Atten-shun! Guards F5000 pics

Well okay, it was Guards cigarettes not the soldiers who sponsored the F5000 Championship in the UK. The Kincraft thread almost leads directly to F5000 as it was one of the best known big engined single seaters in the years before.

I have posted a pic on the Kincraft thread of the first appearance (unless of course you know better...) in a UK race of a pukka F5000 before the championship began - Tony Lanfranchi at Brands in January 69, but the first photo here has to be the winner of the first race at Oulton on 4th April 69, Peter Gethin in the works McLaren M10A. Entered I believe by Church Farm Racing - what history of them please experts?

IIRC Church Farm Racing was set up by Bernard Hender, aka "The Colonel", as a vehicle for his stepson to make his way in F2. They ran a Brabham BT23C in 1968, leading to the stepson getting a F2 drive with Ferrari and a McLaren F1 seat the following year. Who was that? Derek Bell, no less....

Church Farm continued and were one of the leading F5000 teams in the early years of the class.

Church Farm Racing was based in Pagham near Bognor Regis in W.Sussex. Derek still lives there now.

Thanks for those replies guys. Great to know there are such knowledgeable friends here to fill the gaps.

I have been rooting around over the weekend to try to find my old negatives and prints. I couldn't find them anywhere, but (of course) as soon as I told my wife what I was looking for, bingo! she went straight to them in a couple of shoeboxes under the stair. Women! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

Among the stuff were the programmes from three Oulton F5000 meetings including the practice and results bulletins for the 4.4.69 and 27.3.70 meetings, where I had wangled a press/photographers pass (my Dad knew the Sports Editor of the local evening paper and he used to get them for me, including one British GP, but wasn't interested in prin ting any reports or photos).

Here is a selection of shots, starting with Mike Hailwood rounding Old Hall at Oulton on 20.9.69. I don't have the programme for this meeting but I think it was the T142 owned by Paul Hawkins. It was big and red anyway.

Here's Bob Miller in his Dulon LD8 at Oulton 22.8.70.

Fred Saunders in the Crossle 15F entered by Mermaid Racing and sponsored by the London School of Flying. He had a Lanfranchi lookalike helmet. This is at the Mallory hairpin, but I don't know the date.

And finally for tonight, one of those quiz questions for the REALLY knowledgeable, or those with good records. Who and what?

Easy peasy!

That's Lingard Goulding in the one-off Beattie P1100, a car built using pieces of the Lola T190 (190/F1/15-2) that Mike Hailwood crashed in practice at Mondello at the end of May.

Goulding appeared five times with the Beattie that season, at Thruxton (9 Aug), the Gold Cup (22 Aug), Snetterton (31 Aug), Hockenheim (13 Sep) and Brands Hatch (27 Sep).

Dave - I just replied on the wrong thread (the "Remember the Kincraft" thread (http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?postid=447721#post447721)). To quote myself:

Originally posted by allenbrown
Dave

I have race numbers in the database but hadn't modified the results page to show them - I have just done this and the number appear now in grey after the driver's name. At some point, I'll add an entry list for each race but the information I have is somewhat thin.

If you have any pictures that need hosting, I would be very happy to make space for them on OldRacingCars.com.

Would you allow me to use the pictures you have posted here on my site? In particular, I'd like to use the picture of Tommy Reid's Crossle, the Russell-Ford and that excellent picture of Lanfranchi in Taylor's Lola T142 (SL142/20).

Allen All the 1969 UK F5000 races are now available on my site here (http://www.oldracingcars.com/F5000/Default.htm). Next to be published will be US 1970 and UK 1970 with US 1969 and US 1968 lagging not far behind.

Allen

And the other pictures here are:

Peter Gethin in McLaren M10A (M10A-1) at Round 1 (http://www.oldracingcars.com/F5000/results/result.asp?RaceID=E69A), Mike Hailwoood in Lola T142 (SL142/40) at at Round 11 (http://www.oldracingcars.com/F5000/results/result.asp?RaceID=E69K) and, as you've said, Miller in the Dulon LD8 (1) and Saunders in Crosslé 15F (15F6942), probably in the 25 May 1970 Mallory race (http://www.oldracingcars.com/F5000/results/result.asp?RaceID=E70H).

Allen

Thanks Allen - I have just replied to your PM.

Easy peasy indeed. I now know who to turn to for missing F5000 info!

Here are a few more photos from the opening Guards F5000 round at Oulton on 4th April 1969, all at Old Hall corner. Firstly, Peter Gethin leads Hobbs, Hailwood, Forbes and Walker on the opening lap.

Gethin went on to win by the way. David Hobbs, shown here in the works Surtees TS5, finished second.

This is Mike Walker in Alan McKechnie's Lola T142. He finished 7th.

Here's Jock Russell resplendant in tartan helmet in his Lotus 43, followed (I think) by Ian Mitchell and Robs Lamplough, but no doubt Allen Brown can correct or confirm.

