Name droppping

OK here's your chance to namedrop by boasting the biggest name/most famous driver whom you have raced against. You have to have been on the track at the same time, in the same event to qualify for this one. Presumably he was an unknown young up and comer at the time, did you recognise his talent then or was his sucess a surprise to you?

formula holden driver Steve Owen..he flogged me...I believe I raced against Melinda price..but i carnt remember how she did..probably flogged me as well..Brother of Brad Jones Kim..allthough that was just a muck around race..and me being alot lighter managed to beat him in that one..thats about it..maybe a few guys I have raced against will make it big in the sport but only time wil tell.

Have you raced against Nathan Pretty, HRT's main man. I thought he was in your Kart club?

I never got the chance to race against nathan as he was already in cars by the time i got into karts..but I have seen him out there practising and am glad i never raced him as he probably would have lapped me ..he is awesome in a kart..but he shows up every now and then for a bit of a look and helps out with a bit of advice which is great.

top bloke

hope he does well at the QLD 500

Wayne Wakefield, it was obvious he was on the way up, exceptional talent and amazing car control.

Kevin Heffernan, he was already well known by then and just running his sponsor's cars in our races for a bit of fun.

Danny Osborne and I joined the club on the same night and both started racing at about the same time, 16 months later, he was club champion, so neat and tidy he doesn't look quick till you see the times.

Ian Palmer, always had a good car and ran at the front, but didn't seem too special.

John English was well known long before I started racing and he's now a consistent front runner in my class.

David Auger still holds the lap record for my class at Lakeside.

I've also been soundly whipped by Bob Tweedie and both Donahers and Alan Heath.

I raced against Jamie Brock at his second ever meeting, didn't see which way he went. Very much like his step father, fast, smooth, tidy, no-fuss.

thats a very impressive list David..ever thought of moving on (if maoney was there) to bigger and brighter things like they have ??

I just thought of another..also ran against formula ford driver Cameron Shearer..he mainly does the vic state series and the vic rounds of the Oz title but he is a heck of a battler and a hard nut to crack.

All the following raced at the West of Scotland Kart Club when I was there. David Coulthard, Allan McNish, Dario Franchitti, Alex Jack, Louis Di Resta, Jim Forsyth.

Absolutely Marcus, I wuld love to move on and up, but I don't have the money or what it takes to bring in the money. So for the forseeable future I'm staying where I am.

Karts: Alex Barron, Richie Hearns, Memo Gidley, Eddie Lawson (after bike career), Elton Julian.

Formula Dodge: Tony Renna, Jeff Simmons, Roger Yasukawa, Jeff Shafer, Nicolas Rondet, Jon Fogarty, Derek Hill, Austin Cameron, Will Langhourne.

Plus actors: Grant Show, Alfonso Riberio, Mark-Paul Gooslaar and Sean-Patrick Flannert in both karts and Formula Dodge. All are very good drivers and very serious. Flannery is VERY GOOD!

now that is a most impressive list..did you do any good against the likes of barron,gidley ,and hearn ???

Well? Not really!

Hearns already did Formula Renaults when I raced against him. He is a multy-time kart champion in 100c class. I raced 125cc Gearbox only. I did 2 races against him. 1 was an hour & half 125cc enduro race, which I think he won. I caused a huge wreck on the first corner, buy jumping the start and finished well down the order. The second I actually ran ahead of him. He was driving some experimental 125cc motor that wasn't any good.

Alex Barron was the guy to beat in Shifter Karts in 90 to 95. we ran for the same shop in 91 & 92. I just started then and he was already known...He still races Karts once in a while, just ran a race 2 weeks ago.

Memo Gidley ran mostly in another part of California, he'd come down and do a few races in my area. He was always very quick & his motors were supper quick, that's how I remembered his name. Also, I did an end of year 'Iron Man' Race at the end of 98 & Memo was there too. He just won the SKUSA American Shifter Kart Championship last November...So, he too still races Karts.

I still have my Kart and use all the time, but it's not competitive anymore. I do the Iron Man Race between Christmas & New Years for fun, but that's about it since quiting karting in 95. I quit karting because of way too many different rules by different organizations, especially for shifter karts. I also didn't like the fact that a guy, who couldn't drive would spend $5,000 building a motor a win races...Now, there is a good shifter-kart organization (SKUSA), but I already moved up. It doesn't make sense to me to start racing karts seriously again...Driving, yes! Racing, no.

I raced against Michael Andretti, Dennis Firestone, Herm Johnson and others. Michael was very fast in FF, and a friend of mine bought his car when he moved to Formula Atlantic or whatever. We quickly found out one reason Mikey was so fast. His car (engine) was a rocket! My buddy went from midfield backmarker to the fastest car on the track as soon as he strapped it on. Regional points leaders all wanted to rent his engine!

