Club Arnage

What, when and where was your first motorsporting encounter- the day that probably changed your life, and what has been your most memorable motorsport moment to date?
 Mine was the 79 Mintex Rally somewhere in the early hours of an icey cold Feb morning somewhere in Dalby Forest. Never forget the sound of a BDA on full song coming through the trees, the lights, the sweet smell of castrol and burning brakes- pure magic. I was only 6 years old and knew from that moment what I wanted to do with my life!

Ohh good thread  ;D

Probably around 1978/9 ish, I'd have been 8 or 9 ish, perhaps a bit earlier.  Smeatharpe Stadium, Stockland, Devon - watching stock car and banger racing.   

What stuck with me was the smell (mmmmmm, oil and fuel!) and my mum drilling into me to never, ever stand with my back to the fencing around the track - stood me in good stead for marshalling I guess! 

1000 km Nürburgring 1971: My Dad took me there when I was 12 years old and I became addicted with sportscar racing. I'll never forget the Elford/Larrousse 908-Porsche in the classic Martini livery crossing the finish line, what a beautiful car :). Same for the Ferrari 312 with Ickx and Regazzoni and the Alfa T33, one of them driven by Rolf Stommelen. In those days most F1-drivers did sports car racing as well.

Thruxton, Touring cars with the big winged cosworths etc support races were mg migdets and B's and then BMW 2002's Bertie Alfas and all that stuff, had to be late 80's ish at a guess........

Haringay Stadium to watch the Banger racing about 1969/70 because I'd seen it on World of Sport on Saturday Mornings. I remember a little fiat 500 (or something small like that) winning as it dodged out of the way of the large Morris and Austins. The driver must have been bonkers.
the noise is and the steam pouring from ruptured radiators is what I remember most.

my first clear memory is 1977 going to the TT at Silverstone in late september.

The drive from west sussex (before the M25 and M40) was long and we  stopped for Breakfast at a pub that was open somewhere near Amersham as we always did, I wish I could recall it. It was near my Birthday and I remember getting some presents there.

The cars, BMW CSL's, Capri, and the Broadspeed Jags. Around that time My dad had a Alfa and was a member of the AOC so parked with the ofther alfa owners, I think trackside, and cheered on the GTA's.

I also have recollections of and inflatable tent, it had kind of ribs running up the four sides to form a dome. We always took this to the GP's when we stayed overnight. One year it burst and me and my dad and brother slept outside while my mum had the comfort of an amercian station wagon he had borrowed for the trip.

The other thing was the morning sprit at the GP, when the gates opened it was then a mad rush ladden down with deck chairs and food to get the best spot before spending the day in the baking sun. Happy days.

I was at many meetings from the early 70's onwards. but have sadly no memory at all of them. The one I wish I could remember most was Pedros win at the BOAC 1000k in the rain 1970.

More or less the same as Gary. Stock Car racing Vauxhall Stadium in Great Yarmouth 1967. 20ish cars being driven flat out on a very small track The noise and the smell was unforgetable,and that was just from the guy standing next to me ;D. I loved it. I don't know why it took me so long to get to LM even though I'd seen ariel shots of a GT40 on The Mulsanne on World of Sport a few years earlier.

for me it was the early 70's and sand racing at st ouens bay, the sprints along the 'five mile road' 9behind the sand racing, and the bouley bay hill climbs.. then in the mid 80's it was the babtism of fire.. Le Mans.. when you could pick up your camping tickets on the peage on the sat AM!!

Pretty much as many of you ... Banger racing at Newton Abbot or St Austell

Lasting memories of figure of 8 tracks and either 2 cars chained one behind the other
or car towing caravans...

Early 90's, Formula 1 race at Spa, Schumacher was still in the Beneton and Jos Verstappen was his teammate!

1961, Rufforth.  A fairly standard mixed meeting, if I remember rightly, Formula Junior, Saloons etc. 

Ah, the smell of Castrol R in the morning...

Nice thread subject!  

1968, Curborough Sprint course near Lichfield, where I helped to marshal at the tender age of 9.

This experience was occasioned not by a parent, but by my primary school teacher.  She was a) ravishing (even a then 9-year old recognises that a slim, attractive, young blonde bird teaching you is a bit different from the others!) b) a Lotus Elan owner c) A sprint club member.  She had asked if anyone wanted to help marshal, I volunteered, and that is where it all started.  

From that first event, I remember a mixed field of everything from a white road-going A-H Sprite with its lights taped heading sidweays up the inside bank on the first corner, to some brand new private Formula 5000 machinery.  There was a very early production Datsun 240Z there which upset a load of the traditional British sports cars of the time around, plus plenty of specials (a Morris Minor fitted with a Jaguar engine, and a Ford Popular with a stonking big american V8 both made a firm impression) .  

The sights, smells, colours, and proximity to the action, from helping marshal a corner to pushing cars around in the paddock and at the start line, are still clear, as is the sound (first) and then the sight of a dark blue Ford GT40MKIII, as it motored into the paddock......

Needless to say, I continued to volunteer to help out, and the rest just sort of followed naturally from there...