Willy Forbes retired due to an accident - perhaps this bent wing stay contributed.

Finally for tonight, one of the less successful attempts, the four wheel drive Hepworth driven by Bev Bond, but not very far - he only completed one lap.

Great pictures, Dave! Sorry I can't help with the two cars following Jock - my car recognition skills just aren't that good.

Allen

There may only be you and me viewing this thread Allen, but what the heck. Todays offering includes a bit of understeer, a touch of the opposite(s), a rural scene of dejection and your puzzle pic.

The understeer is demonstrated by Peter Gethin at Oulton in September 69...

...same meeting, same corner (Old Hall). Ian Ashley shows what hanging the radiator at the back does for the handling. The Kitchiner K3 (a higher mountain to climb!).

Here Willie Forbes starts practicing folk singing down on the farm.

Please identify this well built chap at Mallory in 71. Thanks!

Dave M - wonderful pictures great board down to you. V well done.

Is the big lad Terry Sanger again or Ulf Norinder? I though Norinder was always in a Lola though. I can't even identify the chassis and is that a Ford V6 in the back? Looks a bit like a GRD.

Good game.

The driver is Terry Sanger and the car is the Harrier. If I remember correctly it ended up in the mallory lake one meeting.

You are right about Ulf Norinder, gfm, he started in a T142 in '69. This sis him at Oulton in Round 1 on 4th April.

In 1970 Norinder campaigned a T190 and here he is almost exactly a year later (27th March).

Great pictures guys! I don't recall Terry Sanger ending up in the lake at Mallory with the Harrier as posted above but I do remember being there and seeing the same thing happen to Keith Holland in his Lola! He lost it on the approach to the Esses and ended up in the smaller lake behind the cafe.
Keep them pics coming!

Keith Holland was my instructor at Motor Racing Stables at Brands - famous for winning so many races in an E-type - what happened to him? Anyone know?

There was a TV programme earlier last year that showed the restoration and eventual race of an F5000 Lola T142. The ex-Keith Holland blue and white Alan Fraser car.
Keith appeared on the programme and was reunited with it for a few laps of Mallory.

Keith Holland was very successful back in those days.

Wouldn't it be great if one of the old drivers we talk nostalgically about here in this forum actually knew about it and could contribute their own first-hand stories?

Keith drove the Alan Fraser T142 in the opening F5000 race at Oulton on Good Friday 1969, although Tony Lanfranchi was shown as the driver in the programme. Here he is at Old Hall.

Same driver, same track, same corner, following year - Good Friday 1970.

David - for my sins, a few years ago, I made membership of the BRDC. I've so enjoyed your and Andrew's comments and pictures found on this site, that I e-mailed the PR guy and General Secretary of the BRDC to give them connections to the site, to this part of the board, so they perhaps can take a look.

I'm sure it wil be breaking the law somehere, but I know many of my friends at the Club would simply love what's being done here. Recently, we had a dinner where I found myself sitting next to Ian Skailes and Jackie Epstein and their lovely ladies. Epstein was unstoppable and the whole table becomes terribly animated. Ed Nelson was also on so Le Mans was revisited, GT40s and so much F5000.
The conversations that you enjoy on this board are very similar to the one's we had at that table except that these were the boys who were actualy doing it! Give them half a glass and they're off. I tell you, I return home and reflect after some of these functions and the whole waterfall of stories are absolutely wonderful.
It does strike one as blindingly obvious, that somehow, if lines of communication were able to be opened, it would be great fun for all.

Thanks Andrew for the news on Holland. He was quite a sweaty individual back then, or at least he was in my company. Quick boy.

gfm - John - Did you really intend to send me green with envy? What evenings those dinners must turn out to be, and no doubt many a libellous/slanderous story told after a few liquid grapes!

Your mention of Ed Nelson sent me upstairs to pluck this pic from my wall and scan it. Looks like his passenger had enough! It's at Oulton and I think (but not certain) that it was 12th April 68. At least I have pics in my album from that meeting where the main event was an International F3 race and the Group 4 & 6 race included T70s, GT40s, P4, B8s and one of the Howmets.

And so yet another thread branches off in another direction!

Great again Dave, Many thanks. I'll see if I can pass it on, if that's alright with you.
The stories are probably like the fish you don't catch, but the eyes light up and they're obviously out there again. Malcolm Guthrie is one of the ring leaders of mischief and nonsense (Sir sorry)

I am so pleased I found this forum, the Historic section is wonderful with such great memories and it is great to know it is not just me 'who has it bad'!!
In my profession, I get to meet many of these good 'old'
boys that we talk of here. I have been introduced to many by my old friends Jack Sears and Peter Gaydon but have also spoken to most when I try to persuade them to commission a painting! The stories as gfm says are wonderful - just spend an evening around the BBQ in the BRDC campsite at the British GP and you will see what I mean!
I am sure that many BRDC members know of these threads. Check out the John Woolfe one. Mike Treutlein , John's mechanic was successfully pointed towards it to contribute and no doubt he will inform others! http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25723&highlight=john+woolfe

The world's widest and fastest Formula Ford? More power than grip for sure..
Gijs Van Lennep poses by his team mate Tom Belso's 208 Radio Luxembourg / Shellsport Lola T330 at Brands in 1973.
The only way it would fit in the transporter was with skinny road wheels.

