Senior (F1) Racing in the 1960's

British Stock-Car Racing in the 1950's-1970's

"Senior" (F1) Racing in the 1960's

*Look for pink labels: new additions.

Sixty-plus photos for your enjoyment, and many more in the following sections!

In this section you can see the cars of Chick Henson, Johnny Goodhall, USAF guys Bill Powers, Carey, Doc Kelly, Hitchcock, Ferrall, Correll, Clayton Sampson; also Aubrey Leighton, Fred Mitchell, Les Mitchell,Dennis Driscoll, Willie Wanklyn, Skid Skinner, Walter Matzke, Doug Wardropper, Alan Wardropper, Steve Gateley, Ron Cayzer, Alan Cayzer, Tiger Griffin, Dick Sworder, Tony Allen, Jumbo Tustin, Bob Laurie, Ellis Ford, John Plant, and the great 'Dirty Dennis' Burdett-Coutts.

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March 2008: Courtesy of Steve Gateley, here in 1962 are some happy men at work on the "The Saint" Doug Warner's #313 car; is that smoke coming from their cigarillos or the motor? Doug Warner is on the right; on the left is Bert the mechanic, youngster named Barry behind the wheel.

At Brafield in 1962 is the Alan Wardropper 245 car, this time with flames painted (unusual among stock-cars though every hot-rod seemed to go the flames route). Here is Alan's dad Doug Wardropper, his #5 Fiat showing definite signs of wear and tear, at Brafield.

Steve Gateley himself in action, first at West Ham in 1964, lining up beside Oxford's Karl Grossman 289 and Ben Spirers 312 from Evesham. Then at Brandon in 1964 tangled with Mick Screaton 357, from Diseworth. Next, see the "tilt" of the engine mounting on 320 as he moves ahead of Russ Bates. Steve was a friend of Ellis Ford #3, and here is Steve's car under construction/repair in Ellis's crowded workshop.

"Dirty Dennis" Burdett-Coutts raced his cars so hard he sometimes had to borrow one: in this case #383 with its number quickly altered, at Brafield. Marian Palmowski and Ken Tyrell are names associated with 383 at that time.

The great Willie Harrison's #2 car, here at Long Eaton. Dennis Irving #485 from Gotham, here shown "on the hook" at Brafield.

An unidentified car, early 1960's, in the Brafield pits; is that name on the bonnet "Sheppard"?

At Hednesford, blurred by speed, Chick Woodroffe's #1 Senior F1 does the business with Steve G himself in pursuit.

Last of this 13-photo treat from Steve is a Brandon pits panorama showing Tom Toon #202 and Tiger Griffin #178.

October 2007 update: Rough-and-tumble, the spirit of stock-car racing is illustrated by this 1967 photo of the Nelson track's turn 4. In the background you can see the white overalls of drivers and mechanics watching. The stands are packed, the cars are spinning and rolling, there's dirt and steam everywhere, and not an alloy aerodynamic wing or big-budget sponsor to be seen anywhere. Thanks to Andrew Hirst for putting me in touch with the photo.

July 2007 addition: Old newsreel films of stock cars.

Here are two old Pathe News films of Brands Hatch in the 1960's; flying Yank Ted Janes wins one and Allen Briggs wins the other. Pathe News can sell higher-resolution versions, www.pathenews.com

Three photographs that someone sent me ages ago, which got "lost" in my computer files. If you sent them, tell me to give you the credit!

First, the unstoppable XXXX correction of name comingXXX at Nelson: a hard driver at a hard track,

Second, car # 275 (is who?) drifting fast on Belle Vue's dirt.

Last, car 161 uses "flower power" but definitely ain't a hippie on Rochdale's surface.

August 2006: Where the hard men raced: "give it some wellie or go home!" was the Aycliffe motto, and thanks to Bill Taylor, here is a 1967 programme cover; thanks Bill.

Elsewhere on this site you'll see this car. Ron Cayzer drove it, then his son John Cayzer. Here, in approx 1968 in the Coventry pits, the car next went to "Blondie" Da Costa #269. A classic 60's car, simple and tough. The Cayzers left BriSCA for Spedeworth, and John switched back again in 1979 and is still racing f2's. [Rick Young collection]

An old Stock Car News photo of action at Hednesford, featuring some great names and cars: #385 is Wilf Hargreaves in the ex-Tiger Griffin car before Smiffy got it; also Tony Wicks 93, Jim Potter 146, and dear old Ron Rogers 152 who I'm told passed away recently.

