Ken Cheshire:
"It started off in 1965 Barrie asked me to be Team Manager for Avalon Racing, (still kept my day job) I was not to become just an ornament, I am delighted to say so.
This was a time when all-British sports racing and GT cars lead the world. Several qualities were needed for the job, probably the most important being to have a sense of humour, patience and great physical endurance.
It helps to know what a spark plug spanner looks like however it's not absolutely essential.
A trip to Biarritz in 1969 to deliver a Chevron FVA B8 to the local Porsche Dealer Villenwebber became very dangerous. On the return trip a front tyre blew on the transporter, the steering wheel went sharp right, Barrie and I rolled in the 9 ton bus into a Bordeaux Grand Cru vineyard. Barrie's quote was this may be serious and will necessitate a cup of tea!
From Sweden to South America, smooth running of a race team involves the reception of competitors, adherence to the rules, and recording practice sessions and race times.
The Temporada races in Argentina was a highlight. Barrie had grown more ambitious and ingenious each year.
We were racing a Lola T70 MK3 B. Encroaching onto the circuit on one of the practice days a dog appeared and ran across the circuit in front of our car causing a minor shunt. I complained to Fangio who had men were sent out to shoot the dog! Those were the days."
Barry Bland.MRC
"My earliest memory is of your first race at Lydden with the GSM Delta, when lying 2nd, it was a case of 'here endeth the first lesson'. You were too kind and moved off-line going into the downhill right-hander, to let the leader past and promptly put yourself into the barrier by doing so. Two more memories stand-out - one being the Sid Taylor Lola T70 episode at wet Brands (unfair to remember these two as I don't recall you ever damaging a car at any other time) and the second being at Montlhery when I went over with you to hang out the pit board. That was an amazing slip streamer when the leader could be 20th one lap, 3rd the next, 25th the next and then lead again!"
Jacques Barichella.
Barrie met Jacques in a party in Margate. Jacques said he was a photographer working for Virage Magazine, Barrie said he was a racing driver! Neither believed the other’s story.
The following week-end Barrie was racing the T70 Lola at Thruxton and had a drive in an F2 Lotus. when Jacques was also at Thruxton with his cameras both were very surprised. They have been good friends ever since.
Thanks to Jacques there are some great pictures on this site from that meeting and also at the 1972 Le Mans where Jacques was the pit manager.
Many of the great photos on this site were taken by Jacques Barichella.
Mike Rawlings.
Mike was a vital part of the Le Mans team although we did not see him for a day as he was in charge of the signal pits on the far side of the circuit. A vital communicator. We are awaiting Mikes comments! In the mean time see the Barry Sheppard page as he remembers nearly everything about the Le Mans race.
Mike Norriss.
Were we mad? Certainly! In those days when our clients said jump we said how high. How mad was that? So when Satra Motors, Lada asked us to take their cars racing we just asked how fast. But for very obvious reasons the Lada had an image of ... er ... well not exactly a racing car anyway. Of course we pointed this out to our clients. "Exactly" they chorused; so that was that. In a panic we suggested rallying rather than out and out racing because if every other car broke down or crashed, then the Lada might be the last car left rolling. Of course if this didn't happen it would have just been the last car. They reluctantly agreed to this.
We decided that as fond as we were of our clients' products we needed a car that was as quick as the leaders so that we could get ahead of the pack and take photographs. So a BMW 2002 turbo was acquired which in '75 was probably the first production turbocharged car sold for use on public roads. So equipped with a Halda Speedpilot and a stonking great pair of headlamps off we went, Barrie to lead the pack while I took the pictures.
"It started off in 1965 Barrie asked me to be Team Manager for Avalon Racing, (still kept my day job) I was not to become just an ornament, I am delighted to say so.
This was a time when all-British sports racing and GT cars lead the world. Several qualities were needed for the job, probably the most important being to have a sense of humour, patience and great physical endurance.
It helps to know what a spark plug spanner looks like however it's not absolutely essential.
A trip to Biarritz in 1969 to deliver a Chevron FVA B8 to the local Porsche Dealer Villenwebber became very dangerous. On the return trip a front tyre blew on the transporter, the steering wheel went sharp right, Barrie and I rolled in the 9 ton bus into a Bordeaux Grand Cru vineyard. Barrie's quote was this may be serious and will necessitate a cup of tea!
From Sweden to South America, smooth running of a race team involves the reception of competitors, adherence to the rules, and recording practice sessions and race times.
The Temporada races in Argentina was a highlight. Barrie had grown more ambitious and ingenious each year.
We were racing a Lola T70 MK3 B. Encroaching onto the circuit on one of the practice days a dog appeared and ran across the circuit in front of our car causing a minor shunt. I complained to Fangio who had men were sent out to shoot the dog! Those were the days."
Barry Bland.MRC
"My earliest memory is of your first race at Lydden with the GSM Delta, when lying 2nd, it was a case of 'here endeth the first lesson'. You were too kind and moved off-line going into the downhill right-hander, to let the leader past and promptly put yourself into the barrier by doing so. Two more memories stand-out - one being the Sid Taylor Lola T70 episode at wet Brands (unfair to remember these two as I don't recall you ever damaging a car at any other time) and the second being at Montlhery when I went over with you to hang out the pit board. That was an amazing slip streamer when the leader could be 20th one lap, 3rd the next, 25th the next and then lead again!"
Jacques Barichella.
Barrie met Jacques in a party in Margate. Jacques said he was a photographer working for Virage Magazine, Barrie said he was a racing driver! Neither believed the other’s story.
The following week-end Barrie was racing the T70 Lola at Thruxton and had a drive in an F2 Lotus. when Jacques was also at Thruxton with his cameras both were very surprised. They have been good friends ever since.
Thanks to Jacques there are some great pictures on this site from that meeting and also at the 1972 Le Mans where Jacques was the pit manager.
Many of the great photos on this site were taken by Jacques Barichella.
Mike Rawlings.
Mike was a vital part of the Le Mans team although we did not see him for a day as he was in charge of the signal pits on the far side of the circuit. A vital communicator. We are awaiting Mikes comments! In the mean time see the Barry Sheppard page as he remembers nearly everything about the Le Mans race.
Mike Norriss.
Were we mad? Certainly! In those days when our clients said jump we said how high. How mad was that? So when Satra Motors, Lada asked us to take their cars racing we just asked how fast. But for very obvious reasons the Lada had an image of ... er ... well not exactly a racing car anyway. Of course we pointed this out to our clients. "Exactly" they chorused; so that was that. In a panic we suggested rallying rather than out and out racing because if every other car broke down or crashed, then the Lada might be the last car left rolling. Of course if this didn't happen it would have just been the last car. They reluctantly agreed to this.
We decided that as fond as we were of our clients' products we needed a car that was as quick as the leaders so that we could get ahead of the pack and take photographs. So a BMW 2002 turbo was acquired which in '75 was probably the first production turbocharged car sold for use on public roads. So equipped with a Halda Speedpilot and a stonking great pair of headlamps off we went, Barrie to lead the pack while I took the pictures.
Ken Cheshire
