Getting to know you! [Archive] - 10 Tenths Motorsport Forum

Craig

11 Jul 2006, 16:52

Okay, so I am quite new to this section. It'd be nice to hear a little about who frequents this particular area of 10 Tenths so that I know who's reading and what your interests are.

My name is Craig (obviously), 32, and have been around motorsport since I was about five when I remember going to Wimbledon with my dad and grandad. Used to watch the GP on the telly as far back as 1986 and then started watching BTCC soon after that. My dad started kart racing just before I left school and that got me into the sport in a bigger way and I persuaded him to take me to Brands to see the BTCC (don't remember the year but I remember the two Toyotas taking themselves off the track in front of me!)

Started watching oval racing at Ringwood as soon as I could drive and then kinda lost a lot of interest after Mansell retired and then Senna was killed. Got back into it in 1998 after watching the Mansell Donington race on TV and have been around the sport ever since; primarily BTCC but with a keen interest in Champcar (especially Alex Z and Juan M!) which was, in my opinion, the best series in the world for a few years until they messed it up.

For five years I would be trackside literally every weekend of the season but, in recent years, having now gotten old and bought the obligatory house and car, I find myself bored with the whole Snetterton/Thruxton/Silverstone thing and prefer to do several bigger meetings a year such as Le Mans and a Nascar race or two.

You'll not be surprised to hear then that my interests in 'memorabilia' generally follow my previous involvement in 'real life' motorsport (if there is such a thing)

Despite saying I would never get into collecting model cars I find myself with an expanding collection in the past couple of years. I have three different collections:

1:43 BTCC cars from Super Touring era: I have approx 90 diecasts and kits from this era and am looking for the last 10 to complete my collection (no more were made)

1:18 Le Mans winners: Have 12 models so far (see other topic) and am looking for ways to be afford extras to add to this collection - they are not cheap! :s

1:18 Ayrton Senna Collection: Have all the models released to date in this scale. This was what first got me into collecting diecasts. Lovely little collection!

Until I developed my interest in diecasts I built up a large collection of videos and DVDs. I have sold a lot of these now but have all the BTCC season reviews from 1987 to 2003 (cba with latter seasons) and all the Mansell videos ever made (for some reason!!)

I also have a huge collection of books - mainly a run of Le Mans yearbooks and as many BTCC books and programmes as I could get my hands on for a website I was going to start several years ago but which never happened after I lost interest in the series.

So... if you've bothered reading all the way to hear you obviously have a screw loose too! Where do your interests lie and why? Tell us and we will use that info to try and develop the forum so that it will be of increased interest to you.

Craig

11 Jul 2006, 16:59

Oh god! I also just remembered I have every edition of Autosport from the year I was born to date. I bought most of these on eBay from a guy in Stoke who delivered to me whilst I was working in Manchester one day... the guys who I was working with that day thought I was insane that I'd want to pay good money for 25 years of old magazines!

If that wasn't bad enough I then bought some industrial shelving on eBay and racked it all out, then added a light! It's all very cool but it really does condem me to the saddo brigade... ah well!! :) hehe

Knowlesy

11 Jul 2006, 19:57

I will add my tale of woe then! :)

My name is David, aged 21 (almost). I've been a member here for a few years now, you probably seen me around. ;)

Got into motorsport as a wee kid, at about age four or five (1989) thanks to dad, who practically forced me to be a Nigel Mansell supporter. Not that I'm complaining! I can remember a fair bit from the early years and I seldom missed the live races. But up until about 1993 I was restricted to F1. Being a kid, you don't know much else. Although touring cars was sometimes on as well.

Then Nige went to Champcars and I got into that and over the years I have got into more and more different categories and am always willing to learn about new forms of motorsport. I follow the career of JPM ardently nowadays too.

I don't get trackside much at the minute, bar the odd local hillclimb and the British GP and tests as I live in a crap location, have no car and not much money. That will change when I take my year out whenever that may be and I'll keep the ball rolling thereafter!

Anyways, as far as my armchair interests go. I collect Minichamps F1 cars in 1/43 scale mainly, with a few 1/18. I have about 120 models all in, but I have stopped buying them altely due to money issues. I only collect Montoya 1/18 models now and any 1/43 special editions of his. That will obviously be stopping soon too!

I buy books and DVD's mainly now. I have several books on all categories of motorsport ranging from annuals, to biographies, to technical books etc.... As far as DVD's are concerned, let's just say I have a lot of stuff that i have recorded and bought over the years! Too much!

I also buy the odd bit of artwork to frame and hang up and the occasional cap to wear to a race meeting.

And finally, I am an Autosport subscriber.

So yeah, I am a bit of an obsessive!

What are you guys' and gals' areas of interest? :)

luke

11 Jul 2006, 20:18

Well I'm lukey. I've been a member here very nearly two years. I was born in 1989 so at the moment I'm 16...
I remember my Dad who was a big Mansell fan every Grand Prix around 1992 telling me to watch lol. He went to a few British Grand Prix. Brands 1985 I think.
My favourite driver has been Schumacher since around 1994 when I vaguely remember F1. I started watching more when he moved to Ferrari; of course I was still only six still when he did. But I got hooked as he could never win for Ferrari. And since 1997 or 1998 I have been a huge fan of him.
My dream is to go to the British Grand Prix one day. I've been to the Goodwood festival of speed in 1999 and 2001. I then got hooked on WRC around the same time as again my Dad was a fan at the time.
F1 was all I watched until about 2001 when I started to watch CART, IRL, BTCC, and F3000. Since then I've watched all motor sport.
However since 2004 I have never loved F1 as much as I used to.
And last year I went to my first ever BTCC race at Thruxton. I was hoping to go the DTM this year here as well but I couldn't. Same with Grand Prix masters here in August, can't afford to go.
Also I've been karting since 2002...
Ermm from I was young till around 2002, F1 was my favourite motorsport. Then I started watching CART as F1 got very boring that year. So CART was my favourite series for a while but then it's been declining ever since.
So then 2003 the WRC was my favourite series. As well I couldn't watch that much as I was racing and it was very exciting that year and I'm a big Solberg fan. Then form 2004 to 2005 the DTM has been my favourite series probably because I'm a big fan of Garry Paffett. Now, I donno, I just watch what ever is on as I don't really have a favourite anymore. Although I have been a big fan of MotoGP since 2003 and prefered it to F1 certainly in 2004.
I would love to go to more motorsport events but all my money goes towards karting at the moment so I can't even collect cars anymore.

Memorabilia side:
Since around 1999 when my Dad bought me my first model car from TFS1, in their little town shop in Chichester lol which no longer exists. I have collected mainly 1:18 F1 cars, from the 1970's to the current day. My 1:18 collection is around 30 cars. I also have a few 1:43 cars, a few CART cars that were Indy Car at the time and also sports cars.
I also have a hug book collection of motor sport books. Again around thirty. From all the Champ Car / CART yearbooks by Autocourse, to other F1 yearly books, driver auto biographies etc.
I also have all the F1 reviews on VHS from 1987-2000. And a few other new ones on DVD.
I also have many F1 hats in my collection, mainly Michael Schumacher ones.
I also have many signed stuff that means a great deal to me. For example signed by Michael Andretti, his 1994 Ganassi CART car. Also signed by him the 1996 U.S. 500 event book. And other signed stuff from DC, Colin McRae, Richard Burns R.I.P, Eddie Irvine, Mika Salo, Jenson Button, Justin Wilson, Darren Manning, to name a few and the pleasure of meeting them also Nigel Mansell at a kart track when his son's were testing.
And comming back to what Craig was saying, I have most Autosports from 2002 to around now but I haven't got them in ages. Still it's a huge pile lol. :)

John Turner

11 Jul 2006, 20:39

Ok, well I'm approaching 57 and semi retired with a Wife and two sons, one of whom I inflicted my car/motorsport disease on to such an extent that he now works for Autosport.

I've been heavily into cars and motor racing since I was about 3 when my love of Aston Martins, which has never faltered, started. I've never owned one however! You can guess why! My first attendance at a proper motor race was not until 1966. Unlike Craig, (these youngsters get bored so easily) I still do like the Silverstone/Thruxton/Snetterton (and a few circuits besides) thing, although as many will know this is based around my love of (but not exclusively so) historic racing.

Back in the mid 70's and again briefly in the late 80's I sprinted in Reliant Sabre 6GT, Scimitar Coupe and Ginetta G15 with more enthusiasm than success!

I own a small collection of classic cars (none particularly valuable, I hasten to add!), am a member of a number of owners clubs and subscribe to Motor Sport, Octane, Classic and Sports Car and The Automobile monthly mags, as well as being a regular reader of other motor mags, including, obviously, Autosport. I too, have a fairly substantial library of motor racing books and collect motor racing programmes. I have large collection of 1/43 scale models with an inevitably Aston and BMW theme although I also collect certain liveries like Martini, Jagermeister and Hasseroder. Stirling Moss remains my motor racing hero, although to a certain extent all racers are heroes to me, at any level!

I spend far too long on 10-Tenths when I should be doing other things.
I also love Steam engines and old aircraft, so I'm not quite one tracked!

I still have aspirations to own an Aston, write a couple of motor racing books and do bit of historic racing. It remains to be seen whether I achieve any or all of these ambitions!

