RE: 70s saloons: Time For Tea?

[LordPetroleum]

Fck me how good was that!

Back from the time when balls were big, chests were super hairy and marshalls stood around inches from the track with a 'it'll be reet' attitude (probably smurkin da reefa)

EPIC

Makes me want for 2 things, a time machine or a classic 70's veehickle to recreate one of those racers. Agree with other posters, makes modern racing seem like it has caught a bad case of 'the gay'

Made my day

[Jasper Gilder]

Memories... Remember watching it on Grandstand live(ish). Didn't know at the time but my father in law to be had sponsored Big Gerry in the previous season in the Viva. During practice at the Silverstone round Gerry had come in and said " Fancy a few laps" lent his helmet so it looked like him and the old man went out for some fun - can't see that happening now!

Ian Bax in a mini! Knew him much later - he was Clerk in the early days of the Festival of Speed, had a heart attack and died on his way out to practice an FF2000 at Lydden in the late '90s - a real shame but he died doing what he loved - just like Gerry did

And finally - did you spot the official puffing on a pipe in part two?

That was the kind of racing that got me hooked.........

[CedricN]

This is a nice vid, what is fun with the old Days is that cars actually had completely different character, hence giving some more variation in the racing. Some were faster in the corners, some were oversteery, some were light etc. Nowdays with modern tyres and strict rules almost all form of top racing is like a one make series. Thats why I rather look at historic racing or something real mixy like modsport:

[hammo19]

There was an element of this re-created at the Silverstone Classic meet a couple weekends back. An epic battle between Mini Coopers, Ford Cortinas, Mustangs, Falcons and Galaxies. Rob Huff and Nick Swift were epic in the Minis. I does still go on you just have to seek it out.

[wotnot]

Fugster said:

Compelling viewing, although I was hoping the yank tank would keep the lead, just shows you can make them go round corners, but there's no way of getting away from the mass...

You and me both. Loved watching that behemoth holding back the nippy Escort for lap after lap. Gutted when he span!

[martin thomas]

Shame I spun :-)

[LuS1fer]

Could watch this sort of racing all day long. I recall being at Oulton Park in the 70s when a yellow Escort Mk 1 (Nick somebody) and Droop Snoot Firenza (Gerry Marshall) were dicing for the win. Stunning stuff. Proper racing

Watch the BTCC and you'd fall asleep nowadays. Just too fast and grippy and they all contrive to look much the same..

[robinessex]

Just remember that the kill joys killed this circuit. It was there before most of the complainers, so why did they move there in the first place? And it was where I began many years of marshalling.

[robinessex]

LuS1fer said:

Could watch this sort of racing all day long. I recall being at Oulton Park in the 70s when a yellow Escort Mk 1 (Nick somebody) and Droop Snoot Firenza (Gerry Marshall) were dicing for the win. Stunning stuff. Proper racing

Watch the BTCC and you'd fall asleep nowadays. Just too fast and grippy and they all contrive to look much the same..

Nick Whiting. Brother of Charlie Whiting, the F1 guy. Owned All Car Equipe just outside the main entrance of Brands Hatch

Some info here:-

http://www.vintageracecar.com/pages/thismonth.cgi?...

[sonarbell]

martin thomas said:

Shame I spun :-)

Fabulously entertaining tho..Thanks

[girlyhood]

My chum Tony and I were lucky enough to be marshals at this meeting. There is nothing to beat standing at North Tower post and feeling the ground shake as those big V8's came by!!

I agree, modern racing cars on sterile circuits have nothing of the raw power and excitement of those days. I really should go to some historic events and relive those days before I get too old!!

Another great Palace memory was walking round the paddock in the lunch break at the F2 meeting and seeing the Hill and Stewart families all having a big picnic together on the grass. No chance of that today with them all hiding in their motorhomes. How times change.

Nick

[astra la vista]

top stuff. that's some of the best racing i've seen for some time on telly/youtube. i watched it on a tablet in the garden yesterday and was whooping with delight when the escort finally got past. proper cars and real men = exciting racing.

[cookie1600]

Just awesome! Bring back racing like that and you'll fill the tracks and have hundreds of thousands watching it on TV.

[bstark]

Gerry Marshal

[Overhaul]

As already stated, this is more proof about how dreary modern motorsport is.
Ruined by Aerodynamics, Diesel Engines, Hybrids, Silencers, and rules so draconian that pretty much every form is now nothing more than Spec Racing, taking away any form of imagination or creativity !

I love motor racing in all it's forms, but when you see things like this, or go to events like Goodwood you just realise how tragic the sport has become.

Take away the Aero, free up the rules and regs and watch the grids and the grandstands fill up. Not to mention the TV viewing figures.

Remember Rally Cross on World of Sport on a Saturday afternoon while having coffee infront of the telly with your family ?

[gungo]

I MISS MURRAY WALKER.
Why can't they find a commentator with that kind of passion these days.

I'm surprised that it is not possible to invent a rule that would allow this kind of racing again. There has to be a formula combining power, weight, tyre size etc that, if they got it right, would allow this kind of racing with very different cars.

[DonkeyApple]

I spent so many lunches and dinners as a youngster in the 80s and 90s hearing all the stories of this era from the guys who raced then that seeing videos like these are superb as in a way I've already seen them.

[Marto]

Overhaul said:

As already stated, this is more proof about how dreary modern motorsport is.
Ruined by Aerodynamics, Diesel Engines, Hybrids, Silencers, and rules so draconian that pretty much every form is now nothing more than Spec Racing, taking away any form of imagination or creativity !

I love motor racing in all it's forms, but when you see things like this, or go to events like Goodwood you just realise how tragic the sport has become.

Take away the Aero, free up the rules and regs and watch the grids and the grandstands fill up. Not to mention the TV viewing figures.

Remember Rally Cross on World of Sport on a Saturday afternoon while having coffee infront of the telly with your family ?

"Remember Rally Cross on World of Sport on a Saturday afternoon while having coffee infront of the telly with your family ?"

Yes I do.... and watching the clips bring the memories flooding back. Stock car racing from Wolverhampton, just before final score. The WRC, when it was 500brake horse Quattro's and S4's. All fronted up by the legendary and debonair Dickie Davis.... That was my Saturday's and the clips are my motor racing!

Wonderful and vivid memories!

[dadofbud]

This type of racing exists today in the classic under two litre touring cars and the trans atlantic touring cars which were seen at Silverstone at this years classic.

That was a fantastic clip can we have more of these please, far better than strangled F1 and boring tyre rubbish.

[Shurv]

As a kid I had 4 main big posters on my bedroom wall. Jackie Stewart in his Tyrell, Emmerson Fittipaldi is his JPS Lotus 72, Nick Whiting in his Yellow and black All Car Equipe mk1 escort, and big Gerry in Baby Bertha. Stuff your Lambo's, this was where it was at. I was sooo chuffed when I found out I was distantly related to Gerry ( an aunt by marriage was Gerry's cousin)and met him at a meeting at Silverstone. Gerry took me into the bar at lunchtime and got me pissed, I was 12 or 13 at the time.( Got a photo somewhere) Big Gerry was ( and still is ) a big,big hero of mine. When men were men etc.........................