MG Mark  

1969, Silverstone annual MG Car Club race meeting would be one of the first meetings I've been to, but the memories aren't that vivid since I was 2,5 years old. Nonetheless, my father was very proud of my one year older brother and me, because we could identify the different types of MGs. I still consider that event as the start of my love for car racing. Whenever I smell Castrol R, it brings back memories of those days and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. I was at a classic event a couple of years ago and a Mini was revving hard on Castrol, spreading its particular smell. Everybody close to the car pointed his nose in the air to catch the smell of days gone by.  ;D

Caister. 

My first meeting was at Snetterton circa 1960 - just a club meet, but it got me hooked.

Del

It must have been close to GY because we were staying at North Denes caravan site and we cycled to the stadium.

http://www.yarmouthstadium.co.uk/

Inbetween the two

Some great memories- we are showing our ages somewhat! ;D
 Pieter- the smell of Castrol R is probably the finest of all smells- I ran my SAAB rally car on the stuff- gorgeous!
 Mark- my geography teacher was a bit tasty but got much more tasty when she turned up to school in her Sunbeam Lotus road rally car. She could drive it too!
 More please!

On the brink of my teens in 1970/1971 watching the Wembley Lions speedway team at the old Wembley stadium. Again the reek of Castrol R was the catalyst for interest in all forms of motorsport not too much later in life.

This will make you laugh, Dr S!  Another of my pre-teen photographic efforts - this time Croft, another haunt of my (not) mis-spent youth.
(http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q103/cooperlola/instmaticmoments001.jpg)

Blimey, is that the bus that's still there (or was a few years ago when I last went?) it was used by the commentators  :o

Karting, watching my dad and uncle campaign a 125 bultaco at Rowrah (not together) . I must have been 5 or 6 years old, so probably 1979 or 1980 ish. I found a fossil in a spoil heap that day too.

And someone broke their collarbone.

You never forget the smell of castrol R do you?

Hmmm think it must be about 1987 (aged 6) and going all over the North East of Scotland to watch the Granite City rally with my Dad. Also used to go to the stock car racing at Stonehaven and Banff.

My first introduction to circuit racing was the French GP at Paul Ricard in 1989 I think. What a glorious circuit it is, Damm the gnome.

as a eight year old,76, ringwood cheeatas banger racing on dirt oval ,a westminster being unstoppable,
winning the under 6's!!!! running race in the break, scoffing winners bag of sweets,sick in neighbours dads ex bt vauxhall van on way home,
but cycling to & from next meeting as was hooked!!!!!!

The '96' RAC rally with the legend Colin 'crash' McRae landing upside down in a ditch right infront of me. Still got the wing mirrors from his impreza somewhere.

Its a close 1 for the winner of my favourite ever motorsport experience. Its either Le Mans 06 (my 1st trip) or the competition i won to drive an ex WRC Impreza round 2 stages of the Parks stages leg of the scottish rally championship. Both were awsome  ;D

I know Piglet will reply saying “old git”, I can remember watching TV as a very small child when we lived in Harlow in Essex, they were running test transmissions for ITV, all they showed every day was rallying, through snow and ice on The Monte. In the mid Sixties watching Powerboats race around the Solent in The Cowes Torquay Cowes especially Surfury, which was built at one of our neighbours boatyards in Cowes (Souters).   

About the same time when I lived in Thorness on the Isle of Wight every year a load of blokes visited for the two-day motorcycle trials meeting. Each year I would talk to this old bloke (Sammy Miller) he would practice on the grasses bank just outside our house before setting off.  I can remember watching Brabham crash at Monaco while in the lead of the GP and Stewart’s superhuman drive at the ring in the rain.   

1971 Mid-Ohio Can-Am.  The first two racing cars I ever saw come past me at full tilt were the factory McLaren M8F's of Peter Revson and Denny Hulme, under the bridge, through turn one, and up the hill.
Fax

Wooh, I'd love to see/hear them one day. Read on the back of a shirt at Sebring this year they are running classic Can-Am races in the US. Is that a regular happening?


As for myself, F1 at Zandvoort in '79 and '80 (with my parents). And then a huge lack of interest untill 1994, started watching F1 on television. Went to the Austrian GP in '02 and '03 before going to Le Mans in '04. The rest is history.

Unexpected visit to the '76GP at Brands Hatch.  One of my father's friends had a couple of spare tickets, we had nothing better to do... never looked back.

You'll like this...
 One of my customers, a stalwart of rallying recalled his most memorable- the look on a marshalls face after a pretty violent end over end barrel roll on an event in the 80s. Said marshall arrived to find car smashed all over the stage and my friend hobbling around surveying the damage with not 1 but both feet pointing out at 180 degrees to what they should do! He fainted and my friend had to look after him til the medical crews arrived! Adrenalin is pretty good stuff don't you think?