Racer Scott

11 Jul 2006, 23:40

I'm Scott, and I've been into Motorsport since around 1991 - I was inshepired when I got an Amiga computer with the Microprose Grand Prix game. All seemed very high-tech at the time.

I've not missed a live Grand Prix since then, and also follow IndyCar, A1GP avidly and to a lesser extent touring cars and sportscars. I'm also now trying to develop more of a NASCAR interest with the Montoya news.

In terms of memorabilia, I've collected Minichamps models and had about 200 of them, which I recently sold as I lacked the space to display them possibly.

Have taken Autosport every week since August 1994, but I'm swithering over it now - I tend not to spend too long reading it now and the web keeps me updated.

Delighted to have discovered ten-tenths.

ralf fan

12 Jul 2006, 00:27

I am Eddy and i am an alcoholic....er wrong thread...;)

I am Eddy. Most of must have seen me lurking around (ive made a few posts too ;) )..Ive been a member since 03 after Ralf's win in France...came here to gloat ...sadly that turned out to be his last win..:(..

Got into cars and f1 in 91 while watching Senna power around Monaco. Never really understood what was going on in the races till 94 and 95. Since then i seldom miss f1 races. I have famously sat through the Hungaroring 02 and 04 debacles much to the amusement of my 'casual fan' friends.

I follow A1GP, GP2, IRL and Champcar though not race in race out. I do keep in touch with the standings and goings and manage to watch a few races as well...

I havent been to a GP yet but hope to one day.

I am pretty flat on the memrobilia side. Not really a big fan of model cars and such.

I mainly collect f1 races. I have started recording races since last year.
I also have a lot of books. Mainly biographies as i am interested in motorsport and driver history.

I am not an autosport subscriber.

BertMk2

12 Jul 2006, 16:55

I'm Bert :) my earliest motorsport memory is playing with my corgi JPS lotus (that went on a trailer behind a Lotus Elite!) on the living room floor whilst watching the F1 on TV, first driver I remember is Rene Arnoux in his Renault.

I've got a load of 1:43 models - F1 (fairly random but at least one from most teams of the nineties onwards), Super Tourers, DTM and Group B (the best cars ever :brm: ). I also have several slot cars (F1, DTM, Rally) and build 1:24 kits (or would if I ever had enough time - I've got 3 just sitting there waiting to be built!).

I buy MN the week after any decent events have been on, Track and Race if there's something good in there (and if I can find it!) and Autosport on very rare occasions (haven't bought it yet this year).

As far as 'live' motorsport goes - I go to club meetings with a friend who races a Mini and a Metro Cosworth, I co-drive on stage rallies a few times a year (and have marshalled on the local rally too), watch Rallycross at Lydden (and elsewhere if I can) and attend other 'interesting' meetings (so far this year - BTCC, WTCC, DTM, Group C with Rallyday more BTCC and Trucks to come :) ).

My understanding has increased significantly since getting involved 'hands on' both in terms of the actual mechanicals of how the cars actually work to how much work is involved in getting a car ready to compete. My respect for those who organise events has increased hugely and the same goes for the marshals without whom none of it would be possible :beer: (apologies if that last bit sounds like an oscar acceptance speech!)

Craig

12 Jul 2006, 19:16

Interesting stuff, folks, keep it coming! If you don't want to commit a long essay then please fill out the poll for us so we know where to channel our energies in the future. Though I am really enjoying reading the posts and learning a little more about why everyone else is interested in what they are interested in! :)

Splendid Cat

13 Jul 2006, 15:02

I'm 35.
First race was 77 Tourist Trophy at Silverstone (XJ12 Jags v Alpina CSL)
Been to Le Mans every year since, but will probably give it a miss next year as I think it is really crap nowadays - too busy, full of ****heads and all that debris fencing seriously annoys me.
Love Spa 24 (84,86,01,02,03,04,05) and all set for this years.
FIA GT rocks
BTCC is garbage chav racing IMHO
DTM is cool
Open wheelers fail to excite me

Autosport is a dreadful publication and has been for years

Memorabilia - c.300 1/43 Le Mans and GT (Minichamps, BBR, Mistral, Starter etc) Looking to offload some of them soon. All the Official ACO yearbooks too plus laods of videos

Motorsport isnt as all-consuming as it used to be for me:
Poisonous snakes, War at Sea get me totally immersed

But fell running, hillwalking, camping in Snowdonia and the Lakes are my current raison d'etre

And most importantly, I am father to Isabella Rose - Izzie (6 yrs). She is my absolute, total sunshine.

Best wishes

TimD

13 Jul 2006, 21:27

About to hit 40, been a car and racing nut since grandfather learned that the fastest way of quietening me in the cot was a Matchbox car and a copy of Motor Sport. That would have been 1968...

Autosport? Barring three elusive ones from the early fifties, I've got a complete run from 1950 number 1 to 2004. I've a few gaps since then, following an infamous "best crashes ever" edition which despite the then-editor's protestations, broke a lifetime addiction to the weekly purchase.

I've remained loyal to Motor Sport though, now got a complete run from 1946 to date and plenty from pre-war too.

Race programmes - 5000 and counting, mainly British clubbies as the limited information in GP programmes can be gleaned from other sources.

Too many races archived on tape and disc to mention.

Books - too many again, probably with a bias towards sports car racing in the fifties and sixties. Most of the essential driver biographies too, but still looking for that elusive "The Certain Sound", darn it!

I prefer to build my model cars, so I tend not to collect Minichamps and the like. I'm more interested in 1/43 kits by Provence Moulage, Renaissance, John Shinton and the like. Again, sports cars to the fore.

rustyfan

14 Jul 2006, 18:22

I'm Pete. My first real taste in motorsports came in 1989 when my dad watched the 1989 Daytona 500 on the glorious Screensport (sigh, I sure miss that channel). For some reason the sight of 43 rather boxy stock cars screaming towards turn one made a lasting impression, and stock cars in general - and vintage ones in particular - have had a special meaning ever since.

It wasn't, however, until around 1994 I really started to follow motorsports for real, and from primarily watching NASCAR, Champ Car and DTM/ITC in those days I quickly broadened my range of interest to watch just about anything that has an engine and you are able to race with it.

From the end of 1999, when we lost Greg Moore who easily was my favorite Champ Car driver, and roughly two years onwards (in no way helped by the loss of one of my two main stock car favorites, Dale Earnhardt Sr.) my interest in motorsports went down to an all-time low, but then towards the end of 2001 I found my way back and haven't looked back since.

It was also around that time I started to collect racing magazines, books and videos for real, primarily stock car ones. A bit more in-depth:

Magazines - got lots of issues of Stock Car Racing Magazine, with quite a few dating back to the very early years of that magazine, 1967-1968 etc. I also have nearly all issues of the National Speed Sport News magazine from 1977, which was a real "impulse-buy" after getting in touch with someone who mentioned he had a box with those magazines in the attic ;) Add to that scattered issues of Autosport, Speed Age Magazine (several issues from the 1950's) + a few more scattered ones.

Books - the majority are about either the Daytona 500 or the Indianapolis 500, as I have a huge appreciation for the history of those two races, but I have quite a few other books as well including some Grand Prix ones (like an old hardcopy of "the Cruel Sport" by Robert Daley).

Videos - See the motorsport video collection thread for more details on this.

pforrester

14 Jul 2006, 22:02

Damn you all! I was about to go to bed and try and get over my jetlag when I saw this great thread. So:

I'm Paul. Turned 22 on the Sunday of the US GP, which I watched in a sports bar in New York (hence the jetlag. And sorry if it sounds like I'm bragging, but it's not every day I get to write something like that!).

Anyway. my Mum had a passing interest in F1 and I somehow got hooked in. I think the first footage of any race I ever saw was the European GP in '93, though I was only 8 at the time, so the memory is a little hazy. I remember following the '94 and '95 seasons fairly well, and then it really kicked off in '96. I've only missed one race since then - the '97 Belgian GP (I was in London at the time and I still long to this day to watch it in it's entirety!). Though I did fall asleep part way through the '04 Hungarian GP, but I'd happily argue with anyone who tried to suggest that there was anything better to do.

I've never really followed one driver in particular. Damon Hill of course at first, and I've always been happy to see British drivers win. I tend to support the underdog generally, so I was always happy to see Minardi and the like score points. Show me a fan who wasn't! Nowadays, however, (and I have stated this elsewhere) I can't help but be impressed by Fernando Alonso, and I would happily watch him win every race over the rest of this season. For some reason I just don't get bored of watching him.

Attended my first British GP in '04 when I went to Silverstone for all three days (on my own, it has to be said, and I probably had a better time for it to be honest). Went again in '05 and took my Mum and brother this time, and would have gone again this year except I went to see Bon Jovi in Milton Keynes. I think a foreign race is on the cards next; perhaps Canada or Australia (though I'm not sure I could tolerate the flying to be honest).

I've always follwed other motorsport, especially BTCC and WRC, though my levels of enthusiasm generally match the quality of TV coverage given to them. My love for WRC has diminished recently; I can't help but feel the sport has been sanitised a little too much. Bring back the Safari Rally!

Try and keep up to date with IRL/ChampCars etc, but generally proves to be difficult, especially with only four TV channels to pick from.

