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Post by Blair on Nov 10, 2003 21:46:29 GMT
I thought this would be a good little thread for discussion. It's came to my notice that a few people round here like racing, and some even do it themselfs!! Well I'll start off myself... I've always remembered F1 of the early 90's, but really can't remember too bloody much about the racing! I was only a little kid, mind. But in 1998, I got a PlayStation for my birthday and by chance I got the package with TOCA 2 in it. Needless to say, it was love at first sight!!!!!! I managed to catch that years races from Knockhill on the TV, and I haven't missed a single race since Donington 1999. It also led me to buy the reviews, now I have the 1987 (very rare!!) right through to 2002 VHS reviews. And oh what fun they are!! So for us fans, how did they bug bite with you, and for those mani...sorry drivers amongst us, what on earth made you want to step into a racing car with 20 odd other people ?
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Post by NS-R on Nov 10, 2003 22:38:52 GMT
This should be a good thread TL and I bet we get some unusual responses. For myself, I have always been into the BTCC from the early '90's. When I moved up to Scotland, I made it down to Knockhill for the BTCC and then started going to the SMRC meetings. I spent many a weekend sat on the banking at McIntyres watching these meetings and I just loved watching the XR2's. I watched the guys at the back and thought "surely I can do that". I then met Iain Cowie and my bank balance has never been the same since! I bought a car from Iain, passed my ARDS test and my first race was at the Knockhill 25th anniversary meeting. In those days you had to finish in the top 15-18 in a qualification race to get through to the final and I managed that in my first meeting. I've then worked my way to the front, finishing 6th overall in 2002 and then spent a disasterous 2003 wondering why I ever got into motor racing - which brings me back to your original question! Nick www.ns-r.co.uk
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Post by jfin on Nov 10, 2003 23:31:49 GMT
Good question !
From my part, in my youth I always thought I could handle a car but then again who doesn't but this was backed up by a 3rd place in a prestigious "Perth Driver of the Year competition" in 1980 (I'm looking at the trophy now). This 3rd place would have been 1st (honest!) if my dad's car hadn't have got some penalty points for being so rusty (well thats my story and I'm sticking to it and I'm thankful to my dad for letting me use it). The competition was more who can parallel park best etc rather than racing so no real racing inkling yet. In any event until recently there is no way I could have afforded it !
Jump quite a few years and one wife later and an exgirlfiend decides to do a racing school, I come along decide to do it, now have the cash and the rest is history.......
J
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Post by Catriona on Nov 10, 2003 23:38:13 GMT
For me, I came across a Grand prix by accident back in 1994... it seemed interesting, so I watched it through to the end, and forgot about it again. A couple of weeks later, the same happened, and so I decided to watch the whole of the next one... and there began a love of motorsport! I just watched F1 up until 1997, when I discovered first the BTCC, then rallying, and everything else that was being shown on terrestrial tv at the time (rather more than is currently on ), but F1 stayed as my favourite up until mid-1998, when I pestered and bribed my dad into taking me to Knockhill for the BTCC meeting, so I could see some live racing for the first time. I absolutely loved the whole thing, despite getting half-drowned in the rain, and got hooked on the BTCC immediately. It stayed as my favourite series throughout the Super Touring era, and every year I'd save up for ages to be able to pay Dad to take me to Knockhill for the meeting. After Super Touring ended, my interest waned a bit, but by then I had satellite tv, and so was watching CART and IRL, and then at the end of 2001 I went to an SMRC meeting with KF for the first time. Didn't know anything about it, but quite enjoyed the XR2s and Legends, and so came back for more in 2002. By that stage the Knockhill forum was up and running, and we'd got to know Nick and Charlie, which added a lot to the club racing experience for us, as we had someone to support - since then the club racing has been my favourite racing of all, and the more we get to know the people involved, the more I like it
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Post by orangegirl on Nov 11, 2003 21:03:49 GMT
I'm jealous - I can only afford to be a marshal.
When I win the lottery I'm buying a legend or 2!!
G
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Post by historicracer on Nov 11, 2003 22:17:15 GMT
Been in motor racing a long long long time, was born into it.
my dad was pals with jim clark and jackie stewart through the sixties and was a leading force in scottish motor racing in the 70s and early eighties, so i started racing karts at 13 in 1976 !!! then swapped the kart outfit for a 15 year old lotus 61 ff1600 car in 1981 and thereafter raced ff1600 ff2000 and a few other things over the next 10 years,
got back into racing 2 years ago because one of our friends who comes to Italy each year for our Ecurie Ecosse car tour offered me a shot in car 23, then got me driving his Tr2A, TR3 and Heally 3000 last year before a full season this year.
Cant escape from racing my dad is still one of britains leading motorsport historians whith links to all levels in the sport, which is fantastic in many ways but leaves u a bit spoilt in the sport in some ways.