Mike Walker leads De Adamich through Deer Leap at Oulton in 69. Always been a lovely circuit.

Oulton always used to attract the big names back in the 50s/60s/70s. Here is Fangio with Graham Hill and Colin Chapman in 1968.

An F5000 start at Brands in 69. Imagine the sound!

Tony Lanfranchi's Lola, also in 1969.

The F5000 Chevron B28 ex-VDS car as raced by Keith Norris in historic events today.

A lola T400 at Silverstone a couple of years ago. Alongside is the ex-john Watson Hexagon Trojan T101.

:) Ulf Norinder also came to NZ in 1970 to do the NZ F5000 series.VDS bought down 2 Chevrons in '74 for Gethin and Pilette to drive.Heres an NZ site with a run down of the NZ races http://www.sergent.com.au/tas70p.html .Picture below Ulf at Pukekohe,I also saw him at the Baypark race.

Armco bender - thanks. Nice site. I notice in the results Frank Radisich - was he the father of touring car driver Paul? Also Kaye Griffiths is in the entry. I remember him racing a Can-Am Mclaren M8F over here in the UK, in Libre events, must have been 1973/74 I guess. It was painted with intricate airbrush artwork with stars and a dark blue night sky scene and sponsored by the band Led Zeppelin. Wish I had a photo of it. It looked amazing.

Andrew - here is a picture of the Marsh Models Led Zep M8D/E, and the story of the car can be found at http://victorylane.com/july_camelot.html

DaveM - that's the one!! I remember the top being dark blue though, not black as on the model. Cheers. Did you get the reply to the PM?

I notice in the results Frank Radisich - was he the father of touring car driver Paul?

Yes thats Pauls Dad,He drove F5000s,then he had a March 722 which was re engined with a Mazda rotary,last saw him race at Baypark in it around '77 in a Libre race with Formula Atlantics that replaced F5000 here.

Frank Gardner's Lola T190-Chev at Old Hall, Oulton Park on his way to 9th in the Gold Cup.

and here he is at the same place in the T300 in 1971, a year later. I didn't view from anywhere else at Oulton and really regret it now - what a waste of a track pass!

Andrew, Thanks for the photo of my Gethin/Chevron B28 at Silverstone. The car went quite well that day until it ran out of petrol because we forgot to fill it up..I hope to get the car out later this year following a rather drawn out rebuild - the original Morand fuel injection finally rotted away to nothing and we have just fitted a Alan Smith/Finnigan unit. I bought the car some 20 years ago from a second hand car dealer in Plymouth. Thankfully nobody wanted F5000s then.
Keith Norris

Keith, good to hear from you. I saw your engine sitting in Dave Finnigan's workshop a few months ago!

the trojan is one of the best looking F5000 cars, of recent era. the 60's and early 70's are so GPL

Hi Keith

Good to see you here.

I remember you or your brother once telling me your car came from Plymouth. Does the name Vic Norman mean anything to you?

Allen

On the subject of old F5000 Chevrons, does anyone know what became of the 3.4 engined B30, ex-Purley. I think bits of it were used in Jeff Wilsons BMW M1 GT car, I wonder if the B30 was ever put back together. It was a lovely car in 76 Group 8, very distinctive high nose, and super-quick !

On the subject of old F5000 Chevrons, does anyone know what became of the 3.4 engined B30, ex-Purley. I think bits of it were used in Jeff Wilsons BMW M1 GT car, I wonder if the B30 was ever put back together. It was a lovely car in 76 Group 8, very distinctive high nose, and super-quick !

Not wanting to hijack the thread but do any of you have any more GT40 pics from 68...specifically of Peter Sadler as he was driving chassis #1010

Definitely worth putting this thread back into circulation for new members to visit..

Hi I'm new to your site.

Keith Holland is running an MOT garage in Rochester Kent, owned by friend and fellow ex F5000 racer Chris Featherstone- a property developer.

Richie

Andrew
Yes Kaye Griffiths drove in the 1970 Tasman series. He used a BRP Ford which was an old BRP monocoque from the 1.5 litre F1 era with a Ford V8. The car was poorly prepared, slow, and disappeared from the series after the Teretonga round. I think pieces from the car resurfaced later and the monocoque was actually used as the basis of a rebuild of a restored BRP later sold back to the UK.

Hi I'm new to your site.

Keith Holland is running an MOT garage in Rochester Kent, owned by friend and fellow ex F5000 racer Chris Featherstone- a property developer.

Richie

Merrythought. Welcome to the forum.

Looking through old mags for pics or stories about 'The Red Baron' as I believe he was known, can anyone help?