Tony Neal, #100, in the pits at Aycliffe in 1967. The man walking into the shot was once known as Jack The Ripper, but relax, it was his "nom-de-racing" when he raced Juniors; here he is Aycliffe's scrutineer Jack Cowling. Photo and facts from John Rigg. The white rose on Tony's car? See the label Richmond on his bonnet? That must be Richmond, North Yorks, NOT the enemy town of Richmond, Lancs. During and since the wars of the Roses, the white rose is the House of York. I expect that if Tony spotted a Red Rose car in front, he'd continue the bloody wars. Which reminds me of a shaggy dog story --- ---- So I drove up to the Old Trafford ground to watch Lancs v Yorks cricket, and was late getting in. I found a seat and asked the old gaffer next to me "How's it going so far?"

He turned and glared at me and asked Art from Lang-Ka-Sheer? "No," I said. Art from York-Sheer? "No," I said. Well mahnd tha' own bizness.

'Before the storm': a Harringay World Final group photo of 26 of the sport's best drivers prior to doing battle in ---- Ken Mason identifies it as 1967, and recalls that the WF saw the very first issue of 'Stock Car'. (Photo from Jason Holden's father Paul, via Pete Schafer) From top, left to right: Allen Briggs, Chick Woodroffe, Jock Lloyd, Tony Neal, Johnny Pratt, Bert Shipman. Next row: right-to-left: Ron Cayzer, Terry Coell, Guy Curval (France), Geoff Harrison, Pieter Noorlander (Dutch), Fred Mitchell, Ray Watkins, George Ansell (eventual winner), USA's Ted Janes. Seated: l-to-r: Les Mitchell, Ron Rogers, Lou Hermanides (Dutch), Ron 'Dixie' Deane, Peter Farrington, Arthur Townend, Marinus van Roy (Dutch), Mick Holt, Jim Potter, and Derek Green above Pete Guinchard. Jim Esau is absent from the photo, as is Ellis Ford who may have had his car banned (typical Ellis!). What would this website do without Rick Young's memory and archives giving me the names?

You'll see the driver of this with blood on his face a bit further down the page, but here is that "turning-point" car built and raced by the brilliant engineer Johnny Brise and then raced by Johnny King as #6 here. Mercedes chassis, no less!

Syd Farndon, who not only promoted at Tamworth, and practically invented the Junior/F2 formula, but also raced the big un's, and here he is in his red-top # 224, in the 1960 World Final at Coventry, unfortunately in a big brew-up. Syd's car was orioginally a George Foulger special.

Thanks to Steve Gateley for this "candid" shot of the Farndons busy with their motor. Tinkering after a Brafield race, with 362 Ray Watkins in the background.

Syd's son Steve kindly supplied the above photo, and this great 'scan' of the 1960 Coventry program, which is a large file, but if you move it around you'll see some great 'potted biographies' and photos -- including not only Syd but also Alan Wardropper looking about 14 --- and I think he was barely two years above that!

Blood sport! Thanks again to Steve Farndon for this terrific shot of a bloodstained driver [Johnny King?] there's a possibility this is not King buy maybe Brise who built the King car --- I will try to confirm the identity] , who won a final despite getting a rock in his face. Look at the guy --- "they don't breed 'em like that any more" -- look at photos of the men who raced in the 1960's, and there's a type: skilled and hard-nosed tradesmen, self-made, who had seen a world war and/or National Service, and had not lived the easy life -- but who knew how to have fun and how to live and play hard.

Russ Thomas sent these two: The late great Johnny "Gimpy" Goodhall's very first car #200, in the Brafield pits: the bodywork was mostly secured by bits of rope, and Gimpy didn't give a hoot.

January 2008: Chick (Terry) Henson from Kempston, Beds, has kindly sent me these four photos of his 1961 car. He bought the Ford Pilot V-8 from Gerry Sheldrick of Linton (Cambs), and towed it straight home with a straight bar to the front bumper. The car was pretty much stock but those side-valve Fords were unburstable and ideal for racing in those days. Here's the car in the Brafield pits (1) and (2). Chick raced it only at Brafield.

"Chick" Henson #477 went on to win this 1963 Brafield race. Chick's car is wearing a Ford E93A "Pop" body, with a Model B grille. Chick's dad was the Brafield caterer, and I hope he gave out some free hot dogs on this day. Does anyone spot the awful pun that produced the "Chick" nickname? HEN-SON --- , got it?