Since '97 I've bought F1 Racing magazine every month. I also buy the occasional Autosport, but I really do mean occasional, especially since getting broadband earlier this year. Which is also when I found Tenths, although the amount of time I can spend perusing its pages varies tremendously, hence I am something of an irregular contributor.

I have books and DVDs and season review videos, but no great numbers of anything in particular due to a combination of lack of space and a need to invest money elsewhere. Ain't that always the way?!

Oh, and then I became a marshal last year (because I figured it was as close as an armchair enthusiast was likely to get to the action), though again time limits the number of meetings I'm able to do. But it's great when I do get to do it.

So there we go. I love my motorsport, which probably suggests I'm in the right place!

glyn parham

15 Jul 2006, 11:49

It is all my parents fault that I got hooked into motor sport and they are proud to take the blame.

Dad used to cycle to Brands to watch the scrambling/grasstrack racing from Sidcup before the war and by the time he married and settled down he had been to Goodwood, Silverstone etc many times. Apparently I went to Silverstone for the 1956 GP at the tender age of ten months for my first motorsport experience but unsurprisingly cannot remember it (damn!).

During the sixties my parents helped out several friends who raced and ended up working for Alan Fraser at weekends with the Imps so that I was at a race meeting at least twice a month for club and international meetings. I probably talked to Andrew Kitson several times at the old drivers stand at Paddock bend at Brands whilst our respective parents were down in the pits.

Consequently we got to know many drivers of the time and at one film night run by the local motor club that my parents belonged to I sat on the knee of a young New Zealander who was going somewhere in Formula Junior. He had to put up with a lot of questions from an enquiring eight year old but was polite, friendly and very patient. In 1967 he became his country's first world champion and every time we saw him at a race meeting he would always stop and chat, ask how we all were etc. So much for the grizzly bear, a real hero of mine along with Jim Clark who we all thought was untouchable until 1968.

By the early seventies I was starting to collect models of my favourite cars and this has developed into a collection of over 400 1/43 kits covering Spa 24 hours, BTCC (preferably 1963-1973, when men were men and gfm was nervous!) and RAC rally.

I had a huge collection of programmes from the era but sadly they were lost during a house move when a helpful grandma put them out for the dustmen due to a misunderstanding (never know how she lived to 96 after that well meaning mistake) and I also had an autograph book to die for but someone pinched it at a race meeting in the early seventies and I am still simmering with rage over that loss. Some of the names included Neubaur, Clark, G Hill, P Hill, Fangio, Moss and included messages as well.

Still collecting today and that includes photos of my collecting themes and any dvd's and videos as well, but at a much reduced rate due to cost and three children who growing up very rapidly and costing me a fortune.

Other interests include cricket (still playing badly at 50!) historic aircraft (as I write a Spitfire from Goudhurst has just flown over the house on its way to Duxford I think) and developing my sons interests in the world of sport and collecting.

Glyn

Craig

15 Jul 2006, 12:00

By the early seventies I was starting to collect models of my favourite cars and this has developed into a collection of over 400 1/43 kits covering Spa 24 hours, BTCC (preferably 1963-1973, when men were men and gfm was nervous!) and RAC rally.

Well we must have quite a collection between us... hang on, you sold me some of your collection! ;)

I had a huge collection of programmes from the era but sadly they were lost during a house move when a helpful grandma put them out for the dustmen due to a misunderstanding (never know how she lived to 96 after that well meaning mistake) and I also had an autograph book to die for but someone pinched it at a race meeting in the early seventies and I am still simmering with rage over that loss. Some of the names included Neubaur, Clark, G Hill, P Hill, Fangio, Moss and included messages as well.

OMG - both losses must have been heartbreaking! :o

Keep the posts coming, folks, it's really interesting!

safc_fan89

15 Jul 2006, 22:16

I'm Chris and am 16, 17 at the end of August. My interest in motorsport is predominantly F1, simply because up to a few years ago it is the only motorsport I watched and have been obsessed with it ever since I started watching in 1998. No matter how dull the races are, I remain as fascinated as I was when I was 8. In the last few years though I have started following Moto GP, British Superbikes, GP2, A1GP and BTCC and have got to the current situation where I am obsessed with motorsport. Something which my family certainly does not share :D

My interests in this area lie with DVDs/videos and books. I have loads of motorsport books, mainly season reviews, biographies, autobiographies and so on, and even more videos and DVDs. A description of my ever-growing collection is on the 'videos and DVDs' thread. If my finances allowed me to buy every single F1 video available on eBay (obviously not the same one each time) then I would do that. Same with BTCC. I am also developing a habit of recording every motorsport event I watch on TV. I have got through too many VHS tapes this season to recall.

My one regret so far is that I have never been to a Grand Prix, which bugs me so much. I know no-one with an interest in motorsport so getting down to Silverstone is a problem. I hope to persuade my dad to take me next year though. Trying to get him into F1 though sure is hard work!

Magazines...well, the motorsport-related ones are F1 Racing and Autosport, although I only buy Autosport when the main story interests me and I can't get away with reading all the story in the shop ;-) I have a habit of collecting all the magazines I buy, so in 20 or so years time I will have a collection worth bragging about.

My other interest is footy. But that's not motorsport-related so I will save it for other people.

nickyf1

16 Jul 2006, 16:32

My name is Nicholas or Nicky or Nick or Nickolei or.....

Anyway, I got into motorsport when I was about 4, because I had a Ford Escort Toy Car sponsored by martini and while I was flicking through channels to find my kiddies Programmes, I stumbled upon the ITC and at that exact moment there was a Martini Alfa Romeo on the screen, I stared at it then looked at the car in my hand, then I jumped up and shouted, Its the same! its the same! hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! weeeeee.... etc,etc.

I started to whatch F1 round about 1996/7 when I lived in Galway I remember whatching it one day, I cant remember which GP, but I guess it was the Argentinian GP. I moved back to scotland in 98, and I cant remember anything from that year. I remember during the 99 Monaco GP, getting out my toy F1 cars, taking out the video cases and recreating the Monaco circuit, complete with a tunnel! The Living room was a mess when the grand prix finnished!

I discovered the BTCC and MotoGP and Le Mans and the WRC and Rallycross in 2000.

During 2001 I was right into F1 as a Micheal Schumacher fan but that would be the last year where I was his fan. In 2002, I taped NASCAR races and IRL and other motorsports on Channels 4 and 5 because F1 was so boring. In 2003 F1 was at its best and it was up untill that year that I had taped every GP since Monza 1999, I gradualy stopped taping races through 2004.

In 2005 I whatched any Motorsport that was on, but after getting Motors TV, That stopped because I discovered that I could not sit through Tractor Pulling, or anything like that.

I have a wide collection of over 60 model cars, busses and trams as well as an Autograph book with signitures from Alister Mcrae, Alan McNish, Andy Priaulx, David Leslie and loads more!

I love designing tracks, and car liveries as well

I have over 40 racing games for my PS2!!!

I usually go to Knockhill every year for the BTCC but this year I cant make it because of the great Scottish Run on the same day! But I love my running, and when you finninsh that final sprint, you feel great!

ralf fan

16 Jul 2006, 16:57

My name is Nicholas or Nicky or Nick or Nickolei or.....

Nicole? :p

nickyf1

16 Jul 2006, 20:27

Hmmm, you know, I really dont know about that one.....

Rockmunky

16 Jul 2006, 21:36

Hey hey all, my name's Rich, or Richard, or anything else you fancy calling me... I'm 15, (16 on october 9th ;))
My interest in motorsport bloomed aorund age 3/4, when i was with my friend, and we were playing with toy cars, and watching soem racing on the telly. (can't remember what)

From that day on, i would hunt around the 4 channels on tv at the time, desperately looking for any racing, when i did find some, i was glued to it. Not even Thomas the Tank Engine could tear me away from it, and i loved Thomas.

I began getting intereted in F1 around 1994, and attempted to tape nearly every race, but failed miserably, as i am so unorganised..

To this day, i still adore racing, in any shape or form, and still want to achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a paid racing driver. One day...

I joined ten-tenths in August of 2005, i was attracted by the track design section, as i had been drawing circuits for years previously. Ofcourse, i also joined for the wide range of topics covered, and some great people who also post here.

nickyf1

16 Jul 2006, 23:29

Not even Thomas the Tank Engine could tear me away from it, and i loved Thomas.

:yeah:
same with my wee brother and me when I was young

AllonFS

18 Jul 2006, 11:22

I'm Allon, (not that you would ever guess it from my forum name ;) ) and whilst I'm not sure when I first got in to motorsport I can just about remember the infamous Piquet/Salazar fight in 1982. I would have 9 or 10 then so you can work out my age from there.

Watched F1 increasingly regularly in the 1980s and loved the BTCC from the Sierra Cosworth days through to the peak in the early 90s. I remember watching the annual highlights of Bathhurst on the BBC as well, didn't know what the race was at the time but was wowed by seeing big Jags and Camaros there. Also loved the occassional bit of rallycross that got shown as well.

Got turned on to Le Mans quite by chance and went to my first ever race at there in 1999. I still remember with a shiver the sound of the first car at 7.05pm on Wednesday practice and knowing immediately I was hooked. Have been every year since, (including 2001, 10 days after returning from honeymoon... ). Still the only race I go to, especially I now I have a family, the annual pilgrimage with Craig is one of the highlights of the year for me.

