595 replies to this topic

[Richard Jenkins]

I've been guilty of announcing him dead before his time (albeit due to an amazing coincidence) but sadly Jesse Rose is now, I'm afraid, dead & there can be no mix-up as:

The SSDI has Jesse Ebb Rose, of Houston, Texas, born on the 27th February 1925, dying in Houston, Texas, on the 27th August 2007.

http://search.ancest...s=rfs&gst=&so=3


Surprised it didn't make any news, not even locally in Houston.

[Nanni Dietrich]

Sadly on 22 October 2007 Guido Pardini suffered fatal heart attack, at the age of 54.
Winner of the Italian Formula 3 Championship in 1980 driving the Emiliani-Dallara 380, then he progressed to Formula 2 driving for team Minardi and team Sanremo and abandoned racing in the late 80s.
He was the father of Francesca Pardini, talented female racing driver.

[ReWind]

Where have our friends from Romania gone?

I just learned that nearly one year ago their motor racing hero Alexe de Vassal died at the age of 96
(LINK).

But nobody told us.

[Haine Kane]

Sad news

Billy HAGAN died the 9 november 2007 at the age of 75

http://www.scenedail...e_daily463.html

[Haine Kane]

I read in the last MOTORSPORT issue that Alan HUTCHESON was dead in his Marbella home in Spain.

If someone have more info about the dates (birth and dead)

Thanks

[Jim Thurman]

Harry Schilling, who competed in 7 races in NASCAR's top series between 1971 and 1974 (then known as Grand National), passed away December 3rd:

http://www.sacbee.co...ory/552350.html

Note: there are some errors in the obituary, Schilling did not race at Darlington or Talladega (which is in Alabama, not Florida). He did race at Charlotte and Dover, one of the intrepid souls who ventured from California to the deep South to race in NASCAR during that era.

Earlier, Schilling raced the unique Sportsman cars on the 1/4 mile dirt Petaluma Speedway.

[Vee8]

26 years old Rafael Sperafico was killed during the final race of Stock Car Light Series in Interlagos, Brazil, on the 9th of December. He was a cousin to the Sperafico twins Ricardo and Rodrigo, boith former F3000 racers.

In case you don't know the details:

Stock Car Light driver Rafael Sperafico went off the track, probably due to a nudge, and into the tire wall placed on the outside of the flat out left hander (Curva do Café) just entering the pit straight. The car hit the tire wall at an estimated angle of less than 20 degrees. it then spun 270 degrees right into the path of driver Renato Russo's car. The latter T-boned Sperafico's car.

Sperafico died at the scene as the rollcage didn't hold off the impact and folded. The chassis builder (and some drivers) now conveniantly claims that according to FIA rules in corners with less than 30 degrees of estimated impact angle there should be no tire wall.

Although there would be more relevant safety issues to look at, like the dearly poor safety standard of the chassis used in the domestic Stock Car Series, suddenly there seems a lot of emphasis of to blame the position of the tire wall.

The FIA, from what I know, is still waiting for a report on the details of the accident.

Mario Bauer
www.gpinsider.wordpress.com
.

[Richard Jenkins]

An American look at those we lost in 2007 - http://www.motorspor...3&FS=OBITUARIES

with 2008 starting on a very sad note - Don Radbruch has died - Yahoo Racing History is full of tributes to the great man.

[raoul leDuke]

Sir Jackie Stewart's older brother Jimmy has died at the age of 76. Jimmy was responsible for Jackie getting involved in racing. Jimmy was an integral part of the Ecurie Ecosse team. A very fast and fearless driver but, after accidents at Le Mans in 1954 and another at Silverstone the following year, he was forced to quit.

[ReWind]

Summary 2007
 
Argentina (24 passings)
Eduardo Accastelli (56 years old) Eduardo Carauni (87) Guillermo Castellanos (40) Marcos Ciani (84) Alberto Depego (72) Nico Díaz (19) Néstor Erviti (49) Esteban Fernandino (62) Remo Gamalero (88) Hugo Gimeno (82) Carlos Jarque (60) Rodolfo Kaiser (70) Alejandro Martínez (31) José Muñiz (90) Roque Namur (75) Francisco Navarro Ocampo (64) Luis Ostán (76) Ricardo de Paoli (83) Rubén Paradiso (??) Ramón Requejo (84) José Rubiol Roca (95) Carlos Travers (66) Adrián Villegas (81) Gabriel Werner (28)
 
Australia (5)
Paul Flintoft (42) Fred James (92) Peter Osterio (53) Barry Sharp (c.64) George Tatnell (68)
 
Austria (4)
Alfons Hauke (47) Herbert Nosek (c.79) Herbert Prügl (61) Gottfried Trejtnar (c.52)
 
Belgium (7)
Johan Bastin (29) Hervé Biesmans (61) Frank van den Bossche (48) Gaetan Debaere (34) Godfried Dekeyser (46) José Kolles (58) Michel Tuteleers (45)
 
Brazil (6)
Arlindo Aguiar (91) Nélson Brizzi (85) Caio Cunha (c.13) Alfredo Daudt (84) Breno Fornari (82) Rafael Sperafico (26)
 
Canada (5)
Klaus Bartels (79) John Bellefleur (c.56) Pip Graham (76) Jim Paulson (67) Jim Rattenbury (89)
 
Czechia (4)
Jaroslav Bobek (79) Miroslav Fanta (50) Alois Janků (55) Ludĕk Kocman (49)
 
Denmark (1)
Poul Weinreich (74)

