So.....what was you first motor race as a spectator?

[Housey]

For me, if we are not including Hot Rods, it was the 1979 British GP at Silverstone. I was 12 and somehow my mum and dad managed to find the WORST view possible, just before the Daily Express Bridge on the Abbey Straight. I spent 8 hours watching crash helmets drive past at 160mph. At the end of the race we got on track and walked to the start/finish straight and watched the final race in The Stands.

From that point I was hooked and from 1980 to I guess 1989 I was at some race each weekend.

Dad and I watched the entire Senna/Brundle F3 season. Never missed a single Group C race on the UK (I did 1989 and 1990 Le Mans) and all the Birmingham Super Prix's, many many MANY touring car races, Group 1/2/4/5/6, Group C1/C2, F2, F300, F1, Thundersaloons, Thundrsports, etc etc etc etc

I feel really lucky to have seen so much great GREAT racing trackside.

Met Senna 3 times (he gave me a Coke) Gilles (back of the pits 1981 British GP), Derek Bell, Stefan Bellof, did I mention Senna

I have loads of old school photos, I MUST get them scanned

Hot Rods from mid 1970's and one of my best friends was the sone of Tom Laffey, a superstar of Hot Rod's in the 70's (because I lived 1 mile for Hednesford Raceway).

So....who is next?

 

[Housey]

My first spectator race was a banger race in Cornwall in the 1970s.

Mine was 1975 at Hednesford I think.

 

[Housey]

British Superbikes at Thruxton back in 1998.

1980 Aurora AFX race at Thruxton. Zero fences, 3 feet from the track, F1/F2 cars, different times.

 

[Housey]

1979 TT Silverstone, last season for the original BMW CSL, Zakspeed Escorts, Camaros, Group 2 cars, epic.

 

[Housey]

@Housey cant believe the drivers you have met.

Oh I’ve met loads and loads over the years. As I kid I did the autograph thing for….well a race or so and remember meetings loads of the Group C boys. Derek Bell total gent had a coffee with dad and I after the drivers briefing one year. Manfred Wincklehock, Klaus Ludwig, Bob Wollek all had chats with and loads more. I watched the last 4 hours of Le Mans 89 above the Mercedes pits, think the original Le Mans pits not those you see today.

I know a few lads who race today and the Clash of Clans Clan I was in a long time back was filled with DTM and Supercup racers due to the late Sean Edwards being in it. Rene Rast etc so used to banter with lots of them. Only had about 30 of us in the clan (not been on for years) and at its peak we were all on it.

Just people but Senna was The Man for me.

 

[Housey]

Truck racing, good memories

Never done a truck race that I remember, but I was at the Nurburgring during the German Truck GP and my god they love their trucks over there!

 

[Housey]

Jeez, imagine that now... Such a quick track especially out the back through church etc

They used to run a round of the F2 series there too, lapped within 6 seconds of F1 cars in the period I seem to recall. Ralt and Spirit Honda V6’s sounded epic too next to the legions of BMW 4’s