I now tape what I can from Channel 5 motorsport stuff in the middle of the night, but have stopped bothering with BTCC (Max Power dodgems) and F1 (like slot racing but with less excitement).

Only started collecting stuff in the last few years. Books are mainly on F1 and sportscar history, as well as some books on specifics such as Porsche racing sportscars. Small dvd/video collection on same theme. Small (otherwise divorce looms :laugh: ) model collection; 1/18 Porsche 917s and Jag C and D types.

Joined ten-tenths in 2001 after lurking for a few months and made some good friends through it. I read it most days and whilst not the most prolific poster, certainly one the most intelligent and good-looking. :bleh:

nickyf1

18 Jul 2006, 17:50

jab

21 Jul 2006, 20:56

Hi, I'm James and I'm 15. I started following F1 in about 93/94-ish - obviously I can't remember the exact race - and have stayed relatively in touch since (though my interest wained about during the lean years). I've also been a rally fan, and the 93 RAC Rally is still on tape, as is 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04 and 05!! I've also been a fan of the BTCC, although I lost touch after the Super Tourers were gotten rid of. Now, though, I'm back watching, and so far, I haven't missed a race this year

I got into it in a big(ger) way last year, and joined here early this year. I've mainly been hiding in My Tracks, though I have occasionally emerged to post elsewhere

I went to my first big race meeting this year at Thruxton (BTCC), although had been to a few at Pembrey (British F3 back in about 97 and 98) and Castle Combe. I've also been to the rally a few times - you can't get away from it, because the stages are so close now!!

My memorabilia collection is a bit low, mainly because I used to keep switching between my various interests (inc trains, football, and various other sports). I've got a couple of autographs, the main one being (I think) Justin Wilson when he was in Formula Vauxhall at Pembrey in 97. I've got plenty of videos, DVDs and books, though!!

Anyway, that's all for now from me - I've bored you enough for one day, I think

Dutton

26 Jul 2006, 18:34

Well, okay, let me strike a thoughtful pose (something of an incandescent vogue?), and then write some decadent prose. Or not, as the case will hopefully be. Just forget about this first paragraph. Such rambling nonsense just spurted out from somewhere unknown (*starts scary music*).

I was born in October 1981, which makes me 24 years old (for those who can't count). I lived in different parts of Scotland until just before Xmas 2004, at which point I moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The whole motorsport thing has been a part of me as long as I have memories. This was born of my Dad watching the F1 GPs. I have odd flashes of F1 memories from the mid-to-late 1980s, but proper ones don't really kick in until the 1990s. This spawned my life-long interest in Ferrari. If there is a (are) Ferrari(s) in a race, be it factory or privateer, then my desires of success are directed at said machine(s)/team(s). Red has always been my favourite colour, and it was thus, in those early days of motorsport interest, which was F1, I happened to pick "the red cars" that were well known.

It remains my weakness to this day, and I don't suppose that is ever going to change.

I didn't really start following other motorsport much until about 1993/1994. I had watched other stuff before then, but it was more incidental than anything else. Nowadays, well, I will watch any competition involving motorised vehicles that I find. One exception to this, in terms of TV, is drag racing, although I don't mind it trackside (still doesn't really float my boat too much).

In the UK I managed to get to regrettably small amounts of racing trackside (mixture of lack of transport/funds/time to do so - physical location not helping much for the first 13 years!). However, now that I live near Calgary, it is all good. There is a race track in the city, which has stuff weekly from April/May through until the end of September. So, I get to that most weekends. I have more or less zero knowledge of any of the series that race there, but that is of no real concern to me. The whole point of going to see it is the experience.

In terms of material stuff, by far the most dominant aspect is media stuff: books, magazines, DVDs, videos, programmes. I have some other bits and bobs, but nothing of comparable volume.

I think that just about covers it.

Chatters

29 Jul 2006, 11:45

I was born in 1990, so I'm still young, with hopes and dreams... :laugh:

I've grown up with a mother that was an ex communications officer at race meetings, and a father who was a fire marshal at almost any opportunity he could get. I loved the sounds and the smells from the races since I started chanting for Larry Perkins in 1992.

Every year our family used to pile into the car and head up to Bathurst every year for the 1000km race up there. Man I used to love going up there and exploring around, getting lost (several times) and watching the race from inside the caravan and outside, usually on Pit Striaght or Murray's Corner. And I always used to love cheering the drivers at the end of the race when they drove past us on their way back to podium.

Apart from that, I used to make regular visits to Oran Park, Eastern Creek, and Amaroo Park before it was closed.

It's only in recent years that my eyes have opened to all the motorsports of the world. I spend most of my time embursed in some racing site, or playing racing games, or watching racing. My favourite teams or drivers in world motorsport would be Mark Webber in F1, McLaren in F1, Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi in MotoGP, the Australian A1GP Team, Paul Tracy in CARTs, Team Newman Haas in CARTs, Chris Atkinson and Subaru in WRC, Steven Richards and Perkins Motorsport in V8 Supercars.

Also recently I've started collecting model cars. I started about 2 years ago, and I have about 17 V8 Supercars. My main size is 1/43, though I have a few 1/18s and 1/64s. I have a lot of DVDs about various teams, and about 15 books from various years of the Bathurst 1000.

I always like to hear about the special events of Motorsport like Le Mans, Indy 500 and Spa 24h. On the topic of 24 hour races I recently completed a 24 hour race around the old Nurburgring at GT4 - without pausing or stopping or skipping any part. Thanks to my friend lol.

Nowadays I'm content to be a real armchair enthusiast. My age retricts me from going wherever I want whenever I want, so I usually manage to go to one V8 Supercar event every year. When I'm older I plan to go to every V8 round in Australia and New Zealand, travel to Belgium to watch the F1's at Spa, then to France to watch the Le Mans 24 hours, and to America for the Indy 500. Until then I enjoy the late nights watching Alonso and Schuey fighting for positions at various GPs. I always watch the V8s, manage to watch highlights of WRC on Channel 10, and usually watch the MotoGP. Needless to say even if I don't watch it I look up the results as soon as I can.

I have a few rare pieces of memorabilia. I have a mirror of the Ingall/Murphy car in the 1997 Super Tourer Bathurst 1000 (my dad [inched it when they crashed), a signed Perkins poster, and a series of 8 signed photographs of Peter Brock (well they're my mums but I'll get them one day!:laugh:).

Um, I think that pretty much covers it for me. Be sure to look out for me if you watch the telecast of the V8 Supercars in future years, I'm gonna be commentating them. :laugh:

Craig

23 Aug 2006, 22:16

This is really interesting stuff, folks, keep it coming. It's given me a really good idea of the interests of our visitors.

chrisp2006

17 Oct 2006, 13:13

Hi Im Chris and I'm 22 years old.

I first got into motor racing when I watched an F1 race on tv in 1991. From then on I supported Nigel Mansell and went to Silverstone in 1992 and 1993.

As I got older I became less interested but still went to the odd British GP. I also am a big music fan so I became predominantly occupied with this up until 2003 when I watched another F1 race(think it was austria) and became hooked even more than I had before.

Mainly I follow F1 but I like Gt racing, touring car racing and World Rally also. I watch shows such as top gear, buy car magazines such as evo. I used to buy F1 racing but usually buy autosport or Motorsport news.

I have a lot of books such as 'the mechanics tale', 'villeneuve', 'the life of senna', 'history of Porshe', 'Cavlliano Rampante' '50 years of Grand Prix'. I have DVDs such as the Senna one, F1 onboard and The discovery channel F1 dvd.

Events I have been to include WTCC, Formula Ford festival and HRSCC at Brands Hatch, Truck racing at Pembrey( mainly went for the welsh sports and saloon championship) and the Goodwood festival of speed .

For the future I may be interested in doing some marshalling and some trackdays.

DevilGirl

20 Oct 2006, 17:34

Hi, I'm Wendy and I'm 24. I'm from Melbourne, Aust. but am living in old blighty for the next year or so...have been here with my fiance since March.

Like a lot of others here, motorsport was in-born. Dad has only missed 2 Bathursts (and that was because he was out of the country) in its existence, so that race comprises the vast majority of my early motorsport memories. He is (was) a huge Brocky fan, and my mum thought he was one of the best looking bloke going around, so she is partly to blame too! My earliest racing memory was at Sandown when I was very very young, plonked on the bench seats and told to watch! After a while me & my older brother got bored so we collected all the beer cans around and made some money for the day :laugh:

Despite the Holden influence from the olds, I have blue blood, much to dad's bitter disappointment. And you can blame Marcos Ambrose for that :laugh:. Since Marcos came onto the scene, I have followed V8's much more closely, and even been to 2 Bathursts (wasn't allowed to prior to that - it was a boys only trip in our family).

My main love is V8s, but have now started following the Trucks in the US, only on the net though, can't get footage anywhere. Will be getting Foxtel when we get home next year to watch the Busch series though!! Luckily for my fiance, he is also a Ford supporter (he didn't have a choice actually ;) ) so we watch the races together on telly, and I'm even letting him come to Bathurst next year with me :rofl:

Other than that, I spend far to much on here, getting my fix, especially of late with Brocky's passing and Bathurst, it has all made me terribly homesick.