 

Ecuador (1)

Gustavo Castro (79)
 
Estonia (4)
Enn Griffel (72) Priit Kasak (40) Arvi Sapas (60) Ain Teppo (48)
 
Finland (4)
Pekka Keskitalo (79) Tapani Mustala (54) Juhani Toivonen (66) Tapio Vanhala (63)
 
France (31)
Gérard Ah Mouck (c.52) Doudou Bangui (59) Pierre Bennehard (44) Roland Biancone (63) Marius dal Bo (93) Laurent Boileau (43) Christian Boy (61) Joël Champs (56) Luc-André Chapus (26) Bernard Emery (59) Frédéric Genestier (35) Jérôme Grallien (30) Yves Guer (53) André Héchard (95) Jacques Heuclin (61) Philippe Maillard-Brune (97) Jimmy Manessier (31) Raoul Martin (95) Michel Meunier (69) Claude Neveu (75) Mikaël Pailler (27) Alain Parisot (54) Frédéric Passetemps (38) Guy Pierron (67) Raymond Prales (56) Ratko Ptiček (51) Jean Rédélé (85) Sylvain Rémy (40) Maurice Robidart (50) Jacques Schwindenhammer (75) Alexandre Yvon (45)
 
Germany (17)
Thomas Asmuth (39) Werner Boller (69) Martin Braungart (66) Hermann Cordes (69) Herbert Hofmann (c.60) Ralf Kleinhenz (c.38) Alfred Kling (82) Willy Krumbach (64) Marcel Manthey (18) Max Mayr (84) Peter Nöcker (79) Mathias Rohlfs (c.45) Peter Schrick (72) Georg Sladky (84) Elmar Sperber (c.40) Wolfgang Strehlow (66) Paul Thiel (83)
 
Great Britain & Northern Ireland (37)
Geoff Anstead (67) Barry Barnes (60) Chas Beattie (c.83) Tim Bevan (31) Bill Blydenstein (78) Cedric Brierley (78) Ken Coffey (80) Tony Davies (47) James Diffey (40) Tony Fall (67) John Gardiner (64) Felicity Golding (61) Frank Gomm (54) Peter Harding (82) Lawrence Hoy (55) Rex King-Clark (94) Henry Koring (93) Bertie Law (58) Ray Lloyd (c.56) Bill Lomas (79) Bill Lowe (83) Colin McRae (39) Robin Montgomerie-Charrington (91) Mick Noden (65) David Phipps (c.74) Bert Ray (68) Robin Richards (86) Geoff Richardson (82) Ken Ridley (??) David Skittrall (68) David Stone (50) Frank Swanston (61) Howard Turner (59) Jeff Uren (81) Harry Webster (89) Gordon Wilkins (94) David Williamson (32)
 
Greece (1)
Níkos Drossos (c.56)
 
Guatemala (1)
Pedro Cofiño (59)
 
Hungary (1)
Petra Perlaky (29)
 
Ireland (3)
Ger Fahy (??) Enda Nolan (c.46) Tom White (c.37)
 
Italy (18)
Piero Beltrandi (56) Ivano Benza (49) Sergio Bettoja (76) Gianni Biglino (c.36) Andrea Catena (c.45) Adelmo Cavatorta (46) Arrigo Cocchetti (c.83) Ilario Corte (c.43) Lisa Costa (??) Domenico Fenocchio (94) Salvatore Genovese (77) Guido Pardini (54) Pietro lo Piccolo (c.75) Bruno Ruffo (86) „Sassa Roll-Bar“ [= Emilio Giammiro] (59) Aldo Serafini (c.56) Vittorio Venturi (71) Gianfranco Viglizzo (c.38)
 
Kazakhstan (1)
Viktor Laptev (65)
 
Kenya (1)
John Ngunjiri (c.49)

Lithuania (1)
Rolandas Šaduikis (34)
 
Netherlands (1)
Alex Post (45)
 
New Zealand (4)
George Begg (77) Pete Kerr (73) Bill Shiells (c.78) Bob Stewart (93)
 
Norway (3)
Jarle Gåsland (31) Finn Jacobsen (73) Thor Strandrud (86)

Paraguay (1)
Roberto di Tore (54)
 
Poland (4)
Maciej Jasiński (63) Stefania Paszkowska (80) Lesław Przewirski (c.85) Jerzy Stopa (60)
 
Portugal (1)
Rui Ginjeira (c.32)
 
Russia (4)
Sergey Chelyakov (c.19) Vladimir Novoseltsev (c.32) Aleksandr Pridatko (60) Vladimir Saponov (34)
 
South Africa (2)
Willie Ferguson (67) Fred Goddard (66)
 
Spain (3)
Demetrio Álvarez (c.30) José Luis Eguíluz (60) Teo Ibáñez (??)
 
