrate on racing.

RE Konnie Huq, she actually competed on a North Wales Road rally in January 2001 (North Wales car Clubs Winter Rally to be precise) to get her licence, it was that event where she slept the whole night in the back of the car...
Must say her attendance at signing on made a bit of a change!!;)

[LotusElise]

I did think that sleeping in a moving rally car (which is what was claimed) was a bit far-fetched, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
I never realised Ms Huq was so popular...

On the subject of celebs in racing, can we mention the Actors' Championships which were held in Paris in the 20s and 30s? It was here that Hellé Nice got her start in motorsport. Did any other French stage stars make the switch?

[PMac]

I remember being asked to cover the Alfa 164 'celebrity' race for Motoring News, that supported the 1988 British GP. Drivers included Eddie 'The ****' Edwards (he clowned around in the drivers' briefing, and generally made a fool of himself all weekend), Mark Knopfler (I was too in awe to speak to him), and 'Bungalow' Bill Wiggins, who was in the race by dint of the fact that he had once shagged Joan Collins. There were around 20 'racers', all of whom were so famous I can't even remember their names. I think there was a gossip columnist in there (not Nigel Dempster).

'Bungalow' was actually quite nifty, if I recall, winning by a mile. I remember my headline: "Bungalow Brill"! There was a series of celebrity races supporting European GPs that year. The cars IIR were run by Bernie's people out of the old Haas/FORCE premises at Colnbrook.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by PMac
I remember being asked to cover the Alfa 164 'celebrity' race for Motoring News, that supported the 1988 British GP. Drivers included Eddie 'The ****' Edwards (he clowned around in the drivers' briefing, and generally made a fool of himself all weekend), Mark Knopfler (I was too in awe to speak to him), and 'Bungalow' Bill Wiggins, who was in the race by dint of the fact that he had once shagged Joan Collins. There were around 20 'racers', all of whom were so famous I can't even remember their names. I think there was a gossip columnist in there (not Nigel Dempster).

'Bungalow' was actually quite nifty, if I recall, winning by a mile. I remember my headline: "Bungalow Brill"! There was a series of celebrity races supporting European GPs that year. The cars IIR were run by Bernie's people out of the old Haas/FORCE premises at Colnbrook.

Hardly the mighty ProCars that were supposed to have been running from there though ;) - imagine Wiggins and co in wingless F1 cars with Milan Taxi bodies on them. Truly terrifying ;P

[Andretti Fan]

His name escapes me at the moment, and I could be wrong, but didn't the lead singer for Tears for Fears dabble in racing a lil bit?

[Brynmor]

Originally posted by LotusElise
I did think that sleeping in a moving rally car (which is what was claimed) was a bit far-fetched, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
I never realised Ms Huq was so popular...

On the subject of celebs in racing, can we mention the Actors' Championships which were held in Paris in the 20s and 30s? It was here that Hellé Nice got her start in motorsport. Did any other French stage stars make the switch?

From memory it was a white Evo 6 that Ben used as a recce car....

[Haddock]

Not sure if 'celebrity' is the correct term, but I believe French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has raced in the Le Mans legends race on occasion.

Former UK Minister Paul Drayson was a front runner in the British GT championship last year (though thanks mainly to a good team mate and a quick car. His own input was largely financial).

And to answer a question a couple of you asked above, I believe Chris Rea is back racing Ferraris again after his illness.

[PMac]

Probably more infamous than famous, Nando Perada (sp?), one of the survivors of the Andes air crash in the eraly '70s, used to race touring cars. He raced a works Alfa at some stage in the ETC, or could have been the Italian national championship. I met him when visiting the Punta del Este road course in Uruguay, which hosted a round of the Sudam F3 series. Maybe it still does?

He was close to the Stewart family, and is Paul's Godfather.

His story is documented in Piers Paul Read's book 'Alive', which was made into a feature film. Perada himself has also (relatively recently) published his own account of the story, in which he led the rescue teams to the remaining survivors.

He is a lovely man who loves his motorsport, and acted as an ambassador for the Uruguayan motorsport federation at the time of my visit (1990ish).

[LotusElise]

Over the years, various European royals have taken to the track in varying degrees of competitiveness.
The Crown Prince of Luxembourg in the 1930s was an enthusiastic rally driver, as was his British wife, the former Shelagh Brunner.
I believe the Duke of Kent took part in the London to Brighton run one year - is this true? The Queen apparently entered once, but didn't take the start.

[PMac]

Originally posted by PMac
Probably more infamous than famous, Nando Perada (sp?), one of the survivors of the Andes air crash in the eraly '70s, used to race touring cars. He raced a works Alfa at some stage in the ETC, or could have been the Italian national championship. I met him when visiting the Punta del Este road course in Uruguay, which hosted a round of the Sudam F3 series. Maybe it still does?

He was close to the Stewart family, and is Paul's Godfather.

His story is documented in Piers Paul Read's book 'Alive', which was made into a feature film. Perada himself has also (relatively recently) published his own account of the story, in which he led the rescue teams to the remaining survivors.

He is a lovely man who loves his motorsport, and acted as an ambassador for the Uruguayan motorsport federation at the time of my visit (1990ish).

Just checked the spelling - it's Nando Parrado. Anyone know what kind of pilot he was, and what series did he race in?

[raoul leDuke]

quote:
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Originally posted by Mike Lawrence
Rock star, Jay Kay, also pounds round Goodwood.
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I was talking to Jay Kay yesterday at the Salon Prive event at the Hurlingham Club in London. He mentioned that he had not raced historics but would love to given the opportunity.

[Gary C]

he can have a go in my Formula Ford then!

[WonderWoman61]

Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd did indeed race and I believe he had custody of a BRM P25 for a little while in the early nineties.

I seem to recall he scared himself and found a more sedate hobby - flying P-51 Mustangs instead.

Mark Knopfler certainly competes currently, using a Maserati 300S. I didn't know he'd had a bike accident - it wasn't Marc Almond by any chance, was it? He HAS had a very bad accident in the last few weeks.

Thinking back to "celebrity" races, I recall olympic decathelete Daley Thompson ran a Peugeot 106 for a while in some sort of stock hatch class. Clive James made the mistake of getting signed up to do a celebrity support race at an Adelaide GP before admitting he'd never actually learned to drive. The resulting "Clive James learns to be a racing driver" documentary is vintage James, albeit a trifle frustrating for those of us who would dearly like to have a crack at a bit of motorsport.

Daley Thompson raced in the 1993 National Saloon Car Cup and the 1994 Ford Credit Fiesta Challenge.

[Mark A]

I can add a couple of 'celebs' who raced in out Lotus Cup UK/Elise Trophy series in the UK.

At the time Jake Humphrey as the BBC's F1 presenter did a race with us at Silverstone, which was shown on the F1 show.

We also had Andy Green, of Land Speed Record holder fame compete in a race at Snetterton.
 

 

Others,

Sir Chris Hoy did quite well, taking part and finishing at Le Mans in 2016 with Nissan. Another gold medal cyclist Jason Kenny did some racing in the UK.

Edited by Mark A, 24 March 2025 - 11:40.