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Post by Carl on Jun 25, 2020 15:42:35 GMT
John Charles, I remember the Porsche 356 and having mixed feelings about the Jaguar, but I soon understood its superiority at touring in the grand style. Around town, the 356 would have been more fun. I recall an earlier post about that road trip, I believe taken with a woman friend, and every envy neuron I have has activated again. What a wonderful experience to drive the same back roads you once read about, and then top it off by visiting the significant crossroads town of Cassel.
-Carl
Carl, That is absolutely correct it was that very trip in the year of 2000. I often worry that like some older guys one tends to ramble on at tedium about events past, hopefully in this instance it wasn't a multiple of mentions of same trip. Visiting and spending time at Reims was very special, the feel of the place and its nostalgia was almost overwhelming and i maintain that everyone who is able should pay a visit. Never classified as a classic circuit like the Nurburgring or Spa, it never the less was quite unique and offered up serious challenges not only for its excess in speed. Driving down through the alps was another experience again and it later came to my attention that some of the roads we used were in fact stages on the Monte Carlo Rally. The weather was incredibly mixed as well with one day warm and sunny for April, and then the next torrential downpours. On some of the Alpine roads we encountered large land slides which gained ones attention arriving upon one around a blind rock faced bend. No Sat' Nav's either in 2000, all planned and done using the excellent Michelin Road Map bound book. Also as you mention the visit to Cassel on the return journey was another special occasion that rounded the trip off to perfection. John Charles Wonderful experiences become wonderful memories and should be held available in a special place to be recounted. The further details you've included in this post are a pleasure to read.  |
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Post by René on Jun 26, 2020 10:59:17 GMT
Thanks JC and Carl for a great read!
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Post by charleselan on Jun 26, 2020 12:49:59 GMT
Excellent Carl & René.
Memories are great things especially when they hold so much as time passes.
Those additional photos are superb René. The picture of the start straight and pits with grandstand opposite of Reims is beautiful and must be since it was revamped a little in more recent years. When I was there in 2000 it was still very run down and much had faded but it was so good to see that much had survived even if somewhat derelict. Some of the stands and paddock area looked like those old disused barns that are around (or more often were) farms.
The movement to revive those iconic old buildings was a must do and I believe now has opened the way for historic motor sport gatherings, not racing obviously.
It is an incredible place to visit if you are into motor sport history. You can find yourself drifting off into the past when there, and imagining the sounds and smell of the cars from years past.
I must dig out the photos I took that day and compare the pits and stands as they were back in 2000.
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Post by charleselan on Jun 26, 2020 17:37:54 GMT
As I mentioned DSJ's Continental Notes above I thought it might be good to enclose a clip from one of those superb meanderings of his here. I hope this works as I have had to copy a PDF file into na JPEG so it can be attached, not sure if it would work but here goes. It is from the April 1970 edition of MS and is rather topical from the above posts as it refers to French road courses.  |
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Post by Carl on Jun 26, 2020 23:26:08 GMT
As I mentioned DSJ's Continental Notes above I thought it might be good to enclose a clip from one of those superb meanderings of his here. I hope this works as I have had to copy a PDF file into na JPEG so it can be attached, not sure if it would work but here goes. It is from the April 1970 edition of MS and is rather topical from the above posts as it refers to French road courses. A classic Paul Ricard aperitif toast to a classic Denis Jenkinson Continental Note! Thanks for the great reminder!
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Post by chrisb on Jun 27, 2020 6:27:53 GMT
for reasons i am doing some research on the 1961-65 seasons which means reading Jenks's reports again, they really are a class above and despite Stirling being his number one he is very fullsome in his praise of some young newcomer,
whilst i thoroughly enjoyed his continental journal, he really was the best wasn't he? I really preferred his 'musings' after a GP when he wrote a sort of reflective piece on the GP in question - amongst my favourites was his comments after the 1966 Dutch GP, and how he was so enthused by Team Brabham's teamwork in keeping Jimmy at bay, a brilliant race and a great report-his sheer enthusiasm for the sport was unbridled
he was also a huge Ayrton fan - funny that-
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Post by robmarsh on Jun 27, 2020 10:52:17 GMT
Yep Jenks was legend in my mind and the only real voice of authority on matters F1. Loved his GP reports, Continental Notes and his Reflections etc after some of the races. They were like jewels and he didn't do them after each race. I think Nigel Roebuck tried to emulate him with his 5th columns in Autosport. Jenks was also a fan of Ickx, Piquet and Gilles.
The one thing I didn't agree with though was his unjust criticism of JYS and his safety campaign. As a teenager who hero worshiped racing drivers and F1 drivers in particular, I couldn't understand his view that crash barriers that saved lives were a retrograde step. We din't get live coverage of anything except the British GP and the SAGP on radio back in those days. My brother and I would tune into BBC every Sunday evening at 18:45 to get the results of the races run that day. It was always with excitement and a high degree of nervousness that we listened with. You could tell immediately if some one had been killed by the tone of voice. It was harrowing.
