How did you find Brisca F1 Stock Cars?
My dad took me to the 69 world final at belle vue
What gave you the incentive to race
I was a boy so i wanted to. After leaving the army i took over a motor repair garage and there was a shed on the side big enough to house a stock car. Whilst in Germany i had done a little bit of rallying and some banger racing, german style. The bug was always there.
First Car - Built, Bought or Borrowed
First car was the Untouchable bought off John Jebson for £250 as a rolling chassis. Put a 400 ford in it from Rodley motors, made a bell housing out of a 16" truck wheel and stuck a commer gox on it. What a bag of sh rubbish that engine was.
Memory of your first race.
White City mcr. Started at the back and thought i was going well. Then the whites came through, then the yellows,the blues,the reds. Then Smithy came past and i thought at that moment i had put it in reverse! Car also went slower and slower as the race went on. Back in the pits, all the plug leads had melted. No one told us we needed heat resistant plug leads !
Best Racing Memory
A few really. 3rd in the final at Rochdale to Stuart and Harry Smith, consolation win at a Cov world final ( can't remember the year), finishing 6th in a GN at Crewe after breaking my armwrist on the steering wheel at about half distance,( sounds a bit strange but i was quite chuffed with that one), Cons and GN wins at Kings Lynn on the same night and being run round the track with the flag by Steve Hodgson in one race and Andy in the other. I'm sure if i thought about it there would be loads more.
Worst Racing Memory
2nd meeting, Rochdale, 6 weeks in hospital with burnt legs after being put into a parked car, engine stalling and the top hose blowing. Fire wall was changed after that and after a lot of campaigning and a similar incident with Paul Harrison a few years later so was the rule book.
Reason for Retiring
Started a second business running alongside the first. Cost a fortune to set up and when all the bills came in there was no money left to pay them. The race gear was all i had of any value and eventually it had to go. Worst desicion i ever had to make.
After Retiring - What Then?
Continued on the committee ( and i'm still there). Ended up with twins after missing breakfast at a dinner dance ( our lass fancied a sausage!). Always contemplated racing again (managed that this year thanks to TonyJosh Smith) and have a little plan floating about in my head to raise the money to start again. Don't know if it will come off but i can dream and hope.