Sweden (2)
Gunnar Elmgren (64) Eddie Jacobsson (77)
 
Switzerland (5)
Ernest Buser (75) Toulo de Graffenried (92) Hans Rüesch (94) Heinz Schiller (77) Jörg Wyssbrod (71)

Tanzania (1)
Khalid Bakhresa (22)
 
Ukraine (2)
Andriy Aleksandrov (42) Pavlo Chumakov (28)
 
USA (183)
Chuck Abbott (85) Joe Alexander (93) Lee Anderson (33) Mac Archer (58) Tony Archiere (65) Art Arfons (81) Rino Argento (77)
Randy Barnett (79) Bob Beadle (73) Frank Beardsley (81) Dean Best (66) Barbara Bickham (82) Bill Biddle (61) Art Binkley (86) Jack Birmingham (65) Ralph Blackett (64) John Blewett III (33) Wes Boesel (73) Darrell Bradley (73) Wendell Brewer (67) Dana Brittingham (43) Ray Brown (85) Herb Bryers (80) Bob Burdick (70) Larry Burton (73)
Jim Campbell (69) Loren Card (82) Gordon Casey (79) Joe Cogbill (73) Tommy Comerford (70) Bob Consani (74) Sam Conway (60) Lee Cornish (90) Tony Cortes (72) Jimmy Crawford (62)
Darrell Dake (79) Del Dalrymple (49) Dirk Davis (44) Dorothy Deen (85) MeMe DeSantis Sr. (82) Rusty Dixon (32) Lou Dombal (83) Joe Donahue (80) Leroy Donley (68) Dan Dulude (52) „Jack Duncan“ [= Al Powell] (79)
Dick Eagan (87) Billy Earl (79) Bud Ekins (77) Christian Elder (38) Walt Endy (65)
Sam Faur (56) Larry Flynn (77) Nick Fornoro Sr. (86) Steve Fossett (63) Bill France Jr. (74) Don Freeland (82)
Daniel Gaudiana (85) Don Gay Sr. (60) Shav Glick (87) Johnny Gouveia (79) Jerry Green (72) Tom Green (85) George Grinzewitsch (71)
Billy Hagan (75) Eddie Hamel (70) Bobby Hamilton (49) Bud Harless (83) Rusty Harpe (28) Billie Harvey (57) Dave Helm (63) Roger Henderson Sr. (70) Donald Hill (59) Jake Himes (33) Bob Holbert (84) Glenn Howard (76) Earl Hubert (74) Evard Humphrey (72)
Carl Iavelli (87) Cal Johnson (86) Don Jones (85) Henry Jones (56)
Shorty Kalkwarf (69) Hal Keck (75) Billy Kimmel (27) Jimmy Lee Kitchens (67) John Klug (78) Judy Kondratieff (67) Brad Krause (58) Ted Kropf (47)
Dick Landy (69) Dot Lavey (76) Chuck Lawlor (75) Ray Leisure (74) Roxie Lott (45) Walt Luftman (91)
Dave MacLeod (68) Burl Macon (81) Joe MacPherson (78) Peck Markota (76) Joe Martincic (77) Jack McAfee (84) Bob McClure (67) Earl McDoulett (67) Bob McDowell (88) John McGill (59) Bill McMahill (61) Eric Medlen (33) Fred Meeker (80) Darrel Melvin (52) Morris Metcalfe (81) Red Miley (53) A.J. Miller (22) Richard Millman (69) Kenneth Mitcham (52) Danny Mitchell (74) Mike Murphy (70)
Gerard Nadeau (62) Barney Navarro (88) Bob Nichols (79) Red Nininger (81)
Danny Oakes (95) Lou Pallotta (76) Wally Parks (94) Benny Parsons (65) Bob Petersen (80) Brownie Pitt (92) Garth Pollard (82) Alex Pruett (20)
Joie Ray (83) Leo Ray (82) Frank Riddle (78) Archie Romero (70) Jesse Rose (82) Georgetta Roush (91) Rosie Roussel (84) Meredith Ruark (71) A.I. Runge (79) Ermon Rush (80)
Vince Sardi (91) Tony Saylor (89) Salvatore Scarpitta (88) Harry Schilling (67) Max Schulze (84) Duane Sears (82) Scott Seaton (51) John Seitz (36) J.R. Sell (66) Charlie Sentman (65) Frank Sessoms (74) Dan Shaver (56) Ernie Shaw (64) R.C. Sherman (64) Stan Shoff (78) Ron Simmons (64) Chris Skias (78) Buck Smith (38) Dick Smith (73) Bob Snodgrass (64) Pete Snyder (64) John Soares (88) G.C. Spencer (82) Charles Steadman (72) Bob Stelter (64) Rick Stewart (64) Jerry Summers (40) Eddy Sutton (61) Mike Swims (42) Connie Swingle (72)
Bob Tankersley (80) Johnny Thompson (78) Billy Tibbert (86) Sam Traylor (79) Chuck Ulinski (64)
Milford Wales (69) Dave Ward (66) Smokey Warren (58) Legs Whitcomb (80) Don Wilsey (66) Fritz Wilson (78) Dorus Wisecarver (76)
Ed Yerrington (78) Willie Young (85)
 
Uzbekistan (1)
Sergey Gorbunov (??)

Edited by ReWind, 27 April 2025 - 19:32.

[Haine Kane]

Sad news : French driver André HECHARD passed away in december

http://www.lanouvell...aff=3&num=53817

[Nanni Dietrich]

Sergio Bettoja passed away in the early days of November 2007, aged 76.

A real gentleman driver from Rome, high-level racer as a privateer in international rallies and sportscar races in the 50s and 60s.
In 1962 he shared a Ferrari 250GTO with Carlo Maria Abate in the Tour de France Automobile being disqualified after finishing in 2nd place overall.

[Graham Gauld]

As Nanni says, Sergio was a quiet, calm, charming man whom I got to know very well during the early 1980s and onwards due to my involvement with the Fiat UK motor sport programmes as he was involved with the Lancia racing programmes with the Delta Turbos and the like. I could never get him to talk about his Ferrari exploits as he never wanted any personal publicity.