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Post by charleselan on Jun 27, 2020 17:30:55 GMT
As I mentioned DSJ's Continental Notes above I thought it might be good to enclose a clip from one of those superb meanderings of his here. I hope this works as I have had to copy a PDF file into na JPEG so it can be attached, not sure if it would work but here goes. It is from the April 1970 edition of MS and is rather topical from the above posts as it refers to French road courses. A classic Paul Ricard aperitif toast to a classic Denis Jenkinson Continental Note! Thanks for the great reminder!
Bols, Carl   |
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Post by charleselan on Jun 27, 2020 17:39:59 GMT
No doubt at all that Jenks was the key to it all for me, my eyes probably burned the print from the pages, I read them over and over again.
I have said this many times in the past but my firm belief was that his attitude to JYS more than necessary safety campaign was generational. To him it was a dilution of what he believed motor sport to be. He also could claim that he himself put his neck on the line when involved as sidecar passenger to the great Eric Oliver at Grand Prix level, and of course as passenger to Stirling on two Mille Miglia's.
I did not agree with him then and still would not today, but is it any different to my hatred of the "toilet seat" on current F1 cars. They are both hugely significant safety items/systems but I think the "toilet seat" is an abomination.
That aside DSJ was the most influential and greatest motor sport writer there has ever been.
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Post by chrisb on Jun 28, 2020 8:56:23 GMT
i had a real problem with Jenks and safety, I didn't want motor racing 'diluted' but neither did i want to read any more obituaries - especially the number that were written, but he was the guru, liked many other writers and Mark really has captured some of Jenks's brilliance but no one has come close. I was a fan of Nigel's but in recent years and his latest couple of pieces with Peter Windsor confirm this to me, he is not what he once was, banging on that Stirling was the GOAT - great as he was - there were greater
incidentally i noticed that Jenks published a book in 1961 - Formula one 1954-1960 - has anyone read this? i had never heard of it let alone seen it but
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Post by charleselan on Jun 28, 2020 17:05:44 GMT
i had a real problem with Jenks and safety, I didn't want motor racing 'diluted' but neither did i want to read any more obituaries - especially the number that were written, but he was the guru, liked many other writers and Mark really has captured some of Jenks's brilliance but no one has come close. I was a fan of Nigel's but in recent years and his latest couple of pieces with Peter Windsor confirm this to me, he is not what he once was, banging on that Stirling was the GOAT - great as he was - there were greater incidentally i noticed that Jenks published a book in 1961 - Formula one 1954-1960 - has anyone read this? i had never heard of it let alone seen it but I think this is the book you are referring to Chris; typically Jenks it is a superb little book. I am straining my brain to remember how I came across my copy, on reflection probably from a guy who lived in the village near my old home who was into dealing books. He got me loads of books back in the 1970's and a pristine set of Motorsport from 1950 - 1965.  |
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Post by chrisb on Jun 29, 2020 6:46:19 GMT
wonderful John, I think i may well see if there are any available -
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Post by charleselan on Jul 4, 2020 17:15:51 GMT
The attached film is pre- Can-Am in name but really was the forerunner to that series. This colour film of the 1963 Monterey Pacific Grand Prix featured a pretty star studded field with some top line grand prix talent also showing up. Amazingly in the introduction by the narrator all were mentioned except fr the most important of all, one James Clark.
In the field were a great mixture of cars with the first big engined sports cars like the Shelby Cooper Cobras ( basically Cooper Monaco's with bid V8 Ford motors installed) and Jim Hall's first rear/mid engined Chaparral 2, along with other weird assortments. Some of the cars were the more traditional European sports racers like the bright red Arciero Brothers Lotus 19 Climax which was entrusted to Jim Clark.
It was great to see footage of Jim in this almost iconic race car that later saw some success with another great driving it Daniel Sexton Gurney.
Eventually there race was won by young Dave McDonald in one of the Shelby Cooper Cobra's. In a short but bright career Dave McDonald sadly perished a few months later.
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Post by chrisb on Jul 5, 2020 9:40:38 GMT
great clip, were the American media still peed off with Jimmy after Indy do you think?
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Post by charleselan on Jul 5, 2020 11:40:41 GMT
great clip, were the American media still peed off with Jimmy after Indy do you think? Not sure Chris, I think it was more a case of incompetence than anything else. He was the reigning WC and one would have thought he would have been mentioned in exhausted terms not completely overlooked. One thing I always note about some of these US features is their overzealous eulogies to their own national drivers, I hope Carl isn't offended by this comment as it just an observation that I have gained over the years. Interestingly the announcer mentioned Graham Hill as being present but he failed to get featured at all in the race coverage, no wonder really when one considers he was driving a little 1600cc Lotus 23 which had no chance of a major placement. |
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