BOAC 1000kms 1970

[Nigel Cooney]

Hello Fellow Racers,
It’s a very long time since I posted but I just wanted to see if any of you were interested in the 50th Anniversary of the great victory of Pedro Rodriguez in this epic race, run in pouring rain.
I did moot the idea some time ago of trying to get MSV - owners of Brands Hatch circuit you honour this great Mexican driver, perhaps by naming the main entrance to the circuit as They Rodriguez Gate’.

The moderator of the Facebook group The Pedro Rodriguez Appreciation Society, has obtained an e-mail address for Brands Hatch and I thought any members of our group who thought it a good idea could urge Dr Jonathan Palmer to take this opportunity as it is the anniversary. All there is currently at the circuit is a fading photograph behind the main stand.

Please let me know if you support the initiative!

Best Regards
Nigel Cooney

[chrisb]

always good to hear from you Nigel, great idea, would support this initiave

[Carl]

Mar 24, 2020 6:30:29 GMT chrisb said:

always good to hear from you Nigel, great idea, would support this initiave

His achievement that day was astonishing and deserves to be honored.  What always occurs to me is how many more races and titles Pedro Rodriguez may have won with the same level of inspired anger.

[René]

I am not a UK resident and have unfortunately never been to Brands Hatch but it's a great initiative nonetheless.

You should visit us more often, Nigel!

[chrisb]

Rene, one day it would be worth the trip, it really is a splendid little circuit but when you do see it and think how on earth did he drive that monster of a 917 like a go kart around this circuit, Brands is scary enough with bikes but for these monsters it must have been awesome, and that noise, hanging in ghe wet air amongst all those trees - there are days when someone reaches genius levels, today was Pedro's

I saw many Group C races there [all of them I think] and seem to remember Fitz winning one year in the 956 in the wet,  but that couldn't have been anywhere near Pedro's could it?

[charleselan]

Without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest driving performances of all time and worthy of a special place at Brands Hatch, it has my support.

The strange thing about the Porsche 917 was that it wasn't a massively large car dimensionally, what made it hugely scary was the power output in such a flimsily constructed vehicle. Those guys were the bravest of the brave, or some might say just plain crazy to drive such things.

Truly outrageous contraptions but absolutely wonderful race cars.

[René]

Mar 24, 2020 21:14:27 GMT chrisb said:

Rene, one day it would be worth the trip, it really is a splendid little circuit but when you do see it and think how on earth did he drive that monster of a 917 like a go kart around this circuit, Brands is scary enough with bikes but for these monsters it must have been awesome, and that noise, hanging in ghe wet air amongst all those trees - there are days when someone reaches genius levels, today was Pedro's

I saw many Group C races there [all of them I think] and seem to remember Fitz winning one year in the 956 in the wet,  but that couldn't have been anywhere near Pedro's could it?

Chris, I always loved Brands Hatch when seeing it on television. I've been to Silverstone and Goodwood and I drove past the motorway exit to Brands once! Next time when I'm in the UK!

[chrisb]

not sure these days Rene what is the best series to watch there now, I did think about seeing the DTM's there but given the plight the world is in who knows?

[charleselan]

The best series to see at Brands Hatch currently on the full GP circuit would be the British Superbikes but René isn't a big bike fan so I am at a loss as to what to advise. Possibly a good Historic meeting?

The DTM series has long since been of any value to me personally, a shadow of what it was back in the 1980/90's.

Also you do not hear anything of the Formula Ford Festival these days, and that was a fantastic race meeting. I only ever went to one and that was the year that Jan Magnussen won with some flourish.

[René]

Thanks Chris and JC,

I do hope to visit Brands once but since there is no Grand Prix (or WEC), it will probably have to wait until I can combine it with something else. One day...

[chrisb]

I used to go the FF festival every year, it was a superb day out, always seemed to rain, or just my memory, I don't know when it stopped but it was the best feeder series I have ever known and when you consider who went through the FJ and FF process and what they achieved, it seems a travesty, then we get karts, I quite like driving karts but was never over enthused as a spectator, in fact I found it less than interesting

obviously this year Rene most events are going to be postponed but JC is spot on BSB is simply the best event there now, I was thinking of the Master Historic festival one year, the only other event I had pencilled in was late August which was the British GP and F3 championship. but even that isn't a shadow of what it once was, in fact it is so pale by comparison to its fantastic history it is a bit of a nonsense. I did want to see the DTM's but a 600 mile round trip to see that? maybe not,

[robmarsh]

I raced karts for a while in Zimbabwe. It is as you said Chris, better to do than to watch, though I wouldn't have minded seeing the Formula E Superkarts back in the day with Martin Hines.