[Another Steve Gateley photo:] Chick Henson, again in 1963, in the Brafield pits.

A tribute to all the USAF visitors who livened up British stock-car racing, and brought in some big motors, and knew how to throw a party. Here is a group shot, courtesy of Carol Cockings, who has managed to come up with some names, from the left: Carey, Kelly, Hitchcock, Bill Powers, McKinnon, Ferrall, Correll. If you know these guys or can add details, let me know. If you're in touch with any USAF veterans, please tell them. Veteran Bill Scheffel tells me "Doc" (Ray) Kelly was a medic at USAF Chelveston, who stayed on in the UK until around 1968. Is that a Chrysler Firepower hemi motor there?

July 2007: Another USAF racer: [Hank Nalli sent me this photo a couple of years back.] Ed Bilak was based at Alconbury and was an ace mechanic, painter, body man, and racer; Ed raced at Kings Lynn, Brandon, and Brafield. Like most USAF servicemen, Ed had the run of the base workshops, a very wise move by the "brass", to make sure the guys were happy while on foreign postings.

More USAF Meet Doc Kelly, who once raced a VW "Bug" against Dirty Dennis's giant Hudson: images/DocKelly.jpg

Here's Clayton Sampson [see 1950's section, his midget car, too] .

Now see below for why the "Yanks" loved Aubrey Leighton.

Aubrey Leighton: here is a biggish section. Aubrey was famous for building specials just a little ahead of the others. His garage was in Earls Barton, near Wellingborough, just 10 miles from the Brafield track.

This was 1964:the car was still racing in 1970, in the hands of Willie Harrison #2, so it must have been well built.

July 2007: now see two photos of Keith Barber's dedicated recreation of that historic car, 40 years later:(1) and (2).

Here is the old car, rather battered, raced by #78 Barry Goldsby. (Paul Durham: magazine clipping). The unusual bonnet and grille are from the once-famous Armstrong-Siddeley line of luxury cars, and were made of aluminium. Aubrey walked away from racing in 1964 after Fred Mitchell 38 notoriously took him out at Coventry with only a hundred yards between Aubrey and a World Championship.

Aubrey's car in its later Willie Harrison #2 paint, and in the lurid colours of "Gimpy" John Goodhall #261. [Dick Young collection]

Below: Later, Aubrey's / Willie's car came to rest at Long Eaton stadium (this photo is a few years old now), right next to the famous Bozzy Bosworth's #22, both owned by Keith Barber, who has been restoring them.

Sometimes nicknamed Gov', Leighton encouraged the USAF stock-car visitors in the early days. One of them remembers Aubrey as "A true friend to us Yanks. Aubrey supported us when there was opposition to us bringing in some big V-8 motors; he stood up publicly and said "Let them bring what they will -- I'll race against them!" and he made it his personal duty to make us feel welcome and introduce us around the tracks -- a nice chap!"

The Leighton car had several owners even into the 1970s. Here we see Russ "Rick" Thomas #286 racing it at Leicester's Blackbird Road stadium. "Rick" (the Brafield printer committed one of their famous typos) was deejay at Brafield from 1963 to 1977. [Russ recalls that the same printer gave us Albert Chignell as Bignell, and once as Bignelli!]

How did Aubrey Leighton get into stock-car racing? A young Northants man named HENRY (HARRY) PRIGMORE apprenticed for Aubrey in the mid-1950's. When Aubrey took his tow truck to Brafield to help with the wrecks, Harry decided to have a go, in cars that Aubrey built and sponsored (numbers 4 and 70). Aubrey actually said "You'd never get me in one of those!" Then Aubrey tried one race in Harry's car, and was hooked. Leighton's famous "armoured cars" were in reality just rigidly boxed and triangulated designs (1/4-inch checker plate) ahead of their time -- when the bumper hit, the whole car's strength was behind it. The rows and shoving in the pits and on the track, sparked by his success, became part of stock-car racing's legends. Harry Prigmore went to Australia and raced stock-cars and supermods in the 1960's, and crewed on sprint cars. For Aubrey, "good enough" was not quite good enough. Harry tells me that after he had completed a full valve job on an old Morris, and being under age for a driving licence, he asked whether Aubrey would road-test the car. Aubrey said "Not now, but first thing tomorrow I'm driving down to Oxford in that car, so you'll come along and bring your toolbox, and if it breaks down you're going to fix it right there on the road." Aubrey told young Harry to treat all his work that way -- as if he was totally accountable for it working well. Not a bad way for a youngster to learn a trade. The Oxford trip was to Fred Mitchell's, to look over a V-12 Packard that Aubrey had plans for. That infamous Packard is illustrated in the 1950's section of this web site. Harry is now retired in Perth, Australia, and it's thanks to him for this piece of history.