[Haine Kane]

Find in the last issue "Motorsport" magazine.

Art ARFONS

Tony FALL

[melcornettsdaughte]

My father is Mel Cornett. I would appreciate any stories or any information that anyone may have on him. Many of his trophies were given away so I only have a few for myself and 3 of his grandkids. Any info or copies of pictures would be appreciated. Cindy

[Jim Thurman]

Addendum 2007

I turned up some drivers who made at least one start in NASCAR's top series that passed away in 2007:

Art Binkley, 86, February 3, at New Albany, Indiana. Binkley raced Stock Cars in the Midwest in the 1940's and 1950's, making a total of 5 starts in NASCAR's Grand National series between 1954 and 1957. Those five starts encompassed a list of storied tracks: Daytona's beach and road circuit, Langhorne, the 1.5 mile Memphis-Arkansas Speedway and 2 starts at Martinsville. He suffered career ending injuries in a 1958 accident.

Dick Eagan, 87, May 3, at Lake Panasoffkee, Florida. A member of the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, began in Midgets and moved to Stock Cars. A top racer at Stafford Springs (CT) Speedway, he made 6 NASCAR GN starts between 1950 and 1952, with a career best finish of 3rd at Thompson (CT) in 1951. Suffered career ending injuries in a race at Vernon, New York.

Billie Harvey, 57, September 13, in Florida. Harvey made 8 NASCAR GN starts between 1980 and 1983, all on superspeedways, 1 CART start (Milwaukee 1980), raced in ARCA, IMSA and the All Pro truck series as well as on Florida short tracks in addition to fielding dirt Modifieds. Harvey won ARCA races at Talladega and Michigan and won an All Pro truck race at Atlanta International Raceway. Harvey was involved in a marijuana smuggling ring that involved, among others, driver Gary Balough. Harvey did some jail time for that (see the thread "Racing and drug-related busts").

Ermon Rush, 80, February 9, at Thomasville, North Carolina. Rush made 4 NASCAR GN starts (3 in '53 and 1 in '59) on Carolina short tracks.

Tony "Tony Saylor" Suligoy, 89, October 15, at Joliet, Illinois. Suligoy raced under the name "Tony Saylor" in Midgets and Stock Cars. Suligoy's one NASCAR GN start came driving a Packard in the 1951 'Motor City 250' at the Michigan State Fairgrounds.

Dorus Wisecarver, 76, September 30, at Zanesville, Ohio (resident of Roseville, Ohio). Wisecarver raced in ARCA and the 1967 Daytona 500 as well as being a top dirt track racer around his area of Ohio and West Virginia.

From the U.S. open wheel ranks in 2007, I have not seen the following mentioned:

Duane Sears, 82, a Midget racer, who raced out of Westminster, CA in USAC, URA and USRC and was USRC champion in 1969. August 27 at Bullhead City, Arizona.

Earl ’Rosie’ Roussel, 85, August 9 in Bakersfield, California. 'Rosie' raced the track Roadsters in the San Joaquin Valley (Bakersfield Speedway and Rocky Hill Speedway in Porterville), going on to race Midgets and also Sprint Cars with the CRA.

[Richard Jenkins]

Quote

Originally posted by Jim Thurman
Addendum 2007
Billie Harvey, 57, September 13, in Florida. Harvey made 8 NASCAR GN starts between 1980 and 1983, all on superspeedways, 1 CART start (Milwaukee 1980), raced in ARCA, IMSA and the All Pro truck series as well as on Florida short tracks in addition to fielding dirt Modifieds. Harvey won ARCA races at Talladega and Michigan and won an All Pro truck race at Atlanta International Raceway. Harvey was involved in a marijuana smuggling ring that involved, among others, driver Gary Balough. Harvey did some jail time for that (see the thread "Racing and drug-related busts").

Wow! This is a real shock. The last I knew of him, he was in good health and had moved on from the drugs (if not the drink) and was running a nightclub & a landscaping business in Fort Lauderdale, whilst still attending racing down there - this was from around November 2006. In fact, these latter years were arguably some of the best of his life.
The tribute to him is here but I am surprised this didn't make more news at the time.

[fines]

Quote

Originally posted by Jim Thurman
Earl ’Rosie’ Roussel, 85, August 9 in Bakersfield, California. 'Rosie' raced the track Roadsters in the San Joaquin Valley (Bakersfield Speedway and Rocky Hill Speedway in Porterville), going on to race Midgets and also Sprint Cars with the CRA.

Jim, do you have a birthdate for Rosie? If not, perhaps some of our specialists can find it out, his full name was Earl Oswald Roussel, although I've often seen it spelled "Roussell" fwiw.

Another question for Jim (or anyone else for that matter), do you know how Rosie lost his eye, was it a racing accident? For those who are not familiar with him, Rosie had a glass eye with a chequered flag motif on it!

[ReWind]

Quote

Originally posted by fines
Jim, do you have a birthdate for Rosie? If not, perhaps some of our specialists can find it out.

22 March 1923.
And I have the date of his death as 08 August... (source).

EDIT: Some photos from Rosie Roussel can be seen here. (More photos of the kind there.)

[Jim Thurman]

Quote

Originally posted by fines

Jim, do you have a birthdate for Rosie? If not, perhaps some of our specialists can find it out, his full name was Earl Oswald Roussel, although I've often seen it spelled "Roussell" fwiw.

Another question for Jim (or anyone else for that matter), do you know how Rosie lost his eye, was it a racing accident? For those who are not familiar with him, Rosie had a glass eye with a chequered flag motif on it!