I (sort of) collect model cars. I have the 1:18 models of the 2003, 2004 & 2005 Pirtek cars. and I have just placed an order for the 2006 Jeld-Wen car, and the #1 Caltex machine. They are being delivered to mum & dad, so I won't see them for another year or so :( .
I'm also into photography, I have photos of Rusty's championship burnout's from Phillip Island last year that are better than the ones in the mags!! Needless to say, they were blown up, put in a box frame with a 1:43 scale Caltex car and given to the other half for Christmas!

So thats about it for me... can't wait to get back to Oz and get some live V8 action and buy my very own XR8! Oh yeah, and see my family :cool:

nickyf1

20 Oct 2006, 23:21

Recently I have got into V8s, the first ever V8 Supercar Race I whatched was the 2002 Winton round (Cheers Channel 5!) and started following it, I lost track around 2004, but this year I'm Back! I am a Holden fan, and as V8_TURBO once said: 'who would win out of a fight, a lion, or a falcon?'. What a great way to put it! I have my own team (fantasy series) Denso/Mobil Motorsports, they are not very good. One of my drivers got taken out at turn 1 at bathurst theis year.... (Mark Skaife......DAMN YOU CLUTCH!) My Best model is my CC 2000 season Richards/Richards Falcon that I picked up for just £7, yes, £7! This year I stayed up all night to whatch Bathurst (ignoring the Japanese GP) and I thouroly enjoyed it! Dont have any particular favourite drivers at the mo, but Holden, oh yeah!

Mr V

5 Nov 2006, 18:29

I am Eddy and i am an alcoholic....er wrong thread...;)

I am Eddy.

Mate, in the 3 years i've known you (if you can call it that via the internet) i never knew your name was Eddy!

Hi, i'm Andy, and i'm also an alcoholic - well, according to the bread knife who thinks 1 can of lager a day makes you an alcky ;)

Reading through what you guy's collect makes me feel a whole lot better about myself i can tell you ;)

I collect

1:18 F1 diecast models, though i only have the JPM ones on display (looking to get rid of most of the others proberbly)

1:43 F1 diecasts, these unfortunately are all up in the loft along with most of the 1:18's. I had this idea of making a clock with some of them (the one's numbered 1-12 obviously) but have some of the numbers missing.

Prints, some of them signed by the likes of Eddie Irvine and Eddie Jordan

Signed pictures from the likes of Irvine, Herbert, Damon Hill, Sato and Murray Walker

F1 and motorsport related books

Races, every race back to Spa 1998 (incidently, i decided to record this after the first lap accident in case there was another) and many others from before hand including end of season reviews, this years Moto GP end of season review showing on Eurosport tonight included.

F1 trinkets, including 1:43 scale drivers, 1:10 helmets and mugs etc etc

Every F1 racing magazine since November 1996 (the first one after Damon won his world title and various F1 programs from the British GP's i've been too.

Unfortunately, most of these things are in the loft, and to be honest, i don't know what to do with them now as they are out of harms way as we are now into collecting babies toys due to Mini V being on the scene, fortunately, his favourite things are cars (wonder where he gets that from ;) ) so thats not too bad :)

I've been to every British GP since 1998 (the one where Schumacher won in the pitlane :( ) and will be going again next year if any of you fancy meeting up :)

Knowlesy

7 Nov 2006, 22:47

No bloody world cup to get in the way next year either V. ;)

I really must get some tickets ordered...

chunterer

9 Nov 2006, 19:18

Chunterer

I do chunter in real life too!!

Already getting down now the season is nearly over. Used to get into the footy but so fed up with that these doors.

I'm in my early 30's and first got into motor sport in 1979/80. Got taken to Thruxton a few times by my dad to see the British Saloons and that's where my massive interest in Capris started. Ironically i've never actually owned one but got close once!

Ardent follower of Group A touring car racing until it ended, didn't like super touring as much but appreciated its strengths.

F3 and F3000 were my other loves until 3000 went downhill at the start of this decade. GP2 is a truly worthy successor and has illustrated to me why I love pure motor racing.

Nowadays it's GP2, GT's that only really grab me, watch the F1 out of habit.

Touring cars is rubbish compared to what it was and motor racing isn't how it was when I got into it period. I doubt very much i'd get excited by motor racing if I were a young lad today!

Always favoured the spectacular hard charging drivers who show promise rather than simply those who win everything!

The likes of Gilles (had only just died when I watched in awe my first Brit GP on the box), Ayrton Senna, Alex Zanardi (what a hero!!), Johnny Herbert, JJ Lehto, the late Gonzalo Rodriguez, Greg Moore and latterly JPM and Felipe Massa plus many more in between and besides!

Got tonnes of mags all over the place, some interesting diecasts and the odd print.

I'm gradually building a nice book collection as well as picking off the F1 reviews on video/dvd one by one.

Nick49

16 Nov 2006, 13:07

Hello

You know this is one of those threads that I've been meaning to post on but have never got round to until today. Anyway I'm Nick and I'm getting on for 51 at the end of this year.

Motor racing for me started in the early 60's at the time of the 1500 cc F1 era although quite when I can't remember but I can remember going to the Racing car Shows at Olympia (I think) to see all the racing cars. I can vividly remember the "Return to Power" show in 1965 introducing the 3 litre F1 formula. I was a big Lotus fan and Jim Clark was my first sporting hero. To a certain extent when Lotus dropped out of Formula One so did I but, I also think F1 is not as good as it was. Old age perhaps!

I have always followed sports car racing (and just about anything else to be honest) and that is my main interest nowadays. I used to go to Le Mans every year but then I got married in 1987 and I've never been back since. Grounds for divorce?:innocent:

I 've travelled all over UK and Europe to watch races whether they be F1, Sportscars, F2 (great series), F3, ETC and so on. I have to say that the European F2 and the Group C sports cars were my favourites. Great cars and great circuits.

Back in the 60's us brothers got an Airfix slot racing set for Christmas and amazingly I still have it! In the mid 70's I gave it up as much as anything because I served in the British Army for 22 years. In recent years I've got back into slot cars and now race at a club in Hampshire and enjoy it more than ever. I also have a large collection of white metal, resin or diecast 1/43 scale models of mostly sports cars but also F1. I have to admit that I haven't made up a kit for a couple of years having discovered Spark Models but I have a very nice "Queens" Mercedes W196 and "Tameo" Samson Shag Shadow waiting to be built.

I have several motor racing DVD's including "In Car 956" and Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" and I'm quite looking forward to "GrandPrix". Christmas Prezzie??

Well I'm 50 and I've been to the Monaco GP and Le Mans but I'm still desperate to get to the Indy 500 and would like to get to see Bathurst. Another 50 years to do it in.:rofl: Better stop now.

Nick

SkullyCollins

22 Nov 2006, 10:48

I'd have to say Books is my biggest Motorsport Collection, off the top of my head the list goes like this:
- Designs of Victory: On the Grand Prix Trail With Benetton, Derek Allsop (sp?) (1993)
- The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Formula One, Bruce Jones (1995)
- Race and Rally Car Source Book: The Guide to Building ot Modifying A Competition Car, Allan Staniforth (1997)
- Formula One 1999
- Murray Walker's Formula One Heroes (2001)
- The Unofficial Complete Encyclopedia Of Formula One. Mark Hughes (2002)
- The Lost Generation (2006), David Tremayne (Coming in Christmas)

Sorry if it's too short...like I said, this was made off the top of my head...

Rob29

22 Nov 2006, 18:20

For some reason I have yet to coment here though I seem to have voted in the poll.
Anyway I am 64 years old and retired. First discovered motor racing in 1953 when a school friend and his dad took me to Crystal Palace to see Stirling Moss win in a Cooper-Alta!
Unfortunately due to an eyesight problem I have never been able to drive myself,so am definitely an 'Armchair Enthusiast' .Though I used to go to lots of meetings(46 in one year-1972 I think) when I lived in London,and public transport or someone else to drive was available.
Have bought Autosport since 1955 though only last 20 years remain after 8 home moves in 50yrs.

torola

27 Nov 2006, 12:46

Hi I'm Graham and very new on here, originally from the UK but now living in Spain.
At 50 i'm not retired yet and doing a little work out here.
I have been into motors since a young chap due to my fathers love of vehicles I suppose.
I have owned some rare beasts in my time including Healey 3000, John Savage 3 litre Cortina mk11, Jaguar mk2 340, Merc 190e 2.5 cosworth etc etc.
No racing skills just the love of the machine and all that.

I am fortunate that I now live just 10 minutes form the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia whic has got me into motorcycles especially gp.
Their are lots of events at the circuit including WTC, FI testing, and BMW cup and of course the last round of the Moto gp.

I can now list Jeremy McWillams as one of my friends as he always stays with us when testing or visiting the track..a great guy I might add, he has tons and tons of experience as most of you will know, and he knows more about bike and tyre set-up than most.
I hope he gets that Ilmor ride....its close at the moment!

Also had Leon Haslam (and girlriend Oli) stay with us last month, another true professional even at his young age, didn't quite win the BSB last year but i'm sure he'll make it in 2007.

As for FI then I have always been an Alonso fan before his wins, next season will be one of the most interesting yet I think and not just because MS has retired, there are lots of other reasons we should see a very interesting battle all the way through.

Thats about it, not very exciting but good to read about you other guys so thought I would add my two pence worth !

