click hereto connect

THE GOOD OLD DAYS ?

I never saw the great Stu Smith (391 left) in action, veterans races aside, I never saw Doug Cronshaw(396 left) or Dave Chisholm,Willie Harrison or Bobby Burns so I won't venture an opinion on who was the greatest.......but the buzz that goes round a stadium when SuperStu appears leaves you in little doubt as to the popular view!

 I wish I had got "into" the sport sooner and been able to spectate at Belle Vue or Crewe, Boston or Harringay.The sport was "much better then" according to people I talk to who were there.Was it? I really like the smart Brian Evans paint jobs,the rugged look of the cars and the whole stryle of the sport now -would I have liked the kind of thing you see here? Pioneer racer and world champion Aubrey Leighton in action at Harringay in 1964, just before he clashed with a lapped Fred Mitchell only one turn away from winning that years world title - Leighton was so upset he retired from the sport. This car was the first to use a completely purpose built box-section chassis,rather than use what everyone else had up to that point ,a modified car or van chassis.

Or here? Rog Taylor's Jaguar powered special ,also at Harringay,molesting car 144(I'm no expert,who was he?).The cars were ceretainly a great deal less like racers and a lot more like (my apologies for even thinking it.....)  bangers?

Maybe I would,maybe not,but it would be nice to turn the clock back for one Saturday evening session to find out!

Either way I have grown increasingly interestedin the history of the sport and get a kick out of finding old photos that I can identify(not always very well..).

This one  features 38, the legendary Fred Mitchall,twice world champion,the man who invented the flashing roof lights which superstar grade driversd are supposed to sport now - but in most cases don't!

Fred died in 1998 and now a memorial trophy race is held at Coventry in his honour.Grandson Jaon Holden is a current F1 blue grade driver in a particularly striking pink and purple Wainman car.

Below is a scene from Brafiled("Northampton" as it now likes to be called)in 1972 with it's distnctive suspended fence.Car 311 is Iam Durham,who I saw race at the Coventry Veteran's race in August 98.He was a fromer F2 champion before a brief  3 year foray into F1.Car 315 is Roger Spencer   and 195 is Fred Thompson who reached the A grade in that year and was 12th in the world finals at Belle Vue.thanks to J A Hill (ex 97) & Pete Crowther for the identification!

I'm always interested in buying any old stock car racing photos ( pre 1990)or programmes or posters and I have a small selection for sale in my shop , check out the web page for a full listing of what we have in stock.

E-mail me on simon.lewisbooks@virgin.net

 STOCK CAR INDEX 

MOTOR SPORT FANATIC