24 replies to this topic

[cosworth bdg]

What happened to Australian Formula Ford driver from the early 1970's , and where is he now.???

[Leo D]

As far as I know, he went to England using the prize he won as the first winner of the Formula Ford "Driver To Europe" series here in 1970....

I think he latter became involved in a car dealership of some sort....

[Ray Bell]

Yes, he certainly won the trip and went to England...

And I think you're right about him getting into a car dealership too. Mainly Melbourne between 1971 and 1974 would probably answer that.

[Twin Window]

I took a cockpit shot of Richard at the final round of the 1973 F5000 championship at Brands, where he was driving the Kitchmac. Some six or so years later, after I'd joined Autosport, I was talking to him on the 'phone and mentioned said photo which he asked if he could borrow in order to get a print made.

I duly posted the slide to him - and never saw it again! He was running Richard Knight Cars at the time, IIRC...

[Ray Bell]

Hmmm... if he got to F5000, I wonder why he never got himself a drive in the Tasman (or the races that succeeded the Tasman...) at some time?

Maybe that's why he wanted the pic? You'd better track him down, Twinny...

[Ray Bell]

...and now Max mentions that he stayed in Richard's flat in London in 1977 or 1978... and that Richard was involved in a Mazda dealership with Alan Jones that went down the tube...

[Twin Window]

Max... Stewart? Are you reading old mags, Ray?

[David McKinney]

I thought he meant Max Stahl
But then, as we all know, you have to be a mind-reader to follow some of Ray's posts

[Ray Bell]

That's right, David...

Poor young Twinny, hasn't been around long enough to know of my association with C M Stahl.

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by Ray Bell

Poor young Twinny...

[Ray Bell]

Obviously I didn't dent your ego...

Max and I have worked together on a range of projects over the years, notably Racing Car News for over five years in the seventies.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Poor young Twinny, hasn't been around long enough to know of my association with C M Stahl.

Geography rather than age, I would think Ray
I doubt if many people outside Australasia have ever heard of Max Stahl

[Ray Bell]

Ssshhh! Don't let him hear you say that!

Actually, it's not true. He's got quite a list of friends in the sport in far-flung parts of the world, and he has competed in a couple of London-Sydney Marathons.

And I didn't mean age, really... rather Twinny's short-ish time on this forum...

Though there has been about fifty mentions of him on this forum, with enough detail to form some kind of conclusion about who he is.

[rocco1504]

I had to join this site, just for the very personal pleasure, of replying to this post, and to maybe share some of my very special childhood memories.

But back to this first, I have a photograph of myself at about 10 years old sitting in Richard Knight's F5000, with his "SuperRoo" Silver and Green Crash Helmet on, which he actually gave to me at the end of that particular racing season, as my father was a good friend of his at the time.

I'll have to have a talk with my mother, and see if she can remember any more specific details, as my fathers no longer with us.

Also, my father worked for Wiggins Teape in Croydon in the 60's/ 70's, and had a lot to do with their Paperchase Racing series, he was press officer/ photographer or something like that, and we were always being taken all over the country to diffrenet race meets, as I remember he was good friends with a lot of the top drivers in the Touring car scene at the time, Frank Gardener, Brian Muir, Mike Crabtree Etc., I have some intresting pics, taken by me at Crystal Palace, on a box brownie, of various cars/ drivers in the paddock, but I cannot post them as they are Transparencies, and i'm not sure how to do it.

Apologies for my lack of knowledge, but it sometimes seems like those time were just a dream, and it's difficult to remember.

Thanks for taking me back

[Alan Cox]

Welcome, rocco. I look forward to some of your memories of the saloon car days - there is a tread on 60s and 70s saloon car racing, don't know if you have found it yet

http://forums.autosp...y=&pagenumber=1
I hope that you can get some assistance to post your photos or, better still, get hold of your own scanner. They can be obtained for little money these days, and some self-confessed IT dummies (me included) manage to post pics here.

[alansart]

Originally posted by rocco1504
I had to join this site, just for the very personal pleasure, of replying to this post, and to maybe share some of my very special childh
Also, my father worked for Wiggins Teape in Croydon in the 60's/ 70's, and had a lot to do with their Paperchase Racing series, he was press officer/ photographer or something like that, and we were always being taken all over the country to diffrenet race meets, as I remember he was good friends with a lot of the top drivers in the Touring car scene at the time, Frank Gardener, Brian Muir, Mike Crabtree Etc., I have some intresting pics, taken by me at Crystal Palace, on a box brownie, of various cars/ drivers in the paddock, but I cannot post them as they are Transparencies, and i'm not sure how to do it.

Ah, the days when saloon car drivers were friends

I had my own Wiggins Teape Camaro Slot Car as well as Gardners version. I also spent some time at Crystal Palace in those days, so look forward to some photos for the obvious nostalgic reasons.

Cheers,

Alan Raine

Just realised this is about Richard knight not photos. I remember Richard Knight but am trying to remember what he drove. Titan rings a bell or possibly an Alexis?

[rocco1504]

Hi Alan
You'll probably be able to tell me what car it was when I post it.