ReWind has it, March 22, 1923 and is also correct on August 8 for date of death (my error for not checking another source for that one). Thank you for correcting that Reinhard

Michael, as far as Rosie's glass eye, I have no idea. Don Radbruch was a close friend of Rosie's, and undoubtedly would have known. Too bad we didn't ask him. I had an e-mail exchange with Don and Rosie a couple of years ago where Rosie had sent along some photos of a California dirt track seeking ID.

This marks two questions, already, that Don could likely have answered

[Haine Kane]

Hello from France,

Yves HERVALET passed away last night at the age 59 .

Yves was a french reporter of TF1 (TV CANAL) and drove in LE MANS (2 starts) Monte Carlo and Andros Trophy.

Link here : http://blog-auto-infos.lci.fr/

Le Mans 24 Hours career
1987 / SAUBER C 6 / Non classée / Distance parcourue insuffisante / Jean-François YVON Hervé BOURJADE
1989 / ALD C 289 / Abandon / 9 ème heure / Fuite d'huile / Louis DESCARTES Alain SERPAGGI

[Vee8]

Frank Kurtis, US-race and sports car builder of Indy 500 fame, would have comemorated his 100th birthday on the 25th of January.

But there are conflicting dates on his passing. I got 17th of January 1987, Wikipedia simply states "February" and there's no indication at all as to where he and how he passed away.

Does anyone have precise infomation?

Mario Bauer
The Grand Prix Insider blog www.grandprixinsider.wordpress.com

[Richard Jenkins]

Quote

Originally posted by Vee8
Frank Kurtis, US-race and sports car builder of Indy 500 fame, would have comemorated his 100th birthday on the 25th of January.

But there are conflicting dates on his passing. I got 17th of January 1987, Wikipedia simply states "February" and there's no indication at all as to where he and how he passed away.

Does anyone have precise infomation?

Mario Bauer
The Grand Prix Insider blog www.grandprixinsider.wordpress.com

17 Feb 1987

That came from the SSDI, and many other sources. Died of natural causes.

[Nanni Dietrich]

Sad news.
Prince Jorge de Bagration passed away on 16 January 2008, aged 63.

[ReWind]

Quote

Originally posted by ReWind
Tony Ambrose (1965 RAC Rally winning co-driver) died on Saturday, January 5th, 2008.

This is his obituary from The Independent by Martin Holmes (source).

Quote

John Anthony Ambrose, rally driver: born Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire 12 August 1933; twice married (two daughters); died Newbury, Berkshire 5 January 2008.

Tony Ambrose was the forerunner of the great British co-drivers who have helped shape successes in international rallying over the last 40 years. Although best known as a member of the remarkable BMC rally team of the 1960s, it was in a private Aston Martin that he first came to fame, as the co-driver in the three-man crew that won the RAC Rally (now the Wales Rally GB) in 1956.

Ambrose grew up in the Cotswalds, where his father owned a small farm-machinery business. He was educated at Chipping Norton Grammar School, gaining a scholarship in 1951 to read Natural Sciences at Jesus College, Oxford, an achievement that won him a 1948 MG TC (red with red leather upholstery) from his father. His interest in rallying began at university, where he sought out fellow motorsport enthusiasts and re-founded the Oxford University Motor Drivers' Club (after a ban by the Proctors), serving as Secretary and then President. The club became one of the strengths in British clubman's rally motorsport in the 1960s.

In 1960 Ambrose was invited to join the fledgling BMC rally team, and competed in cars ranging from 850 Minis to Austin Westminster A105s, though it was the Mini Cooper S and Austin Healey 3000 cars that were most competitive in those days. International successes soon came, with class victories on the 1961 Tulip (in Holland, Belgium and eastern France), the 1962 RAC, the 1963 Alpine (from Marseilles into the Alps) and outright victory on the 1964 Tulip. His greatest win had to be the last traditional Spa-Sofia-Liege event, which took place later on in 1964.

The 1964 Spa-Sofia-Liege was by general consensus the toughest road rally ever held in Europe, an event of a format that could never be held these days. The champion driver Rauno Aaltonen still praises Ambrose's part in their momentous victory in a Austin Healey 3000. Crews faced four days and nights with no scheduled chance to sleep:

Tony planned it all, he forced me to sleep even at moments when I wasn't so tired. He even drove one 77-mile section at night in 52 minutes. We were going at maximum speed, 150 mph, on cobbled roads amid unlit horses and carts, yet he was such a safe driver I slept through it all! He could have been just as good a driver as he was a co-driver.

Nineteen sixty-five was a special year for Ambrose. He co-drove Aaltonen to the European Rally Championship title, then the sport's top international series, and finished the season with a second victory in his home event, the RAC Rally in Britain. During the year BMC concentrated on events in which competition was less daunting but where logistics were very difficult: victories came at the Geneva Rally, in Czechoslovakia, in Poland, and then in the Three Cities Rally, which went from Germany to Hungary.

BMC was the only official team in which Ambrose competed, but it was a classic team made up of the top drivers of the day including Paddy Horkirk, Timo Makinen and Simo Lampinen. Ambrose continued with BMC until 1966, when he succumbed to pressure from his business and his family to spend more time at home. This was the year when the British teams were excluded from the Monte Carlo Rally en masse for fitting a controversial lighting system, so Ambrose's last rally was the 1966 RAC Rally. He drove a Mini with Simo Lampinen, who well remembers them rolling their car.