Click on the link to the 1950's section, and you'll see some great action shots of Harry mixing it up at Brafield.

More Aubrey-related: The late great Fred Mitchell's mechanic, Pete Schafer, tells of a 1959 emergency at Brafield: Fred's #38 broke a track rod in the first race. Fred and Pete jumped in the tow car, drove fast over to Aubrey's garage in Earls Barton and welded some angle steel onto the rod, drove back to the track, cobbled it all back together, in time for Fred Mitchell to race in the consolation! Pete admits that Fred took charge of the welding since it was his life on the line. Pete Schafer, who mech'd for Fred for 15 years, knew all the old hands -- Jock Lloyd, Vic Ferriday, etc, who now lives in the States.

From SHORT CIRCUIT MAGAZINE, a terrific publication, the creation of replicas continues with John Plant's beauty. Old hands will look at this and say "Hey, that's Chick Woodroffe's old Junior car from the mid-sixties!" But this pint-sized special runs a Jag motor and has state of the art roll caging, etc. John Plant raced in the sixties, and Rick Young has showed me a dramatic 1968 shot of John well sideways and wrapped in the Harringay cables. Thirty-five years on, JP still loves the sport and its cars:

One, Two, Three, and Harringay crash.

Talking of Fred and Les Mitchell:

I am very grateful for being given the chance to scan and load following Fred Mitchell photos, thanks to Fred's long time mechanic Pete Schafer, who has loyally stayed in touch with all the "greats" of that era. Pete has also told me a few hair-raising stories of mechanical genius and fun! Thanks, Pete.

Below: The late Fred Mitchell, becoming World Champion at Belle Vue. Peter Arnold does the handshake, and Pete Schafer, who was Fred's mechanic for 15 years, is well satisfied.

Next: Fred in 1963(?) can anyone identify the track -- looks like an RAC road circuit. Thanks to Ken Mason for suggesting Snetterton [though possibly Brands as earlier printed here]; Ken was a BriSCA lap-scorer for over 20 years at tracks such as Bristol, Coventry, Ringwood, Brafield, Long Eaton, Leicester, Boston, Skeggy, Reading, Lydden Hill, Bradford, White City, Manchester, Belle Vue, Newcastle, and Salford; Ken even did a Semi and World Final. Just call him "Nerves of Steel".

Fred on parade, the car cleaned and polished and surrounded by cheerleaders. I think this must be the 1967 pre World Final parade at Harringay. (Photo provided to mech Pete Schafer by Fred's son in law Paul Holden.)

Below: At Brandon (Coventry), Charles and Mrs Ochiltree hand over the goodies, and Fred looks like he's doing an Elvis. Looking cool against the car is a fan who climbed over the fence to get in the photo. This is early 1960's. Pete Schafer also in the background.

"The guys". British stock-car racing flourished because of characters like these: Back to camera is young Alan Wardropper; Pete Schafer (Fred's spanner man) is grinning at Fred Mitchell who's leaning on Chick Woodroffe's car and thinking of something else; Dougie Wardropper looks like he's worked hard; and get a load of that handsome tough guy George Ansell.

Let's give some credit to the chap who has donated so much info and photos about Fred's career for this website: so, 40 years on, here is Pete Schafer the ace mechanic, settled in Seattle, USA, with his 'best friend'. "Cheers, Pete."

Fred and son Les: the fans grinned and the opposition tensed a bit when the Mitchells rolled into the pits: Fred's 38 and son Les's 238. This was a very rare spell when Fred Mitchell wore a yellow grade top.

Not a bad way for a teenager to grow up, eh?: --- Les Mitchell at 16 years old with his stock car, which he raced before he had a road licence. And the family 'dynasty' goes on, with Darren Mitchell, Fred's grandson, Les's son, racing V-8 stock-cars (#238, Les's old number) in Spedeworth, and winning heats and finals all over the place! Photo courtesy of Pete Schafer.