John Turner

28 Nov 2006, 18:26

Warm welcome, Graham. Great the you have joined us ...... youngster! :)

Leighton Irwin

29 Nov 2006, 21:47

I'm Leighton and officially an old f*rt of 68.
Saw 1st race at Edenvale Ont. in 1952.
Drove a stock car at 16 in a practice session (on dirt) until the officials caught me.
Started Marshalling in 61. Ended about 63.
First race was in 61 at Greenacres in a MGA. Last race run at that track.
Did some rallying over the years as both driver and co-driver. Cars: VW Beetle, Corvair, Austin A55, MGB. Only the Austin was mine.
Raced 3 different MGB's, none of them mine. That was nice.
Instructed at Racing Drivers School of Canada at Mosport.
Bought and raced an Elva Mk6 Climax 1100. Held class 1150cc lap record at Mosport.
1967 5th under 2 litre and 9th overall in Cdn. championship.
Sold Elva in 69 (deeply in debt) and worked with Gary Magwood. Also instructed at CASC driving schools.
In 67 I gophered for Cooper at Mosport. Ron Dennis was the Jr. mechanic on Dick Attwood's car. I had snuck in so didn't have a pass until Roy Salvadori gave me one the morning of the race. There was a prelim race for sports cars but by invitation only. I didn't get one and was p*ssed off.
Sun. morning I got asked to go get my car! NO! I also got very strange looks as they saw my F1 pass. I always got invited after that.
Late 69 started crewing for Bruce Jensen FB Brabham BT16
70 BT21, 71 & 2 Chevron B17, 73 March 722, 74 March 74B 75/6 Chevron B29. New JV when he was knee high to a grasshopper and of course knew Gilles. Lots of interesting stories but no space.
Left BJ mid 76.
During this period I also worked as a Tech. Inspector at pro races at Mosport if it was a free weekend.
76/7 Director Cdn. Racing Drivers Assoc. and Race Sec. for the pro races including USAC Indy cars, Can Am and F1.
At this time also helped to build the P&G Mk7 cars and crewed for Bob French. 3/4 litre cars with Suzuki GT750 motors.
78 also started to crew for Judy Ferchat in Honda Civics.
78 with Judy and went back to BJ for a while. Ralt RT1. I installed the 1st skirts on a Ralt in NA and at Quebec City race had a long discussion with Ron Tauranac over my design. We agreed to disagree and I think he was right.:rofl:
79 Judy bought a Xpit 3/4 litre car with a Honda CB750.
Mid 80's switched to a Suzuki GS 750 on methanol. Second in championship in 86 and 1st woman to win a race overall at Mosport
87 switched to Yamaha FZ750. I designed the engine sub frame and it was the 1st 3/4 litre car that the engine could be pulled without splitting the chassis. We also designed our own fuel injection system with the help of Kinsler FI Co. Judy built all the engines. I do not do engines. My expertice was suspension and areodynamics. Became a fairly good fabricator too. Failed shop in High School!:laugh:
88 Judy retired that was the end of my racing life.
89 we got married and started our own companies. Seperated in 2000 but are good friends and still business partners. Own Rift Valley Pond and Garden and Fishing Tackle.
Follow F1, Champ Car and to lesser extent IRL and ALMS. Keep an eye on NASCAR and a World of Outlaws fan.
Get out to the odd race but the summer is our busy time.
Read a lot, both historical fiction and about motor racing especially the mechanical side. Only Magazine I read now is Vintage Race Car but have several favourite web site.
Used to write professionally for pet magazines about tropical fish before we closed our tropical fish business down.
That is it from the shores of Georgian Bay.

Jon Lincoln

15 Feb 2007, 12:52

Hi I'm Jon, originally from Lincoln now living in South London.

I'm 31 and first got into motorsport during the 1987 season of F1 and have been following it ever since. Have gradually become a general motorsport fan as the years go on and F1 becomes more sanitised and less viewer friendly.

I've been a semi regular visitor to Silverstone, Brands hatch, Donington and Cadwell for many years and also had a trip to the Belgian Grand Prix in 1996. Spa - it's just like Cadwell Park but writ large! Glorious stuff.

I'm mainly a TV viewer these days but hope to get to Brands for the A1 GP and if I get a car then I'll be all over the place as many weekends that I can!

Highlights for the year for me are: Monaco GP, Le mans, Dakar Rally, BTTC, IRL, ALMS and NASCAR.

I am also perhaps the only person here who is equally obsessed with Dr Who and motorsport so I win the sad fan award hands down. Dr Who was my first obsession and I didn't think motorsport would ever get close but last year when Le Mans was on Motors TV I found myself missing Dr Who for the first time. I was torn but I was enjoying the live action so much...

I too read a fair bit about motorsport and have a dream of writing a book about it one day - if I get around to it I'll be getting in touch with you lot for some advice and research!

have fun,
Jon

falcemob

18 Feb 2007, 19:13

I'm Tim and I live in South London although I am originally from Bolton, but hey, that's not my fault.
I race a replica Jaguar D-type with the Sports racing and Gt Challenge and also the Thoroughbred sports car championship in the MGCC.
I got into racing late but used to watch my uncle race XKs, E-types and Elans in the sixties.

glyn parham

19 Feb 2007, 22:36

Hi Tim

I wondered what the connection was, so it was uncle Eric who I watched at Brands in the sixties, especially in the E type.

Glyn

falcemob

20 Feb 2007, 09:45

Yes that's him, he is out this year in his Fiesta and hopefuly an Etype latter this year.

Captain VXR

12 Mar 2007, 20:51

Hi, i'm Adam and I got into the BTCC between the ages of four and five. I used to love Matt Neal's Primeras but slowly I became a Vauxhall fan (both teams had red, my favourite colour). I am interested in any 2.0 litre touring car racing, drifting since 2005 and WRC since 2003 in which I support Subaru. I support BMW works teams Proteam and GR Asia in the WTCC while I also support any Vauxhall in the BTCC and AFM Racing in their diesel 1-Series

dj choc ice

12 Mar 2007, 21:23

hello, my name is stephen and im 17 years old.

i got into motorsport when i was a wee one at 4 when my dad took me to the british touring car championship at oulton park, from then on it was a love affair thats so far lasted for the best part of 13 years.

mainly i like the art and photography side of motorsport and if it takes my fancy i buy the odd model car, mainly 1:43 scale and mainly a GT or LMP car.

i live in old colwyn in north wales which is rife with drug problems god knows how since it is only a small coastal town, i however though am working hard in 6th form towards a good job which in turn will hopefully give me the money to go club racing, and hopefully that will one day lead to racing at the lemans 24 hours:rotate: :rotate: :rotate:

i drive a electric blue peugeot 106 1.1 independance a.k.a kebab as its become known and the blue smudge, it doesnt go very quick but looks damn nice for small hatchback.

im 6 foot tall, slim, have a slight tan somehow, lavish far too much time and money on my hair by dying it blonde and spiking it up all over, spend far too much money on clothes (thats the effect of designer labels nowadays:laugh: ).

my main obsessions as said by friends and other people

lemans 24 hours, FIA GT, LMS, ALMS, BTCC and WTCC.
my unhealthy obsession, partying too often, every weekend and once during the week but you only live once.
my car, i seem to spend forever cleaning it but thats mainly down to next door's doves crapping on my car all the time:laugh: .

my taste in music is simple stuff like bloc party, the killers, kasabian, maximo park, artic monkeys, red hot chilli pepers, snow patrol etc etc.

and my favorite race teams for this year will probably be WSR in the BTCC with those orange beemers, arena's zytek 07S in the LMS and the swiss spirit lola B07/10 audi.

in the FIA GT that would be the all.inkl lamborghini's, in the ALMS intersport with their creation CA06H judd all the way.

now can i publish this as an autobiography???:rofl:

chunterer

13 Mar 2007, 10:27

dj choc ice

13 Mar 2007, 16:10

:laugh:

Good one!

It seems to me that GT's are becoming more popular with a slightly younger generation these days!!? When I was younger I raved about touring cars and single seaters, but now, apart from GP2, the only thing that really gets my attention is the sounds of a Vette C6R, or more probably, the Murcialago R-GT!!!

20 years ago i'd jump up and down at any racing car that moved in joy.

Is this kust part of getting older, or because racing's not as enjoyable anymore?

to be honest i didnt have much of an interest in GT racing until i went with my dad to the FIA GT at silverstone in 1997, i instantly fell in love with the mclarens and porsche 911 GT1's.

imo nothing beats the noise of a zytek, lambo murcielago or courage LC70 mugen at full chat:)

and as well this years LMS line up is looking fantastic and the entry list for lemans is astonishing for this year:rotate:

chunterer

13 Mar 2007, 19:12

to be honest i didnt have much of an interest in GT racing until i went with my dad to the FIA GT at silverstone in 1997, i instantly fell in love with the mclarens and porsche 911 GT1's.