It was a disaster. When we rolled, all of Tony's maps had flown out of the battered car and were scattered around Wales, but we both saw no reason why we could not carry on. In the end the team manager Stuart Turner said the car looked more like a church on wheels than a car, and for that reason we had to stop.

Ambrose still had a lot of time for the sport he loved after he gave up racing, and undertook much of the organisation for the first inter-continental rally, the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon, and the London-Mexico Rally two years later, both ground-breaking projects in their day. He is remembered as a quiet man, unusually methodical in his work and a great enthusiast. Aaltonen is seen as the thinking man's rally driver but he admits, "I learned all that from Tony.

He taught me so much, like rallying was not just about understanding the sport but understanding the culture of the people in various countries. People from my country, Finland, where we tend to look at the world from the top of a chimney, needed down-to-earth people like him to get the best out of us.

The BMC rallying team was very much an effort where people worked together for the best of the team itself. "Tony just wanted the best results. When he had to give up, he openly recommended me to fellow co-driver Henry Liddon. It was good advice. Henry and I went on to win the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally together. Tony relished a challenge, because it was something to think about and solve."

Stuart Turner said: "I always thought of Tony as being the most intellectual part of our team, and he was also an interesting bridge between the old school of gentleman rally competitors and the coming generation of professionals". Turner's fellow BMC team manager Bill Price remembers Ambrose as a most capable driver in his own right, a great asset on endurance events such as the Spa-Sofia-Liege.

He was also instrumental in developing the science of pace-noting, a technique which was then in its infancy. And it wasn't just a matter of finding ways of going quicker round the corners, it was also about finding the correct route, because the organisers' instructions in those days were far from perfect.

Outside rallying Tony Ambrose was involved a family decorating business in Basingstoke and running a tavern in Wales. He was one of the oldest surviving winners of the RAC Rally event, and had hoped to attend the Wales Rally GB 75 years' celebration last month but ill health prevented his appearance.

[ReWind]

January 2008 has been a dismal month. For me (because my dear mum passed away on the 3rd) but also for the motorsport community who lost the following ones:
date name (Nat) age born

Jan 01 Henri Cabaniols (Fra) c.61

Jan 01 Don Radbruch (USA) 83 14/04/24

Jan 03 Jimmy Stewart (GBr) 76 06/03/31

Jan 05 Tony Ambrose (GBr) 74 12/08/33

Jan 05 Mel Cornett (USA) 71 22/05/36

Jan 10 Harry Blumer (Sui) 70 22/04/37

Jan 10 Hank Schoolfield (USA) 79 05/07/28

Jan 16 Jorge de Bagratión (Esp) 63 22/02/44

Jan 17 Tony Dean (GBr) 75 23/07/32

Jan 18 Richard Drewett (GBr) 72 22/10/35

Jan 22 Anders Olofsson (Swe) 55 31/03/52

Jan 23 Yves Hervalet (Fra) 59 19/01/49

Jan 27 Peter Ashcroft (GBr) 79 09/05/28

Jan 27 Marcello Sabbatini (Ita) 81 20/10/26

[Tim Murray]

So sorry to hear about your Mum, Reinhard. Sincere condolences to you and all your family.

[Richard Jenkins]

Very sorry to hear that, Reinhard, you have my deepest sympathies.

Janaury 2008 is one month I'd be happy to forget too, and that table above is just a small part of it. RIP to all.

[Haine Kane]

I've just read the news about your mother, Reinhard, accept my condolences.

[Nanni Dietrich]

On 26 November 2007 Pietro Lo Piccolo passed away, aged 75.
One of the greatest drivers from Sicily, eight times Targa Florio starter, winner of the Italian Sportscar Championship 2-litre class in 1970, he raced a Ferrari Dino 206S for several years. In 1972 he changed the body of the car with the Ferrari 212E original body he received from Ferrari.
Enzo Ferrari listed his name in his own book "Piloti, che gente".

[fines]

Reinhard, mein (verspätetes) Beileid!

[HistoryFan]

Early Sauber (teammanager)- and Red Bull teammember Walter Toschnig died last Friday in the age of 68.

[raoul leDuke]

Jerry Karl, 6 time Indianapolis 500 Starter, died Saturday, February 16, 2008, in Baltimore County, Md., as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He started racing at Freeport Stadium on Long Island in 1957. Jerry competed in ARDC, ATQMRA, URC,and USAC in the Midget,Sprint,Silver Crown,Formula 5000, and Indianpolis Cars. Jerry raced in the Indy 500 in 1973,1974,1975,1978,1980 and 1981.

[fines]

That's very

In the "big time", Jerry was never more than an also-ran, but he was mighty good to get there in the first place! People often tend to forget that... Also, Jerry did a lot of his own building and engineering, he ran his own Sprint Car in the days of URC (and successfully, he was Rookie of the Year and won several races), and who could forget his "ground effects" McLaren M24 (or was it even a 16?) adaption at Indy in the early eighties! Top bloke, and twenty years of top level racing, even if usually at the back

[rateus]

Terrible news indeed

Here's a link to a set pf photos posted by his nephew covering Jerry's career

www.flickr.com/photos/millerracers2000/sets/72157603720064481/

RIP

[Richard Jenkins]

*sigh* Another one gone in this awful year. What a tremendous shame. Probably a better driver than a lot of people gave him credit for. RIP

[rx-guru]

Piet Dam, International Dutch Rallycross Champion 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1986 with BMW 320 and BMW 320 Turbo 4WD, passed away on February 20 at the age of just 61 years, due to pancreas cancer. In 1981 Piet became the runner-up to title winner Martin "Mister Rallycross" Schanche in the FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers. Perhaps some of you remember TV commentator Murray Walker saying: “Piet Dam wins [his heat] as he looks through a completely clear windscreen which is, of course, the advantage of being in front.” Walker had not even finished his words when Piet drove straight into the Lydden Circuit banking, due to a stuck in full gas position throttle-cable, to shorten his BMW 320 by at least half-a-metre…

[ReWind]

Piet Dam's obituary in Dutch (3 pages).

