How did you find Brisca F1 Stock Cars?
My Dad was into stock cars and from a very young age, 5, would go to Harringay, Walthamstow, Brafield to watch, just about remember the Alan and Doug Wardropper, with my elder brother supporting one and me the other.
What gave you the incentive to race
I moved up to Northamptonshire from Hertfordshire, and went to work for John and Barry Rogers, formerly #269 and #270, in the bodyshop. Then I starting to help them at race meetings and in the evenings throughout the week.
First Car - Built, Bought or Borrowed
Then after a couple of years John went on holiday and offered me the chance to borrow his car and have a go at a Brafield meeting. Having stockcars in my blood for some 15 years I lept at the opportunity to race an F1 after years of watching. Needless to say when he retuned from holiday we began work on a new car for him and I used his old one on a regular basis for a number of years.
Memory of your first race.
The noise, the acceleration, the physical demands of driving one of these beasts and the seat belt marks left on your skin after being hit hard!
Best Racing Memory
Believe it or not, although I'd won a few heats, the most memorable was finishing as the highest placed non red top, 8th, in the Daily Mirror Grand Prix Finale Final at Brafield, behind most of the top drivers in the sport. It was just the most enjoyable "race" I've taken part in, instead of just trying to avoid barrels (yes they were still around then!) and other cars to get to the finish.
Worst Racing Memory
Turning up for the World of Sport televised meeting at Brafield too late to practice going out for my heat and expecting the car to go as well as usual around there and finding it handled absolutely awful. We'd been to Skeggy the previous week and suffered a lot of damage, rush to repair it, and not noticed that the rear suspension was damaged thrown out the stagger on the rear axle, as a consequence I couldn't kick the car round.
Reason for Retiring
Changed jobs, and despite still keeping in contact with John, the working hours of the new job just didn't allow the time to dedicate to racing, both taking part and watching, which was just not the same after being out there racing..
After Retiring - What Then?
After a break from going to meetings for a number of years, mainly most of the '90's started to attend the odd meeting mainly Coventry, Brafield with the odd Kings Lynn thrown in and World Finals, thought about trying to borrow or rent a car since but I think it's for the young 'uns now, who have no fear and quick reactions (as well as a big bank balance!)
