JCB & Jaguar

[monkey]

The Nimrods ran earlier than that, in fact they ceased production in 1983, and last raced at La Sarthe with a fiery exit on Mulsanne in '84 (one car hitting the other which was already on fire).

In '85, the EMKA Astons were running, and it was one of these (No 66 - Dow Corning) that led the race for a stunning 9 minutes due to a clever re-fuelling strategy.  It eventually finished 11th that year, and was driven by Steve O'Rourke, Nick Faure & Tiff Needell, the same line up as raced the first EMKA car in '83 (they didn't race in '84)


EMKA


Nimrod

Delboy, you are of course absolutely correct, thanks for putting me straight on this.

[mgmark]

The date is right, but as I understand it the Aston Martin company name came from a combination of its founder, Lionel Martin, and the name of the village in Buckinghamshire, Aston Clinton, where he competed in hillclimbs with the first car that he built.

MG Mark

MG, I think (but only think) that is not quite right, but nearly is. My understanding is that the Aston part of the name came from the fact that the hill climb hill was called Aston hill and can in fact be found just outside the village of Wendover. I dare say however the hill itself was named after Aston Clinton which is about four/five miles away. 

I think you have added the final piece of the jigsaw, in that the Aston Clinton Hillclimb was so named because it went up Aston Hill, near the village of Aston Clinton.  A pretty good description, with pictures of the past and present at the venue, OS maps and what it looks like today, together with the commemorative plaque put there by the AMOC and AML are at:

http://ox.mx5oc.co.uk/events/AstonHill/Aston_Hill.htm

Results from each year (and there are some famous echoes of the past listed there) are at:

http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/hca1.htm

Looks like a "must visit" next time in the area...

MG Mark

[wishy]

Would Raymond Mays be anything to do with Mays Motors which used to to be based in Dorking.....?

[termietermite]

Would Raymond Mays be anything to do with Mays Motors which used to to be based in Dorking.....?

Mr Termite was in the same class at school as his (the garage owner's)daughter and thinks not.

[termietermite]

Mr Termite was right (sound of teeth grinding), Raymond Mays was from Bourne, Lincs and was based there throughout his career.

[Andy Zarse]

As if by magic:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5302310.stm

Now I can see more logic in JCB buying Aston ,whereas the Jag thing never made sense. Hello LMP1?

[Bobblehat]

A bright yellow diesel LMP1 Aston.....noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

[Perdu]

Bright yellow diesel LMP1 Aston that goes like the thing at the Salt Flats.

Oh yes, that'll do...

Now, just got to make it go round corners