[raoul leDuke]

Granville W. "Buster" Warke, one of the last surviving American racing drivers pre World War II, died at Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday at the age of 93. Born in Palmerton, Buster was an Indianapolis mechanic for many years and then a restorer of old racing cars. He was the last survivor of the group of American drivers who sailed to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January, 1939, aboard the steamer SS Brazil to race midgets at Huracan Stadium. Buster was a consultant to the AACA Race car Certification committees and his memory and expertise was unrivaled.

[rx-guru]

Quote

Originally posted by ReWind
Piet Dam's obituary in Dutch (3 pages).

At least 60% of my information as well as 5 of my pictures and 1 cartoon (by my friend, Austrian pen-pusher Richard Hicker) nicked from here: http://www.erc24.com/. Nothing but a breach of copyright, no permission requested nor any credit given with the pics…

Apropos: Mijn pa heeft ook nooit fietsen gepikkt van iemand zijn oma of opa in Nederland, want die zat in Rusland destijds! :

[ReWind]

Quote

Originally posted by rx-guru
Nothing but a breach of copyright, no permission requested nor any credit given with the pics…

Eddi, if I had known this I wouldn't have posted that link. If you want it to be removed or be replaced by the original link, of course, I will do it.

[rx-guru]

Quote

Originally posted by ReWind
Eddi, if I had known this I wouldn't have posted that link. If you want it to be removed or be replaced by the original link, of course, I will do it.

Reinhard, I do not blame you at all. Leave it as it is now. The problem with my own link is that one cannot get into the story without to sign a subscription for ERC24. However, I think I’m going to contact those Dutch website geezers on Monday…

[rx-guru]

Reinhard, everything okay now, agreed a solution with the editor-in-chief of the website today.

And for those who do not understand this illness in the throad usually called Dutch language here the original English text done for ERC24:

Piet Dam (23.10.1945 – 20.02.2008)



We are very sad to report the death of former Dutch Rallycross star and 1981 ERC vice-champion Piet Dam, who died this morning at the age of just 61 years, after living for just a couple of months with the knowledge of his serious illness. To those of you who would like to send an expression of sympathy to the Dam family, please use the email address p.dam12@chello.nl.

Piet Dam was born on October 23 1946 at Puttershoek in the Netherlands. I actually don’t know when he started to do Rallycross, possibly with a Ford Cortina, but remember seeing him the first time when he was driving a BMW 2002 Turbo. Prior to the 1978 ERC he built a new 235+bhp 2.0-litre BMW 320 that was good enough to ensure him seventh place overall in the series as well as a fine third place in the Touring Car category, behind the new European champion Martin Schanche (Ford Escort RS1800) and Swede Stig Emilsson (VW 1303S Turbo). In 1979 Piet fitted his 320 with a 2.1-litre engine which EPN Tuning of Mönchengladbach in Germany claimed produced nearly 270bhp. With Levi's-sponsorship the Dinitrol rust fighter from Maasdam claimed a remarkable sixth place overall despite scoring points in only four of the nine ERC rounds. In 1980, 1981 and 1982 there was a two car team under the banner of the Hak Pipelines company, one BMW 320 was driven by Piet and the other by his compatriot Tinus Korevaar. Piet made it once again to sixth overall in the ERC, his most scary 1980 moment came at Hämeenlinna in Finland, where he – among half-a-dozen other victims of a banking that was later removed – rolled his car.

With the backing of Hak Pipelines in 1981 Piet came very close to winning the European title. With a new 2.3-litre engine that produced about 300bhp he won the Swedish ERC round to take the early lead of the ten round series. After the Danish round Martin Schanche was in front for the first time, but after Belgium the order was reversed again. The Dutch round was claimed by Schanche, but Dam’s third place produced an ex-aequo situation for the two opponents. However, after Schanche had won both the French and British rounds, and Dam had smashed his BMW with full gas (due to a stuck throttle) into the banking after the Lydden finish line, the Norwegian claimed his third European title while the Dutchman became the runner-up. Perhaps some of you remember the legendary TV commentator Murray Walker saying: “Piet Dam wins as he looks through a completely clear windscreen which is, of course, the advantage of being in front.” Walker had not even finished his words when Piet drove straight into the banking to shorten his 320 by at least half-a-metre…

Between 1982 and 1986 Piet Dam concentrated on his native Rallycross championships and appeared only occasionally in some rounds of the ERC. He claimed the International Dutch Rallycross titles of 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1986, losing the 1983 Dutch series to Swede Rolf “Myggan” Nilsson (Porsche 911 SC) but being the runner-up that year. In 1984 Piet presented his BMW 320 with a self-made 4WD system and proved immediately its competitiveness. For 1985 and 1986 he replaced the normally aspirated engine with a turbocharged motor, but when in 1987 the Group B monsters arrived at the scene Piet had already thrown in his towel.