Also ran against Paul Newman during open sessions when open/closed wheels ran together. His Datsun Z was very fast on the straights, then my FF would pass him on the twisty bits.

Oh yeah, the dark haired guy from Hall & Oates. Ha!

Danny Osborne came along to one of our club meeting nights recently, he said the team is staying in V8 Supercar but he won't be doing the driving. He's looking to get an XU-1 Torana and have a run in historic Touring Cars, purely for the fun of it. :)

At this year's historic meeting at Lakeside, I raced against Brian Potts and Steve Land. Potts co-drove at Bathurst for Russell Skaife and Barry Jones in the 70s. Land co-drove at Bathurst for Graeme Bailey in the early '80s.

Just thought I'd bring this back to the top as Alan Heath has now gained celebrity status in the Touring Car Forum.

Let's see, the two biggest names I can come up with are:

Hurley Haywood: On track at the same time during an HSR (Historic Sportscar Racing) race.

Bill Auberlen: Drove one of the PTG BMW M3's in a BMW club race at Road Atlanta during the annual BMW CCA Octoberfest this past year.

I forgot to mention Ironman Grant Kenny. He started off in Club Cars a couple of years ago in a KE55 twin-cam Corolla coupe.

I tested a formula ford at silverstone in 99 when JButton was whizzing round in his F3 Promatecme! Very fast cars in a straight line.... Whoooom!
I raced with Kiesa in FFord although I was in a **** heap and nowhere near as good as hime. I followed him in the wet once and he whooshed off at becketts on the international track and dissapeared into the fog, i was quite worried bu the next lap he appeared again from some grass so it ws ok.

I tested a formula ford at silverstone in 99 when JButton was whizzing round in his F3 Promatecme! Very fast cars in a straight line.... Whoooom!
I raced with Kiesa in FFord although I was in a **** heap and nowhere near as good as hime. I followed him in the wet once and he whooshed off at becketts on the international track and dissapeared into the fog, i was quite worried bu the next lap he appeared again from some grass so it ws ok.
I also had a mini spin battle with Van der Merwe in testing at Silverstone where we kept overtaking each other then spinning for three fun laps before he put it in the gravel at luffield!! I put it in the gravel at Copse two laps later trying to stay with Craig Murray and failing... All good.

I got beaten by a girl (Leanne Ferrier) in a national class only and will never live it down :) Was only filling in myself. However dont be fooled by her being in the Konica series at the time, that is one driver who it would be sinful not to see given a ride in an international or British class. Her fiance (Garth Tander) should hurry up and marry her so the rest of the male racing population can retain our macho unbeatable image. Wonder what will happen there now that GRM has folded??

And a pity Paula Elstrek hasnt been given more opportunities, I recall her testing in an F1 in the UK about 98/99. Plus never ever even think about getting on a drag bike against either her or Angelique the US drag champion. Oh well so much for any alleged male superiority when it comes to racing, its purely been a weight of numbers game to date! (PS all apparent chauvism in this post is purely out and out jealousy/rivalry; its meant in good humour - there should be a lot more support given to female racing aspirants)

I can now add Queensland's most exciting rally driver, Bruce Dummett, to the list.

I can also add Wayne Rogerson, he drove for the Mazda team at Bathurst in the early-mid '70s and was also a bit of a star in a Falcon Hardtop Sports Sedan.

Oops, i can't believe I forgot multiple Australian Sports Car Champion, Lionel Ayres.

I raced in FF1600 in 89 against, David Coulthard, Kelvin Burt, Warren Hughes, Gill De Ferran, Adrian Fernandez, plus a few others that are now in international GT's but not in the same league as the names above. It was obvious from the start that David was destined for the upper levels.

Here's an interesting one, Chuck Nicholson when he had a Mazda RX7 in Thundersaloons.

Or how about HRH Prince Michael of Kent along with James Hunt on the Tour of Britain.

Didn't realise you did that one Rod. what were you driving?
Hunt was in a Camaro if I remember or was it the year after when he drove an RS2000?
I remember going to a stage at Knebworth House.

A Ford Capri,did it twice. Funny how things come back around having just raced a Ford Capri at the Nurburgring weekend before last. The "Tour" took in a stage at a partly surfaced Donington in the dark.

My dad used to race against jaques villeneuve, john & jeff andretti, and a few CART guys whose names i cant remember back when he raced formula atlantics.

Jenson Button->at Genk he used to work there.i drove arround 10 laps just after him,i managed to follow his pace but i asked to much of my tires at the end of the session and i was really pushing and eventually i ran wide at the hairpin and had to watch him win the race.That guy was a rocket...and so consistend.

I'm not a racer but ive raced against Justin Wilson, Peter Dumbreck, Andrew Kirkaldy, Darren Turner, Robbie Kerr and Topi Serjala at indoor karting in northampton and my team came second to last.