Hmm, remember it well. Second only to Euro GP 1993 at Donington in the lets' get soaking wet and catch pneumonia stakes!!

dj choc ice

18 Mar 2007, 22:23

Hmm, remember it well. Second only to Euro GP 1993 at Donington in the lets' get soaking wet and catch pneumonia stakes!!

sounds like a normal race meeting at anglesey race track, or more like silverstone 1000km LMES 2005:laugh:

Alx

19 Apr 2007, 14:55

Well, having been welcomed and provided a link to this topic by Knowlesy, I am going to use this space to introduce myself :)

I'm Alex (female version), I'm 25 and I'm in the middle of a one year masters degree. I used to post at this place years back when I stumbled across it via a website called "Fantasy Formula Renault" - does that place still exist? I can't remember my pseudo back then but it was probably either Alx or Senninha (which was my original F1-pseudo from when I was about 15). Whatever, I couldn't remember, and the system didn't recognise my email address or whatever so I've re-joined. My current pseudo originates from a favourite song of mine, but I also like the word and I think to an extent it suits the darker side of my personality :rotate:

I got into motorsport through my dad, who always had the F1 on when Nigel Mansell was doing his stuff. Got into it properly in the mid-90s, when I started watching F1 seriously, and then whichever other motorsport series I could catch on TV. Been visiting racing circuits since 1998, and can't go a season without seeing my F3 favourites at least once :) I'm mainly a single-seater kind of a girl F1, F3, GP2, F3000, World Series, Formula Renault, Formula Ford etc., but I still follow the BTCC, WRC and of course those beautiful Le Mans and sportscars.

Collection-wise - my main passion is die cast models, of which are mainly 1:43 but I have the odd 1:18 and the two 1:12 1988 McLaren MP4/4s. Mainly F1, but I've attempted to buy every F3 car I've seen, and there's still the odd sportscar, touring car and rally car in there. I've become a snob though, and I can't bring myself to buy non-minichamps now! I have no idea how many I have now, but it's probably in the region of 300.

I do like the books and the magazines and am another one to add to the list of subscribers to Autosport, also like the Video/DVD season reviews of the championships and Autocourse annuals (which is marked in as a Christmas present every year!!). Odd bits of cars from crashes which happen in front of me and loads of the usual junk accumulated over the years! I also have a habit of buying flags for my favourite drivers then hunting them out and getting them to sign them.

Officially sad then :laugh:

Alx

19 Apr 2007, 19:42

I'm Alex (female version), I'm 25 and I'm in the middle of a one year masters degree. I used to post at this place years back when I stumbled across it via a website called "Fantasy Formula Renault" - does that place still exist? I can't remember my pseudo back then but it was probably either Alx or Senninha

Oops, that's me... Found myself again looking back through some of the archived posts... sorry guys... mods feel free to delete my Distant account... I feel like a silly moo now! :o

I blame the old dormant e-mail address of course!

Aysedasi

16 May 2007, 22:04

I'm Ayse and I'm trying to work out why I never posted on this thread....

I 'got into' motorsport literally as a babe in arms when my father used to take me to Goodwood. I'm 2 days off 50 now, so that gives you some idea of when we're talking about.....

Later, in the mid 70's when I was about 16-17, my dad and I were BARC members and went to Thruxton for a couple of seasons. After that, my interest in motorsport waned somewhat.

In 1983/84 I was studying in Manchester when a colleague invited me to go and watch a BriSCA stock car meeting at Belle Vue - which was literally just up the road. I was enthralled. I managed to catch 3-4 meetings there until it was time to end my studies and return down South to work. But the BriSCA had rekindled my interest in motorsport. I rejoined the BARC in 1984 (and have been a member ever since) and between 85 and 87 I attended just about every meeting there was at Thruxton, Brands Hatch and Silverstone, including the 'Lotus Day' at Brands in (I think) 1985 when I first saw my motor racing hero, Ayrton Senna in the flesh.....

But my most important motor racing moment came in June 1986 when, as the result of a throwaway invite, I went to the 24 Heures du Mans for the first time, starting an unbroken annual run which still continues and a fascination with all things Le Mans (except bloody Audis....... ;)). I've run my own photographic website devoted to my Le Mans 'exploits' since February 2001 and, thanks to Ten Tenths which I also joined in 2001, I have met some splendid people, both 'electronically' and at the Le Mans Ten Tenths 'meets'.

As for a collection, well its largely Le Mans and sportcar related. I have at leaast one video of every Le Mans race I've been to, plus many more. All of which I have transferred to DVD. And of course I have the later DVD's too. I have a collection of about 25 Le Mans programmes (86-06, plus a couple of others thrown in for good measure), plus loads of other supplements and stuff particularly relating to my Le Mans trips.

I can be seen at Le Mans each year in a floppy white and blue hat. In the middle of the night, I'll be one of 3-4 people still awake taking pictures in the pits grandstand. So if you recognise the description, come and say hello. :)

That's me..... ;)

MikeHoyer

17 May 2007, 18:32

Ah, I've not posted here either... well, here goes.

My name's Mike, I'm 26 years old, and I got into motorsport relatively late in life. I used to go to stock car and banger racing events in Ipswich when I was younger, but I was never really that interested in the sport. Then, in 1999 I was bored one Sunday afternoon, so I put the TV on just before the start of the British Grand Prix. I'd never watched a GP all the way through (found it too boring most of the time!), but with nothing else to do I decided to sit down and watch it. I was hooked from then, and watched the rest of the races that year.

At the end of 1999 I started buying F1 Racing magazine, and got most of them, until I stopped again in 2004 and 2005. In 2001 I went to my first "real" race meeting, which was the BTCC round at Snetterton (the night race where it rained a fair bit). Despite the rain I was hooked, although we didn't go to another race meeting until mid 2002, another BTCC round - this time at Brands Hatch.

My interest in model cars started at that Snetterton meeting, where I bought my first diecast, Johnny Herberts Jaguar from the 2000 season. When I got a full time internet connection in 2002 I soon discovered ebay and the big market of F1 diecasts, and have since built up quite an impressive collection of 1:18 and 1:43 scale F1 and sportscars (and one F3). I don't really collect models any more though, a) because I have more important things to spend the money on, and b) I don't have the space for them. Most of my 1:18 scale models are currently in the loft at my parents house!

For Christmas 2002 my then girlfriend bought me a season pass for what are now the MSV tracks, so I went to loads of races in 2003. I decided to buy a cheap digital camera to keep a record of it all, and the rest is history... In late 2004 I snapped the Aston Martin DBR9 testt
ing at Snetterton, and got my first photo published. That opened up loads of doors, and I did a load of stuff for various websites and magazines.

At the end of 2006 I won the MSA Young Motorsport Photographer award, and shortly after that was offered a full time job with a photography agency. It would've been stupid to say no, so I moved near to Silverstone in February, and have been here ever since! I still go to races for fun, and can't wait for Le Mans!

Super Hans

29 Jun 2007, 13:59

Hello, my name is Chris and I'm 27.

I first got into motorsport from watching F1 on TV in the late 80s. My first race meeting was British F3000 at Oulton Park in 1991, which was notable for the tragic death of Paul Warwick at Knickerbrook.

I regularly attend meetings at Croft and Oulton Park, and have ventured as far as Knockhill, Mallory Park, Donington and Silverstone to watch BTCC, F3 and Club events. Despite being an avid F1 fan for most of my life, this year's British Grand Prix will be the first I have ever attended.

As far as armchair fanaticism goes, I have a few DVDs and 3 1:18 Die-Cast models (senna Mclaren & Lotus, and erm...a Chad Blount Nascar!). I mainly buy motorsport books, and am currently reading Chris Nixon's Kings of the Nurburgring. My favourite book is Denis Jenkinson's collection of journalism.

I recently vacated the armchair and had my first ever on-track experience at Croft, where I drove a Porsche 911 and Ginetta G20. I wasn't totally hopeless, and I've caught the bug, so it's my ambition to start club racing in the next 2-3 years.

Nice to meet you all.

Mr V

2 Jul 2007, 22:33

No bloody world cup to get in the way next year either V. ;)

I really must get some tickets ordered...

Did you ever get them tickets ordered Knowles?

Knowlesy

2 Jul 2007, 22:40

Did I hell. :(

No GP for me this year. I made a last minute attempt on Friday for some tickets, but somebody got there before me.

Charlie

6 Jul 2007, 04:02

My name's Mike, I'm 26 years old, and I got into motorsport relatively late in life.
:rofl: My name's Charlie and I got into motorsport relatively late in life.

I was 45 years old when I had my first race. It was in the Scottish XR2 Challenge and I came dead last. :(

I'd always been an 'Armchair Enthusiast' and read about and watched most motorsports, 4wheel, 2 wheel, and no-wheel (F1 Powerboats etc). My wife then made the mistake of giving me a 'Motorsport Exprerience' as a birthday present and the bug really bit.

I dabbled with a few Hot Hatch days but finally I had to buy a car and do my ARDS to satisfy my craving for racing.

I'm now 54 and to help fund my racing I now help prepare and build cars for racing and track days.

I am still racing in the XR2's and have raced on most UK circuits in the past 9 years.
I'd like to celebrate 10 years racing next year by taking my first podium position though :#1:
PS If you look hard enough you can watch me on the 'Race and Rally UK' Knockhill coverage on Motors TV and Channel 5 (Yellow XR2 No.18) :laugh: :laugh:

chunder

6 Jul 2007, 09:44

My name is Rob and my involvment with raing started from the early years with my dad taking me grass track racing in Lincoln and to things at Cadwell PArk to see Barry Sheene etc.

I raced grass trackfor a few years with a mate and was a huge rallycross fan til teh sport went through its transition phase in the mid nineties.

I have worked for the racing media and am currently heavily involved in short oval racing for various websites and productions.