Les Mitchell reminds us what 'dirt-track racing' means. In the 70's Les was racing in the Scota/Fisca series on Spedeworth's tracks, and Rick Young identifies this as Wimbledon.

Lovely shot of young Les sitting proud on his 238 pink 'un, a Topolino-bodied car on a parade lap; where is this track? Could be Brands Hatch, could be Snetterton (Photo from Pete Schafer via Les's bro-in-law)

Long time racer Willie Wanklyn # 304, who raced everything over the years, and eventually was a promoter in Northern Ireland; I don't know who the photographer was.

In the Brafield pits in 1969 is one of the famous Driscoll brothers: Dennis # 274. [Dick Young photo ] Powered by a Jaguar 6-cyl, this car won finals wearing first a chopped Fiat 500 shell, then briefly a Morris Minor shown here, then the Fiat reappeared after a Coventry wreck. The motor was fitted with three twin-choke Weber carbs, and instead of the usual LD back axle, this racer rode on an independent Jaguar Mk 10 rear end. Brother Pat Driscoll was racing back in 1961, and a program shows that Pat's 3rd place at Harringay on 20th May won him a whole FIVE POUNDS. The Driscoll family is nowadays represented on BriSCA tracks by Dennis's son Danny # 174.

Some rare photos on this site come courtesy of Steve Gateley, so here's a shot of Steve #320 at Brafield in 1964, side-by-side with car 95 -- which is WHO -- anyone? Bingo: Walter Matzke from Rugy was # 95. Steve's car here is a Ken Freeman special with a '61 Thunderbird motor, ex-Ellis Ford. [ Steve raced F1s and F2s and built F2s as well as giving a hand to several other drivers.]

"Skid" Skinner [autograph, see??] laps the Brafield track in a Volkswagen Beetle-bodied special. Dick Young photo

Doug Wardropper and son Alan on the trailer Alan Wardropper started BriSCA in 1959 as a teenager, and drove brilliantly on shale and wet tracks. Alan's cornering on Coventry shale was beautiful to watch; he would "cock" the wheel once to set up the slide, and you'd not see his hands move through the entire bend.

I remember seeing Doug Wardropper, with a jammed throttle, hit the fence at the end of the Brafield straight. The steel post cut through the bumper and the chassis and the radiator. The crowd went quiet. Doug hopped out cursing and sore but was racing again a week later! Dou started in 1954, was won the World Championship in 1963.

Here is a press photo of Doug and Alan Wardropper in 1962/3:

The Wardroppers also built famous Formula Ford engines under the "Scholar" trade name, and had the snobby Silverstone road-circuit racers queuing up at their Ipswich garage.

Doug and Alan both getting their Brafield trophies. [Photos from Carol Cockings]

Father and son (a common feature of British stock-car racing). First Ron Cayzer # 267, at Brands Hatch; then his son Alan Cayzer # 266. This car body style seemed to me near-perfect, so balanced and so neat and looking like a car! Alan's own son races today (Steven) in BriSCA F1 as #380.

Albert "Tiger" Griffin from Worcester was feared and sometimes booed at Brafield. Albert "Tiger" Griffin # 178 As early as 1963, his car (348 cu.in. Chevy) was a forerunner of the lightweight specials of the late sixties. Albert's driving was strictly TAKE NO PRISONERS. This car eventually went to the young Stu Smith (Senior) in 1966, and its evil short-wheelbase (90-inch) handling may have sharpened Stu's skills. Keith Barber unearthed this car and repainted it for a Stu Smith Testimonial event at Belle Vue in 1987. Keith did a super drawing / "bio" of this car in his STOCK CAR MAGAZINE. The spectators in this photo prove that 35 years back we put on our slacks and skirts and suits and hats and overcoats for a dusty afternoon at the stocks.

Here's Albert Griffin looking tough in the pits at Long Eaton in 1963. [Steve Gateley photo.]

A bunch of racers in 1963 in the Brandon pits, including Albert Griffin 178, Tom Toon 202 [how many Toons have raced?!], Wilf Blundell 75, and at far left Hayley Calvert. [Photo by Steve Gateley]

Hot engine for those days: three carbs on a Chevy Hot in other ways, too: no fan belt, no fan, no hoses, no radiator! How about the spectators' clothes? It's easy to forget how formal people were then, even at a muddy stock-car race. Back then, a working-man often wore a collar-and-tie to his job. DEJA VU?? In August 2000, thirty-six years after I took this snapshot in the Brafield pits, I received an e-mail from a couple who recognized themselves as the people in this photo. Even though the heads were cut off in the original snapshot, they instantly recognized their clothes and the way they stood .... I only wish their happy faces had been included.