I raced against Rob Jones in the Winton 24hr in 1992. But getting off this slightly I had the priverlage of working on Bob Holdens number 73 Corolla at Bathurst in 1991 when he had Ranuo AAlltonen co driving with him. The guy is absoult gentlman and some of the Storys about the Monte Carlo Rallies and being a test driver for BMW and driving cuircuts around the world were great.

part 1. In the late seventies / early eighties I raced against severeral of the great drivers - well nearly great. They were Tim Lee Davey,Desire Wilson and Mike Wilds, to name just the ones I can remember. You must all be wondering who this Shawn person is and why haven't I heard of him. All I can say is that if you were at Hadlow Scalextric Club during this time you may well have done. Some Scalextric Club this was wasn't it with all these 'famous' members ??
Wrong ! They were all special guests at the annual prize givings, and afterwards were all given the chance to have there back sides kicked by the winners in a race.
The year I met ( and beat ) Mike he was so impressed he offered to give me a ride around Brands Hatch in an XR3i !!
To boy of 10 this seemed pretty quick, but then in hindsight it probably was as he had to wipe that smug race winners grin of my face. You see racing drivers have that special advantage of being able to scare the wotsit out of there passengers. But I must say that Mike was a bloody nice bloke and my Dad stayed friends with him for years after wards.
part 2. Mid Eighties I raced Formula Six Karts !! wow! what?
Kart chassis with a 5 or 7 bhp Briggs and Straton (lawnmower)engine bolted to it.There I raced and occationally beat a certain Mark Marchant - the Formula Ford driver. Apparantly Ian Flux used to race the same karts although this was before my time.
part 3. This doesn't count but my cousin raced 125cc Karts that was built by Alan Eastwood and Alan had Johnny Herbert working for him at the time.

OK, I can now add another name to my long list, it seems racing against me is a sure fire way of eventually becoming a very minor celebrity. :)

Several years ago, Grant Elliott, a very promising newcomer in Historic Touring car racing, brought his XU1 Torana up to Qld and had a run at our Lakeside Histoirc meeting and a couple of weeks ago he won Race 1 of the Konica V8 round at Oran Park

In my first 2 races Win Percy was competing!! Although (hopefully!) this will be the other way round as I am a complete novice and the race was in May of this year!!

Tried to 'tag on' behind him and learn something, but in truth he was just smoother and more committed into a couple of the corners - sheer magic and genius.

:-)

right I have to get in on this one... Alex Yoong in 1999, Daley Thompson, plus Louise Goodman and Tony Jardine in the same race, Vickhy Butler Henderson, and a good friend of mine (NOT) who took me right out of the race, bloody Jamie Whitham (super bikes) all of these apart from Jamie I have beaten on my way to being championship winner in 2000 (Proton Coupe's)

There was a good one on the tannoy at croft, Westley Barber raced karts against Prince's Harry and William

That seems to get mentioned everywhere was at Brands at the start of the season.

I can now add a Bathurst winner to my list. Bo Seton!

wow , this has been dragged up from the past :)

some very impressive names on peoples lists as well.

my list is as follows.

1.Steve Owen (then FFord , Now V8 supercars)

2.Melinda Price (then super touring I think , since V8 supercars , nothing now i think)

3.Cameron Shearer (then f Ford and a very qucik driver , now dunno)

4. Kim Jones (manager for Brad Jones racing in v8 supercar)

and my latest addition to my list is.

5. Marcus Zukanovic (then was just in karts , now in V8 supercar Konica series)

Zukanovic is amazing and I think he has a big future in v8's , I remember he was huge (no offense MZ :)) but he was racing in clubman light and was at least 20 - 25 kg's heavier than everyone but still managed to get on the podium. I spoke to his father I think it was after the race and he said they were looking at going V8 racing the next year , it took a few more years than they though but marcus has finally landed a V8 drive and is doing very well indeed.

ho hum , meanwhile ive retired from driving but ive beaten mark Skaife of v8 supercars 2 :)

Nigel Mansell, David Leslie, Sean Walker, Alex Hawkridge, the Toleman brothers - all in the Dunlop "Star of tomorrow" FF1600 series in 1976.

Never finished in front of Leslie or Walker, but I did beat Mansell at Castle Coombe, where I was 4th or 5th, one place ahead of the future Champ.

Not a masssive difference between any of us in this novice series, but Mansell had so much self belief, he sold his house to fund his following year's racing.

Realising that I was short on talent, I bought a new fridge and carpets to pacify my wife!:rotate:

John

Ok you win :)

Excellent! I never did in FF;)

O.K, from my karting days (1981 - 1998)
In no particular order

Jonny Herbert
Jason Plato
David Coulthard
Allan McNish
Dario Franchitti
Robert Jenkinson
Jamie Hunter
Guy Smith
Darren Manning
Anthony Davidson
Ralph Firmin
Dannt Watts

These are the ones that immediately come to mind.