We at ERC24 extend our sympathies to his family and his uncounted friends. I, myself will always remember Piet as a very kind and humble character who never tried to put himself in the limelight. Not only the World of Rallycross has lost a sincere and cordial man – may he rest in peace. E.L.

[fines]

Quote

Originally posted by raoul leDuke
Granville W. "Buster" Warke, one of the last surviving American racing drivers pre World War II, died at Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday at the age of 93. Born in Palmerton, Buster was an Indianapolis mechanic for many years and then a restorer of old racing cars. He was the last survivor of the group of American drivers who sailed to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January, 1939, aboard the steamer SS Brazil to race midgets at Huracan Stadium. Buster was a consultant to the AACA Race car Certification committees and his memory and expertise was unrivaled.

Oh, that's terrible!

Sure, nobody can go on forever, but Bus was sharp as a knife even in his nineties! Raced from 1935 to 1956, always in the top league (AAA/USAC) Sprint Car races, and winner of many. Also build his own Champ Car out of the remains of Ted Horn's death car and the Walsh/Offenhauser, former 4wd Miller. Top chief mechanic on Indy and Champ Cars for many years, before and after his retirement as a driver. A true original, RIP!

[Marc Ceulemans]

Paul Frère died this Saturday (23 February 2008)...

http://www.lesoir.be...24-579739.shtml

[Bob Riebe]

Quote

Originally posted by fines
That's very

In the "big time", Jerry was never more than an also-ran, but he was mighty good to get there in the first place! People often tend to forget that... Also, Jerry did a lot of his own building and engineering, he ran his own Sprint Car in the days of URC (and successfully, he was Rookie of the Year and won several races), and who could forget his "ground effects" McLaren M24 (or was it even a 16?) adaption at Indy in the early eighties! Top bloke, and twenty years of top level racing, even if usually at the back

As you posted the above AFTER this was written: Jerry competed in 79 races during sixteen seasons between 1969 and 1984 with a career best finish of 7th at the Ontario Motor Speedway in 1974. Those who watched the nationally televised CART race at Phoenix in 1980 will forever remember Jerry Karl. Driving his own "Karl" chassis in which he heavily reworked an aging McLaren M-16 chassis in his Wellsville, Pennsylvania shop, Jerry thrilled all those in attendance and those watching on television. Jerry battled his Lew Parks wrenched Chevy stock-block car through the field by passing Mario Andretti in his heavily financed Penske PC-9B into second place. Jerry playing the role of the classic underdog, he fought off Andretti to the delight of the cheering crowd, unfortunately, engines woes sidelined him late in the race. Anybody who watched that race may have forgotten Tom Sneva eventually won, but nobody forgot Jerry Karl's spirited run.

WHY did you have write the derogatory remarks, when quote above you knew already existed proved he was FAR MORE than just an also ran.
Very poor manners.

Bob

[Bob Riebe]

Quote

Originally posted by fines


I'm sorry if I hit a nerve, but my post was certainly not meant to be derogatory! Re-reading it I can't for the world understand how you would get the impression... Poor manners???

Also, maybe your other post preceded mine, but I wrote it before I read yours, so your argument is not valid. However, perhaps it is valid after all when I say that someone who never finishes in the top 6 in almost eighty starts is the epitome of an also-ran for me?

Puzzled of Bitburg

If you cannot figure out why your disrespectful post is derogatory, no amount of logic will ever over-ride arrogant bile.
Bob

PS--You insisted on posting this worthless bile at the thread dedicated to Jerry Karl, even after the first post showed how he ran with, ahead of the Great Mario Andretti, in a car he built himself.
How may times did you race Andretti in a car you built yourself, on a budget less than Andretti was paid to drive?

I posted this on another thread here at TNF, before this one was opened: quote: Originally posted by fines That's very In the "big time", Jerry was never more than an also-ran, but he was mighty good to get there in the first place! People often tend to forget that... Also, Jerry did a lot of his own building and engineering, he ran his own Sprint Car in the days of URC (and successfully, he was Rookie of the Year and won several races), and who could forget his "ground effects" McLaren M24 (or was it even a 16?) adaption at Indy in the early eighties! Top bloke, and twenty years of top level racing, even if usually at the back

[ReWind]

This is "my" thread. Therefore I would be grateful if all posts since # 146 would be deleted by their authors. Thank you very much.

[Bob Riebe]

Quote

Originally posted by ReWind
This is "my" thread. Therefore I would be grateful if all posts since # 146 would be deleted by their authors. Thank you very much.

NO, there was no reason for belittling Jerry Karl.

Get the mods to do it.

[raoul leDuke]

Ashley Cooper died 25/2/2008 as a result of injuries sustained in the Clipsal 500 V8 Supercars race in Adelaide on the 23/2/2008.

Ashley Cooper was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He started racing in 1998 driving Holden HQ sedans. He led the 2005 Commodore Cup championship for most of the year, but finished fourth at the final round at Eastern Creek Raceway. In 2006, Cooper took the V8 Utes Rookie of the Year title.

For 2007 he competed in three rounds of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series with a top 15 finish at Queensland Raceway.

He was competing in the second Fujitsu V8 Supercar Development Series race of 2008, the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide on 23 February, when he appeared to clip the inside of turn eight before sliding sideways into the wall on the exit at over 200 kph and spinning onto the inside of the track. He was given emergency medical treatment trackside from medical teams, including Dr Bill Griggs, who performed a tracheotomy to assist with Cooper's breathing. He was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and put on life support but died two days later from severe head and internal injuries.