Dick Sworder #150 in a steel sandwich with Oxford's "Dangerous Don Evans" squeezing the outside of the pack; how they got four-cars-wide at Brafield is a miracle, but these guys would never give an inch. (Dick Young photo) --- and here is Don Evans's autograph: images/donevans.jpg

Tony Allen #348, whose earliest car is shown under the 1950’s section later, is shown tangling with Dirty Dennis in the Brafield fence.

Treasure trove!

A big thank-you to Diane Sutton and son Paul for these six terrific photos of Jumbo from the collection of the late Aubrey Sutton, Jumbo "Joe" Tustin's mechanic and for the reminder that in those rough 'n' tumble days holding a wrench in your hand could resolve more than just mechanical problems ---!] . I just received these photos, and am not yet sure where they were taken, but here goes, you will enjoy them: Jumbo 1. Jumbo 2. Jumbo 3. Jumbo 4. Jumbo 5. Jumbo 6.

Next, a second look at Jumbo Tustin from Cheltenham, in the pits at Brafield. Jumbo Tustin # 179 (See Darkie Wright's #7 car in the background.) An original looking combat-car, and I miss those open exhausts. Jumbo (Joe, but in full Gerald Ralph Tustin) began racing in the 1950's, and was still smoking tyres up to 1967 -- a real character, whose favourite track was the greatly-missed Belle Vue. Once at Brafield Jumbo was involved in "a bit of an incident" with top racers J.E. and D.W., which is still remembered today. [In those days you could often hear "a few words being exchanged" in the pits; strong men with strong opinions. ] Jumbo is still flourishing today, running a workshop in Cheltenham.

Roger Harris, who was mechanic for both Jumbo and Geoff Harrison (see elsewhere), has just given me the the gen on Jumbo's car: Ford 292 V-8 with two 4-choke Holley carbs, homemade chassis, Morris rear axle on "Fergie" tractor struts, Ford front axle on transverse springs, partly Fiat Topolino body, Ford lorry gearbox with homemade bellhousing. Jumbo's nickname encouraged him to paint a big elephant's rear on the back of the car! (Roger rode grasstrack sidecars and rally cars.)

Why can't they build and race this kind of brute any more? I think there were two Laurie brothers and we loved to see 'em race: Bob Laurie's "demonic" #98 senior stocker at Brafield 1964. Bob later got serious and earned his red top in 1970. Those "ack-ack" exhaust stacks could shoot down pheasants. Bob was from Byfield, near Daventry, Northants. Brother Cecil Laurie #368 was also a racer. More below!!

A 1959 Brafield programme lists a BRIAN Laurie who wrecked his car in the "consie" race at his very first meet, and a BRUCE Laurie #281, racing in the 'King of the Midlands' meet of that year.

Another two photos of Bob Laurie [Thanks, Russ Thomas]; first is Bob's "Frankenstein Special" in the pits in 1963, and second is a 1965 action shot of the "demonic" car shown above.

Ellis Ford #3: [Dick Young photo] Sad to report, Ellis died at his home in Florida at the end of 2002. They tried to ban Ellis's cars several times -- big motors, lightweight wheels, bare-minimum-bodies, Ellis was always tweaking the authorities. You could hear Ellis from miles away with those pom-pom exhausts -- usually on booming 427 and 428-inch Ford V-8's.

Thanks to Reg Walker for passing on these new Ellis photos: Ellis with Reg Walker at right; Ellis doing the cool "pose"; Ellis the winner; Ellis being interviewed by a serious looking young reporter.

Ellis originally did coal-delivery in his truck, then set up a rock 'n' roll teddy-boy espresso bar, with an members-only night club upstairs, in Stratford upon Avon, where he'd park the stock car out front on a Saturday before going to the races. Someone who knew Ellis back then recalls that, despite his famous limp, E.F. was very handy at dealing with rowdies and drunks in about 5 seconds flat! A WW2 Mosquito crash-landing left Ellis with the limp. He was also famous for his humour and practical jokes. Ellis, wife Pat, and daughters Marilyn and Patti-Anne, lived "over the shop", but he kept his cars on a farm outside Stratford. Are you old enough to remember the Cliff Richard film "SUMMER HOLIDAY"? The Ford Thunderbird in that film was Ellis's -- but he had already swiped its big 430 cu.in. motor for his stocker. Alan Wilson, who raced F1's from 1972 to 1988, remembers watching Ellis Ford's car cut up for scrap --- sometimes you just don't have the cash on hand to save a car.