All goood guys, (However,McNish developed some rather poor people skills as he got older)

Originally posted by Kevin F
My dad used to race against jaques villeneuve, john & jeff andretti, and a few CART guys whose names i cant remember back when he raced formula atlantics.

or....Big Rev Kev (Bartlett that is) aussie driver of some note....

Welcome Kevin....spin us some stories, steal em from your Dad if necessary :beer:

I have raced against Tony Jardine and some desinger bloke called Newey on a couple of occasions.
I managed to out qualify Mr Jardine once but I think he must have been learning the lines form me as he lapped me in the race;)

Not a racer. But did win a day out at a McLaren test day few years ago, in the days when the Grand Prix drivers themselves did the testing. Had a great day and meet
Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichelo, Mikka Hakkinen, Mark Blundell and David Coulthard. All very nice guys except Coulthard - think he was having a bad day. It was also nice to meet Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan, Adrian Newey and Patrick Head.

I used to "play" at kart racing (ie the indoor stuff and some other shorter outdoor stuff). Tim Sugden taught me (on slicks in heavy rain, as well as once in the snow - again on slicks!) and I raced against him, Pete Hardman, Richard Dean (when he drove F3000), Scott Stringfellow (when he raced F3), Warren Hughes, Steve and Andy Hepworth. I have to say I didn't win and I'm still convinced that they all cheated!!:laugh:

I was once in the same team as Steve and Andy Hepworth and Pete Hardman at a 24 hour Kart race somewhere in Yorkshire. We didn't win that either!:laugh:

I've raced in a charity kart race with Jenson Button, Robbie Williams, Phil Bennett (who got blacked flagged for an abbusive hand gesture to the clerk of course), Anthony Davidson, Johnny Herbert and more!

Originally posted by Grahame West
Not a racer. But did win a day out at a McLaren test day few years ago, in the days when the Grand Prix drivers themselves did the testing.

They still do.

Oddly enough, I was watching a programme last night about Ferrari and Maserati racing and who should win the race but Peter Hardman!

Now that Marcus Marshall is well known, i should add him to my list. We raced together in Club Cars, I had a Datsun 1600 and he had a Mazda RX4.

My Dad raced against Stirling Moss once in the mid 80s. Sir Stirling was driving a Elva BMW against all the Scottish Clubmans.

I've driven against Nathan Kinch, he isnt that famous, just has a rich dad to foot the bill!

I signed Allan McNish to drive our Citroen 2cv at Mondello 24hrs! Phone up 4 months before the race said he had another offer! Roock Racing Porsche 911GT1 at Le Mans! The next year he won the race with the factory Porsche!!!:laugh:

That's Whizzo Williams behind me....

http://lard.smugmug.com/photos/78220694-L.jpg

Don't believe you!! It's not sideways enough!!!!

Then again, looking more closely, it does look like he's got a drift on.

People I've worked with, and wish to name drop:

Whizzo (of course).
And many others who have the talent to go all the way to the top. Including Adam Carroll, Danny Watts, Tim Mullen, among others and past masters.

I once raced in a charity kart race pre-British GP and the superstar opposition included the likes of Dan Weldon, Lewis Hamilton, and Darren Turner. Needless to day, I got blitzed as I'm no kart racer, I've been doing saloons for far too long, but it was fun.

Rob

raced and beat Richard Dean in a kart race
raced Louis Goodman and John Walton, (R.I.P.) beat them
raced Johnny Herbert, .... didn't beat him! or anything like it.
raced Julian Rouse.... er hes Andy Rouses son who do you think had the best car/ skill /looks ( the swine)lol


have been ontrack withThomas Shecketer in a FVJ I think, but the best thing ever was being out on track in my old Hawk DL19 ff1600 when a 90's Arrows flew past at full chat at Oulton....
the noise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wooooooaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh

On a BRDC Training Day, I was lucky (?) to be driven 4 laps around the GP Circuit at Silverstone by David Leslie in company with Alain Menu, Will Hoy and, sorry, one other BTCC driver. Going down Hangar Straight from the passenger seat, the car alongside had its right mirror tucked in behind ours, and I could only see the rear window of the car in front. David stated that he was 1 inch off that cars rear bumper!!!

I've driven Michel Jourdain Jr around the Gold Coast Champcar circuit for a couple of laps, in an FIV.

standing on charlies grandstand [long gone] at cadwell on a bitterly cold day with a very young david coulthard and possibly his dad. i remember how intently he was studdying a race before he went out. had the pleasure of doing some work for calum lockie yesterday. a real gent!!:)