Your saying about when drivers were friends prompted another strong memory, and that was the things I used to get up to after the racing was over, ,like walking as far as my constitution then would let me, around the track, picking up various parts torn off of cars in battles for placings, the most memorable being a dust up between 2 Camaro's and an escort along the start strait at Silverstone, I can see all the bits of Fibreglass whirling through air as I write, I used to have one of Graham Hill's Gold front wings, but it all got lost in the mists of time.

As For the driver's/ Friends bit, were the enormous parties in the press marquees in the evenings, where everyone got together and got merry, and i'm sure a few arguments as to "who did what to who" on that days racing were sorted out, and going to bed late after gallons of Coke and rich food, and probably the odd glass of wine, as my dad was pretty cool about that sort of thing.

Happy, Happy Days


P.S. As for the Slot Cars, if you tell me they were Rico kits, with foam tyres, I think i'll cry, I had 2 Falcons, that I used to beat my dad with on a regular basis.

[alansart]

ano

Originally posted by rocco1504
Hi Alan
You'll probably be able to tell me what car it was when I post it.

Your saying about when drivers were friends prompted another strong memory, and that was the things I used to get up to after the racing was over, ,like walking as far as my constitution then would let me, around the track, picking up various parts torn off of cars in battles for placings, the most memorable being a dust up between 2 Camaro's and an escort along the start strait at Silverstone, I can see all the bits of Fibreglass whirling through air as I write, I used to have one of Graham Hill's Gold front wings, but it all got lost in the mists of time.

As For the driver's/ Friends bit, were the enormous parties in the press marquees in the evenings, where everyone got together and got merry, and i'm sure a few arguments as to "who did what to who" on that days racing were sorted out, and going to bed late after gallons of Coke and rich food, and probably the odd glass of wine, as my dad was pretty cool about that sort of thing.

Happy, Happy Days


P.S. As for the Slot Cars, if you tell me they were Rico kits, with foam tyres, I think i'll cry, I had 2 Falcons, that I used to beat my dad with on a regular basis.

My comments regarding drivers is a little bit of a dig at the current BTCC situation with the likes of Plato and Neal bashing each other on the track and then later on the TV. I first saw racing in, the flesh, at Crystal Palace, Brands & Silverstone in 1969. The likes of Muir, Gardner and Fitzpatrick etc. were intense competitors but at the same time had a great deal of respect for each other. That's something that seems to have been lost in modern racing. I raced Formula Ford for about 12 years. I knew before I started it wasn't going to be a career, but it could be fun, so I found somewhere to race where it was friendly and spent many happy years plodding around various circuits with a bunch of similar drivers enjoying ourselves. Due to finance and politics those days may be gone.

Slot Cars. I was in Area 6 of ECRA. We built our own cars and raced them on various tracks around the South East.

I think there maybe another member here who did the same?

[Leo D]

Does anybody remember Richard Knight running a Mini here in Australia?....

I'm pretty sure I've got a picture of it here somewhere.... yellow with black stripes.... taken in the pits at Calder. I'm figuring it was before he got the Stilwell ride in the Formula Ford....

[Ray Bell]

Yes, I recall that Richard's car was an 1100, I'm sure...

He also drove the Escort while at Stillwell's. Didn't he come to notice because of his prowess in the Mini?

[Leo D]

I'm not sure on the capacity Ray.... I do remember him in the "Mini" dominated races at Calder. I say dominated, because I think the race was decided by capacity, but dominated by Minis.... Peter Manton almost always being the victor unless he had a problem, which was rarely. Other players were Jim Smith, Ted Brewster (who I think still has his?) and of course Brian Foley when he was down from Sydney. 1310cc was the size of the front runners from memory.

I've found this photo (not so good) of the car being wheeled out on the grid at Calder. I'm sure I have another (better) pic of it somewhere. The date on the slide says JAN... doesn't have a year, but I'm thinking early 1969.





The edits are me trying to change the image size :

[ellrosso]

Yes, the Mini was Richard's ticket to FF with Stillwell's. After his racing career petered out in the UK he became more involved with car sales at Chequered Flag Motors and I don't think he raced again. He was certainly well regarded here with his Mini and the Elfin FF.Had a mention in Autosportsman's "Up and Comer's" segment in a 1969 isssue from memory.
Cheers, Lindsay Ross

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Leo D
Ted Brewster (who I think still has his?)

Believe so and still as fast as ever in a Mini

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Leo D
Does anybody remember Richard Knight running a Mini here in Australia?....

I'm pretty sure I've got a picture of it here somewhere.... yellow with black stripes.... taken in the pits at Calder. I'm figuring it was before he got the Stilwell ride in the Formula Ford....

His mini cooper's' was built and devevloped by Richard Scott of Melbourne at the time long, before Stillwells took Knight on board for the F/F Drive...

[normbeechey]

According to an article in "The Sun" newspaper, Richard debuted the Stillwell Escort at Calder on the 28th of January 1970. From memory he only raced the Escort once before switching to the Elfin Formula Ford.

By that time he had already co-driven the Stilwell Ford Falcon GTHO with Peter Larner (Sandown enduro maybe?)