Here is an Ellis Ford fan club Badge .... and here's Ellis's autograph: images/elisford.jpg Thanks to ex-racer Steve Gateley (who himself was in F1 cars at the early age of 16), and to Andrew Lively, who each knew Ellis when they were teenagers, in "the good old days. "

A terrific shot of Ellis with flag and Miss Brafield --- the man is happy! [Photo from Carol Cockings]

Thanks to ex-racer and teenage-Ellis-Ford-crew STEVE GATELEY for these two snapshots: Ellis and Steve on the way home from Brafield, outside the famous Blue Boar motorway 'caff'. And a super colour shot in the Brafield pits, of Ellis with helpers Steve, Alan, and Pat.

"Dirty Dennis" Burdett-Coutts #380 from Hitchin, Herts, was a great great character, and I welcome any stories from fans about DD. When he wasn't racing Citroen fwd's in France (was one of the 1960 British team to race at Normandy's Villers-en-Ouche annual Liberation celebration races), this goatee-bearded mystery man was entertaining us on British tracks; he NEVER gave up. Keith Barber dug out some history on DD: he was nicknamed "Dirty" as early as a May 1958 programme; in 1957 Dennis's number 303 (and sometimes 304) was entered under the name of The Red Cockatoo, against Willie Wanklyn's The Grey Shadow . We didn't get many double-barrelled names at the stocks, and a Burdett-Coutts family tree back in the 19th century included a Baroness who was the richest woman in Europe and who owned a bank. Coutts Bank still exists, but Dennis told me he could never prove a close enough family link to inherit those millions! Dirty D ran what nowadays they call an "automotive recycling facility", and usually had a mountain of American V-8 motors around the place. Here's a shot of Dennis's loud car: Dennis Burdett-Coutts smokes 'em at Brafield.

Dennis once ran a demonstration match-race in his monster Hudson Terraplane 4-door against the USAF team's VW bug driven by "Doc" Kelly, at Brafield.

Ed Hake, ex-USAF, remembers "Dennis's bonnet was longer than our whole Beetle -- it had the crowd laughing all the way." Ed also kindly remembers Dennis in the simple phrase "He was good people."

Mick Bennett was DD's mechanic for a while in the 60's. He tells me that Dennis once used a massive 6-cylinder motor from an army half-track vehicle, with three carbs on top -- which Dennis ripped off when he went straight through Brafield's steel fence. Another stunt was to collect a V-8 Packard motor's exhaust into two huge conical fire-extinguisher canisters, and the racket deafened all of Harringay stadium. Thanks to Mick for the stories. More history: According to Pete Arnold's Handbook of 1960, Dennis wrote off 9 (nine!) cars in 1957, his first season, including one whose battery acid took the seat out of D's trousers! (Tony Organ gave me the info)

Thanks to Steve Gateley for this lovely 1963 shot of Dirty Dennis at Brafield.

I photographed the Dennis-the-Menace cartoon on the back of DD’s Ken Freeman-built car in 1964, and got it into AUTOCAR magazine in 1965: "Dennis-the-Menace". This cartoon was also painted on the boot (trunk) of Dennis's Austin Sheerline towing limousine. My word, how elegant! And a hefty fence job accomplished [Dick Young photo]. Another shot of Dirty Dennis on a parade lap at Brafield: Dennis

And I think the authorities must have had Dirty Dennis in mind when they made this sign.

Story: "Someone tells me that ---" Dennis would occasionally tie a railway detonator to his front bumper, and wait for a nice shot on an unsuspecting victim, who'd think they'd blown both back tyres or cracked an axle ---!

Today, Dennis is enjoying retirement beside his much-more-peaceful fishing lake near Hitchin, Herts.

Feb 2006: Sad news a bit late that dear Den passed away in November 2005 at the age of 75. We do not get many characters like him any more, so let's be grateful for the years of excitement and fun that DIRTY DENNIS gave the sport.

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