Collection wise I dont really follow circuit racing anymore, I saw the light years ago and relaised how dull and over rated it was. But I do follow bike racing. My collections dont really amount to much as I am not a merchandising person.

But I do have full collections of Road Racer, RPM, Motorcycle Racer and MCN Sport magazines, and am trying to colect a few other short run magazines that are very hard to get hold of.

Used to make model kits but living in a rented house makes it hard coz of the inherent smelliness!!

And I play lots of online games on PS3 and PC which I love.

Andy77

8 Aug 2007, 21:03

My name is André but i`m usually called Andy and I was born in November, 1977.
The racing bug caught me in 1982 when my dad took me to a race event at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife where a guy in an overall who always seemed to smile crossed our way. I got an autograph but was too young to even imagine who he was so the autograph got lost. In 1983 dad again took me to the Nordschleife for the WSC 1000km race. After qualifieing dad mumbled something like :"there, your autograph is on pole..."
Well, pole was taken by Stefan Bellof in fantastic blow and the fastest lap ever. I got to be a fan of this driver until his way too early death at the Spa 1000km in 1985. Since this day I never was a fanboy of a driver again but started to watch more and more different racing since we had skysports and eurosport via analogue satellite TV during the mid to end 80s.
I started of with Sports Cars (Porsche 956/962, Group C) and F1 but became a C.A.R.T. and 500ccm Worldchampionship (todays MotoGP) fan too. Today I like almost all sorts of 4 wheel racing (except rallye) and 2 wheel racing (road racing).
My armchair enthusiasm for racing crosses with two other hobbies of me - reading and history. I mainly have books , some editions of Germanies main weekly motorsport mag and a couple motorsport related videos&movies. Aside from this i gotta be a virtual racer with the releases of Grand Prix Legends and Sports Car GT in the late 90's. With not much success i have to admit so I connected another hobby with computers,history,reading and virtual racing. I started to create and convert racing circuits to the game sports car gt. This new hobby made me to learn english again since not one guide was in german and my english knowledge was in a really bad state.
My most favourite book currently are the Stefan Bellof biography by Rainer Braun and S.S. Collins' Autodrome - The lost race circuits of Europe. I love the first edition of this book and am really disappointed with the german translation of it.

Nice to meet you all,
Cheers

Matt

18 Aug 2007, 20:22

Hello everyone.

My name is Matt, and I am 17 years old. I have been into motorsports for all of my life. Starting with waking up early on Sundays to catch ESPN's coverage of the Formula One races. Trust me, waking up at 7:00am when your three, that's extremely early. I then started getting into NASCAR, as, that is what my family was into very much. So, a Sunday would turn into, waking up at 7:00, to watch the F1 race, after that was over, we watched the NASCAR race at 12:00. I now currently make it out to 1 NASCAR race a year, either New Hampshire, or Dover. Oh, I forgot to mention, every year, I'd watch the Rolex 24 as well, so, I was also enamored into sports car racing. Then, when the US decided to get into the SuperTouring era, we got a touring car championship. Called the NATCC, it was a total flop, with the factory Dodge team pretty much destroying everyone. However, it bit me. Touring Cars is my favourite form of racing, anything from the BTCC, WTCC, DTM, V8 Supercars, etc etc etc. My favourite era was the SuperTouring one though, and I still am sad to see it not around anymore, as I would have loved to been much older when it was in its heyday. I will love to start collecting diecast, books, and videos, I have gotten a job now, so, I will be buying some soon.

I also have cousins that race, so, I will eventually start racing myself, within the next five years or so I believe. Local short track racing. :D

Cheers,
Matt.

d-b

5 Sep 2007, 22:15

hi there

as others are doing it i thought i'd have a go

i'm Dave,born 1971

i am crazy about anything with an engine in it

i like cars,buses,diesel locomotives,and prop planes(don't like jets)
i really like the sounds of them & i would love it if i could go to the Reno air races

i have owned about 36 ish cars all various British & American with 1 BMW in there

my earliest motorsport memory is banger racing in the 70's,also saw bangers at Pembrey(before it was a race track)
i started going to Slick 50 races at Mallory Park in 1989 and fell in love with it(dad had a Rover V8 at the time & i always liked Capri's)
Slick finished in 1996 but i still see Rover's & Capri's in Group 1 etc

now i have moved to Kent & my job precludes me from going racing usually
i watch what i can on tv

i have a collection of Rover SD1's & Capri's because i strip the models & repaint them into the colours of the cars i photographed at the meetings

i have been to Le Mans (1993) but i like club meets best(very friendly atmosphere in the pits)

i will love engines till i die(complete petrol head)

thats all for now

d-b

Dutton

6 Sep 2007, 22:19

Trust me, waking up at 7:00am when your three, that's extremely early.

Tell that to my parents! :laugh:

Apparently, I used to get up at about 5am every single day until I was about 10/11 yo.

Mr V

10 Sep 2007, 23:44

Where about's in Kent do you live d-b?

Like your sig and have to confess that the best car i have ever driven was my mates Turbo Technic's 2.8i Capri, what an animal of a car :)

COLIN STUBBS

13 Sep 2007, 00:33

As my misses is going to be late home tonight here goes...
My interest in racing started in about 1965 when my dads mate used to take me off to all the Northern tracks racing in the special saloon car championships at Cadwell.Croft,Rufforth,Oulton,Aintree,etc and the occasional treck down south.Racing Minis at the time. Then I went solo and did a bit of drag racing and street racing in the early seventies with a Rover V8 Capri.Started helping a local guy name of Roy Gibson with his Minis/GTM in the Northerns and also Mark Collins with his Standard 10 in pre 57 classics.Did a bit of F2 stock car racing with my cousin [changing diffs in the back of the bus at 70mph down the A1 going from one meet to another in the middle of the nights no joke!!]Joined CTCRC or CSCC as it was known then,in 1985 and began racing in the new pre 65 series with a Vauxhall VX4/90 Got divorced in 1990 and built a Capri 3000GT for post historic and run it on and off until 2004,and after more bloody women trouble sold it and decided either to retire or get something cheap and reliable.Bought a Rover 216GTi cup car and never had so much good cheap fun!!:rotate:

d-b

15 Sep 2007, 22:52

hi there

i live in Broadstairs

Colin,does Phil still race his Capri? & did you sell your one to Alan Daffin?

thanks

db

Blue Brazil

1 Nov 2007, 00:09

Greetings all. My name's Kevin. I'm 26 years old and live in Scotland where I work as a professional drummer. Music is only my second love though, after racing. My first racing experience was some local stock car racing but I really got the bug when my dad took me to Silversone in 1992 to see my idol Ayrton Senna. I used to race karts a bit when I was younger but nowadays I'm more interested in motor racing history and am forever buying memorabilia, much to her annoyance :p My favourite drivers are Francois Cevert, Tom Pryce, Gilles Villeneuve, Rene Arnoux, Elio de Angelis, Ayrton Senna, Schumi, Felipe and Kimi.

I also quite like football and follow Cowdenbeath FC home and away. They're a Scottish 2nd division team with an average crowd of 400-500. It's a bit of a strange obsession which has led to me buying a minibus which transports a group of us to away games. Their nickname is The Blue Brazil, hence my username. Incidentally, Rene Arnoux has a personalised Cowdenbeath top!

Apart from that I like humour and beer.

luke

1 Nov 2007, 00:12

welcome to tt blue brazil!

nycuk

10 Jan 2008, 10:17

Well it's taken me a while to post on this thread as I don't normally scroll this far down the menu page! Anyway...

I'm Paul, just about to turn 38, and I live in Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK. I've been interested (obsessed?) with motorsport since the late seventies when I can remember watching Alan Jones win the '77 Austrian GP on TV. I then followed the 1978 season from start to finish and have never looked back. The interest comes from my dad, who visited the early British GP's in the early '50s with his dad as a boy, as well as LeMans regularly in the early 50's - mid 60's too. My first race meeting was the International Trophy at Silverstone in 1978, and as well as the rain I recall meeting Ronnie Peterson and Patrick Depailler as highlights. Since then I've attended many GPs in the UK and abroad, and seen every televised GP since 1978 (except two - Spain 2005 as I was in NYC and Monaco last year as I was at the Indy 500!). My interest is limited pretty much to single seaters, and I've never really had a great interest in tin tops. F1, GP2, F3, IRL and CCWS are what I follow religiously, whilst keeping an eye on all the other junior single seater formulae. As well as motor racing I love photography and travelling, and my other lifes passion is music.

Armchair wise.... not a great deal to be honest. I went through a phase of collecting 1/43 scale cars but ended up selling a lot of them, likewise my lifes collection of Autosports. I used to subscribe to both Autosport and F1 Racing but don't any more as I became disillusioned with the quality of both, though I still sometimes buy Autosport over the counter. I buy Motor Sport magazine regularly too, which is consistently excellent. I also used to tape pretty much everything motorsport related on TV and keep them... All gone now too I'm afraid. I have however kept the program and ticket stub for every race meeting I've ever been to and find that these serve me well as souvenirs. I have lots of 'self gained' autographs of F1 drivers which are irreplaceable. I obtained these at various Bristish GP's when paddock access was free and easy (pre '83). I'm not so bothered with autographs these days, and prefer taking photographs (candid paddock shots especially) at F3 and other junior formulae meets where access is free and easy. And that's me!