Blimey, is that the bus that's still there (or was a few years ago when I last went?) it was used by the commentators 


Piglet, I was at croft about 4 weeks ago to watch some bike racing, and the old bus is still in use for the commentaries

What a great thread Prof Cream T ;D

Mine was also a cold february weekend sat in the wood yard in the Dalby Forest complex, North Yorks cannot remember which year 80 or 81. Fantastic :P

Ah the wood yard. We rolled our little Skoda 120S on the hill above the wood yard on last years Trackrod Historic. Its changed beyond all recognition since those days, the trees have got so big you cannot see the steep hill anymore. Anyone remember the rally challenge series on BBC1 in the late 80s? 5 stages, 5 drivers in 5 different cars, i think they used the Astra in Dalby. It was great, suprised they didn't do it again.

1970'ish, F1, camping at Kyalami. Scrambling under the fences on the Thursday afternoon meant entrance was free. Practice on Friday, walking round the track Friday night. The noise made by those 12 cylinder Matras! Also listening to the radio illicitly at boarding school to the 9 hour race progress.

 If I remember correctly in the early 60's the bus was race control !!

I have the program for that race on my desk now !! Also the 1970 race program, what fabulous cars they were.

Evocative this thread, right?

Does playing with my Ferrari and Maserati Dinky toys in the school playground two days after my 7th birthday and getting my arm broken by the big kids playing British Bulldog count???

My first real motorsport was like Mark's at Curborough, if you dont count belting round Central Wales in Army Air Portable Landys on the fabulous Eppynt and other Forestry Commision roads raising dust and learning how far you can "push" a Landy before it bites you.

At Curborough I discovered that you can see the racers if you just walk down the hill.

But of course the real introduction to "Real Motor Sport" was 2003 when my mate Nick agreed to come with me to LM to watch the pretty Bentleys...

That changed my life

Aged 7, I had my Corgi Proteus Bluebird on a sloping tarmac'd school playground - boy did that one break some speed records in my hands and acquire a few chips to the paintwork.  Still got it too!

MG Mark

Good Thread. Mine was speedway at Hull which I was taken to by my brother. The first time they came round the bend where I was standing and that waft of Castrol R. Sheer heaven and unforgetable.

Spooky!!  Mine was Hull's Speedway stadium as well. I must have been about 8 and went with my dad. We were visiting my Grandparents who lived in Hull at the time and we just went out for the evening, I had no idea where I was going until I got there.

The smell was unforgettable!

Ah yesss! I remember going to Hall Green Race Track to see the speedway one time as a kid. Noises and cinder dust in my ears and nose.

Exciting, but no beggar ever took me again and later on... there were girls, Beatles, Stones and my old Jawa 250.

And girls

So I never went again.

 8)

Who'd have thought that mid week dog tracks and castor oil would have such an effect on us all. Its a million miles away from Bernies little circus but on the strength of whats been posted on here it appears to have done more for motorsport than that poisoned dwarf could ever do! Amazing.

Spooky indeed. I went a couple of times and remember a rider coming off and hitting one of the lamposts they used to have round the track. Never been since but always quite fancy taking the boy out for the night to watch it.

After the speedway, the next racing was bikes, with Donnington, Silverstone aand Assen. Then the F1 grand prix of europe at Brands followed when i was about 20 and that was that, a totally boring f**k*r (according to everyone else) who could sit all Saturday and Sunday to watch a car procession around a track.

And now he's trying to kill football as well by buying a stake in QPR!  :o

Word on the street is that The Flav is to buy QPR and everyones favourite mini Warhol lookalike has his little greedy eyes on Arsenal. The Flav is going to wipe out QPRs debts and put £100 million into the pot! Where do these guys get the money?

Think Flav and 'the little one' are in on the QPR deal together.

Must be a 'doppleganger' or something like that. Mine is pretty much the same as Fagey's except the sandracing, hillclimbs and sprints were all in the sister island Guernsey. Plus I did kart and bike racing in the late 70's early 80's in Guernsey and France then my first visit to LM in '85.

>Martini...

Wow, 1985 was also my first LM. How many did you leave out since then? I only missed 93 and 99

Werner

As far as my addled brain can recall, it was sometime in the late 60's at a BriSCA stock car race at Brafield Stadium.
I vaguely remember soggy hot dogs and cold coffee - and a face full of crud from the track surface.

Another thing, a few have waxed lyrical about the evocative smell of Castrol R.  Well for me, my particular 'special' smell that means I'm close to some serious kick-ass racing is that of 90% + Nitromethane.  The stuff will sear the back of your throat and make your eyes stream if you're close enough, and the sound, well that's another thing.
Living close to Santa Pod in the late 70's / early 80's, many of my early racing memories are of drag racing there.  Remind me to scan my old photos someday.

Steve, don't forget to scan your old photos some time.

Maybe tomorrow, look how evocative Termie's are!

 :)

bill

I remember Wimbledon, Aldershot and Luton. Jeeze they were the days (70's).

Agreed, the poisoned dwarf has more or less killed it for me. But he has done a load of 'good' if you can call it that.

Yes, please do.  I tried to start a thread on this subject

http://www.clubarnage.com/forum/index.php?topic=7623.0
but nobody's bitten so far.  Pity.  I love those old pics - cr*p they may be but they sure take you back..

I missed 10 from '92 sad I know...

>Martini...