How did you find Brisca F1 Stock Cars?
My dad used to go to the old Belle Vue a lot in the 1960s before he got married, so when the track at Blackburn opened, not half a mile from our house, he took me and my brother along, thinking we might like it. He was right! We have only got vague memories of those first meetings, but it obviously made some sort of impression.
What gave you the incentive to race
Dave Willis (337) and Dave Russo (49) both telling me that I would never have the balls to race an F1 stock car!
First Car - Built, Bought or Borrowed
I raced two cars, both borrowed from Dave Willis, with an "ultra-lightweight" aerofoil loaned by Dave Russo. The plan was for Ken Kelly (320) and myself to take turns racing the spare 337 car through the 2007 season. Unfortunately, Ken had a nasty accident at Skegness and the roof was cut off it. Dave built a new car for tarmac, and I raced what then became his shale car.
Memory of your first race.
"I was either nervous or excited in the morning, to the point that I could not eat my breakfast. But once I had got in the car, I felt okay. I remember it was the girls that seemed a lot more apprehensive about me racing than I was. I had never driven an F1 stock car before until I came to do my novice five laps, so I really was straight in at the deep end. The first thing that hit me was the noise of the engine and the way the car would shake when I revved it. The second thing was just how difficult it was to drive, even in a straight line.
"
Best Racing Memory
In some ways it is both the best memory, and the worse one. It was in the Consolation at Knockhill. I had gone wide around the hairpin bend, and I could see a train of cars behind me so I stayed on the outside to be out of the way. As I started to turn into the bend, 255 Eric Brown came up the inside and locked his wheels up in front of me. I went straight into the back of him and put him almost flat out into one of the big marker tyres. He went flying, and landed on his side in front of me. It was genuinely a total accident, although on the video clip it does look like a deliberate fencing. I can vividly remember how he just appeared from nowhere, the noise when I hit him, and how hard I was flung forward when we hit the tyres. My left foot smacked into the bulk head (lucky I was wearing steel toe cap boots or I would have probably have broken some bones) and my arms went forward so hard that the steering wheel bent like a banana. It hurt a lot more than I let on at the time.
Worst Racing Memory
During practice at Birmingham, there was a bit of a problem with the engine cutting out while ticking over, and then the starter broke in the pits before the first race. I knew that if it stalled in the race I would not be able to start it again. A few people said I would be better off not racing. John Lund (ex-95) said "Don't be so bloody soft!", and then Dave told me to stop fannying around and get in! It was his car, so fair enough! It had been raining hard and the track was slippery. I only managed a few laps before I almost spun myself out with a bit too much right foot. I just about held it but then the engine cut out. I spent the next 14 laps sat almost on the racing line with the rest of the cars thundering by about an inch away, so close that the car shook with every car that went past. If I had have been hit, I would have almost certainly have got hurt, so it was not nice. Great view, though!
Reason for Retiring
I haven't officially retired yet. Those Mat Newson hire cars look tempting, although common sense tells me that I am probably too old and past it now.
After Retiring - What Then?
Over the years, I have been an occasional scribe, amateur statto, forum moderator, website guy, small time sponsor, pit crew when times were desperate, and of course a now-and-again rubbish F1 driver. These days I am back to just being a fan.
