Jim Clark, Ford Lotus Cortina British Saloon Car Championship 1965, Jim Clark, who sealed the 1964 title comfortably in his maiden full season with eight class B wins from nine outings in the Lotus Cortina.
Waaay back when I were a nipper (probably in '64) I remember watching saloon car racing from Brands Hatch on Grandstand, BBC's Saturday sports programme. Clarke was a country mile in front of everybody and as they tended to in those days the producer just followed the leader lap after lap. What I thought remarkable (well, OK, "fab" at the time) was that the Cortina looked every bit as wild as your photos, but did it exactly the same on every lap, always on exactly the same line. One of the greats. Tony
and, I think it isn't controversial to say it was more enjoyable racing to watch, as I can't summon the enthusiasm to bother watching F1, Nascar, etc. Moto GP seems to be exciting, and Australian racing of new cars. Goodwood seems to be enjoyable too, but mainly because the cars have interesting stories, and they are my target interest range
Totally agree. I follow Moto GP (I've always been into bikes). Sometimes Marquez just clears off, but often you don't know at the start of the last lap who's going to win, sometimes even at the start of the last bend. I haven't been interested in F1 since they invented wings. You might try Flat Track for close, exciting racing; 20 bikes sideways on dirt together. Tony
I tried that flat track stuff... even posted a couple videos.. but it didn't interest me enough to watch races of it, just to look through some highlights, and enjoy the variety, like the snowmobile and the chopper ridden by Guy Martin
Waaay back when I were a nipper (probably in '64) I remember watching saloon car racing from Brands Hatch on Grandstand, BBC's Saturday sports programme. Clarke was a country mile in front of everybody and as they tended to in those days the producer just followed the leader lap after lap. What I thought remarkable (well, OK, "fab" at the time) was that the Cortina looked every bit as wild as your photos, but did it exactly the same on every lap, always on exactly the same line. One of the greats.
ReplyDeleteTony
Also, racing was much more exciting when tyres were hard and narrow; who cares if they were slower.
Deleteand, I think it isn't controversial to say it was more enjoyable racing to watch, as I can't summon the enthusiasm to bother watching F1, Nascar, etc. Moto GP seems to be exciting, and Australian racing of new cars. Goodwood seems to be enjoyable too, but mainly because the cars have interesting stories, and they are my target interest range
DeleteTotally agree. I follow Moto GP (I've always been into bikes). Sometimes Marquez just clears off, but often you don't know at the start of the last lap who's going to win, sometimes even at the start of the last bend. I haven't been interested in F1 since they invented wings.
ReplyDeleteYou might try Flat Track for close, exciting racing; 20 bikes sideways on dirt together.
Tony
I tried that flat track stuff... even posted a couple videos.. but it didn't interest me enough to watch races of it, just to look through some highlights, and enjoy the variety, like the snowmobile and the chopper ridden by Guy Martin
DeleteFair enough. I think with any racing, unless you know something of the people and teams it's not going to grab you for long just as a spectacle.
Delete