Now my son starts his first race in Rotax karts shortly at larkhall , he is 13 and actually is the 4th generation of my family to race ( my grandad raced heallys in the 50s) so back around it goes in 5 years time itl be him in legends or whatever the new flavour is.
cheers
lance
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Post by NS-R on Nov 12, 2003 8:07:44 GMT
Orangegirl - welcome to the forum - you guys do a sterling job out there and we wouldn't be racing if it wasn't for you... Cheers, Nick www.ns-r.co.uk
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Post by Racemania on Nov 12, 2003 13:57:48 GMT
Oh God who started this one? You don't really want me to reply do you!!. .. How many chapters can one member post? The starting threads making me feel really ancient only remembering the 90's , JFin making it a little better with back to the 80's. Thanks to Lance for taking us back to the mid 70's. Putting aside racing round a pal’s 3/4 mile driveway as kids in Inverness that started with an old Austin chassis. Driver controlling steering, clutch, gears and hand brake Co driver had accelerator (a piece of string round SU carb and they determined how fast you went!!) My first real taste of Racing was when they held a race meeting at an old airfield somewhere round about Tain in the 60’s. Bill Stein in some kind of sportscar and Graham & Gerry Birrell in Mk1 Cortinas. Bill and Gerry were happy to waste time speaking to this enthusiastic teenager much appreciated in later years. Shortly after that I was down to Edinburgh School of Chiropody and digs were just along the road from David Murray's Ecurrie Ecosse so I spent a lot of time when I should have been studying at their garage. Ended up buying a Tojero single seater spaceframe off them that I fitted out in my bedroom, guess the landlady was extremely understanding not to throw it and me out! I marshalled for 1 meeting at I think Charterhall and we were paid to marshal!! Ingliston then started and payment of marshals stopped. The plus in those days was that because the public were excluded from the pits being a marshal meant you could get to look round the cars and talk to everyone. So ends the introduction Now if anyone wants me to bore them further you can have: Chapter 1 The Awakening or start of my racing which was Modsports in 69 including tales of big names in Motor Racing. And even Chapter 2 The Re-Awakening or return to Racing which saw me in Legends in 2003. I suppose with titles like these its pretty obvious I own Moviemania. Happy reading Ali
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Post by Catriona on Nov 12, 2003 14:54:39 GMT
Orangegirl - welcome to the forum - you guys do a sterling job out there and we wouldn't be racing if it wasn't for you... Cheers, Nick www.ns-r.co.ukAgreed 100% - welcome aboard! :up: Racemania - feel free to add those chapters! It's great seeing how everyone got into this sport in the first place, and how we all ended up on the road to the SMRC racing - guess all of us here will have taken pretty different routes into becoming fans/drivers/marshalls/whatever else, and I like seeing everyone's racing background
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Post by orangegirl on Nov 12, 2003 20:18:19 GMT
Thanks Lance, it's nice to be appreciated.
It's just a shame that the only time drivers and marshals meet up for a chat is when your motor conks out (that's a technical term by the way). We should organise a BBQ for Saturday night at the Touring Cars next year. Loads o lager etc.
Anyway, want to know how I got into standing in the rain wearing designer orange gear?
I arrived up at Knockhill for the Touring Cars in 2000 - not really knowing why I was there.
The turning point was the BOGOF offer in the programme for the "Days of Thunder meeting" a few weeks later.
After that I was hooked.
Simple really. Now Sunday's are getting up at 5:15 am, nursing hang over and driving to Knockers,Croft, BGP.
But I love it and without you guys I wouldn't be there.
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Post by Blair on Nov 12, 2003 21:44:05 GMT
You are in love...5.15!!!! :eek: Well done Sorry for making you use your memory so much RaceMania... But please, as GR said don't be afraid to keep telling us of all your times, they'll be interesting! BTW wherabouts was Charterhall?
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Post by historicracer on Nov 12, 2003 22:09:48 GMT
Orangegirl , good to have you onboard,
Chris Edwards usually has an SMRC indoor karting series during the winter, why not get some marshals to come along and join the fun , last year there were 50 drivers at Scotkart, we are all in underpowerred karts, so good laugh
ill keep the board posted when its on, great to chat and compete against the drivers
lance
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Post by orangegirl on Nov 13, 2003 19:40:40 GMT
Karting... Oh I remember that - 20 metres into it I crashed into the tyre wall, weNT flying forward and damaged my shoulder. It's kind of put me off!!
I really do think we should have a BBQ at knockers. Have a think guys. Let me know...........
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Post by Racemania on Nov 13, 2003 21:45:13 GMT
TL Charterhall was somewhere outside Edinburgh, recollections somewhat vague as all the students/ paid marshals were picked up by minibus and driven to the track. I do remember my brother telling me no one could get the right line on a chicane so Jim Clark did a few laps in a single seater and then slowed down and someone sat on the back of his car with a bucket of white paint and marked the fastest line. Truth or fable I can’t tell you perhaps Lance or his father may know the truth of that one. Orangegirl I simpathise with you on Karting. Jamie Clarke's stag do started with Karting- no brakes, speeding kart, tyre wall and loose fitting seat adds up to one mighty sore back 4 weeks on!! Too hard for this old body- Legends racing much, much kinder... not that I'm implying your injuries were caused by having an old body ! just what kind of ...... oh oh better not ask. Ali
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Post by NS-R on Nov 13, 2003 23:09:13 GMT
Orangegirl - Like the bar-b-que idea. I'll be staying at the circuit for the BTCC so we'll sort something out nearer the time... BTW, you may have seen bar-b-que smoke appearing from McIntyres during the SMRC meetings inbetween XR2 action - that's us! Nick www.ns-r.co.uk
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