Lotus at Nurburgring

[chrishewett]

I will always remember seeing Jim Clark racing at Crystal Palace when I was knee high to a pigmys Y-fronts. As soon as my dad took me home I got out the humbrol paints and painted my scalextric car in his colours! Happy memories!
Chris

[Hamish Coutts]

Chris,

Happy memories indeed!
I only ever saw a fleeting glance of Clark on the RAC rally (when it was a real rally). Never had the chance to see him at any of the big race meetings, e.g. Brands, Silverstone & the like. A couple of the guys in our local CL meet saw him, in a F1 race in Sardinia and went back for a look at the track earlier this year. They came back with b&w photos of the original race. Fascinating.
Agree, Cevert & Courage were good (you had to be to get where they got to) and were not in the same league as JC.
Good coming from me though, all I got up to in the late 60s was autocrossing, rallies and the odd sprint.

Hamish.

[twincamman]

MR 64 S1 I bow to your wisdom ---and burn my dinkies ------------- ED

[1964 S1]

I was fortunate, I got to see him numerous times at Indianapolis. My dad would take us up for practice days and qualification every year. I was 12 to 16 years old. I never saw him race, but I did get his autograph, and all of the famous Lotus entourage, more than once! I remember them all being very nice, happily signing numerous autographs for bunches of American fans. Weekdays there seemed very low key.

[twincamman]

The parts man at Dino's garage was a dead ringer for Clark and on grand pix races at Mosport he would stride purposefully to the paddock gate and the marshals would open it for him and wish him luck ----but Carmelo had such A STRONG ITALIAN ACCENT HE COULD NEVER SPEAK TO THEM ----ed

[1964 S1]

NO NO, Don't burn your dinkies!! They melt! Our miniature hay bales and lighted gasoline was a bit much for them at the race tracks chalked on the garage floor. I ruined many a great racing dinky that way.

[lotuselan2]

First, I will preface: I was at the 'ring the day the only sub-7 minute lap was ever done. Nicki Lauda in his Ferrari F1. I knew it was THE lap when he went by me through the first "S's. It was qualifying in '75 or '76, I believe.

I was preparing for an FF2000 race at the 'ring in '82 or '83. So I took by 1600cc Lada to the track for a few laps. I had my wife, 5 year-old son and 1 year old daughter in her car seat. I took the first lap at a very slow pace. When I stopped to let my wife and daughter out my daughter lost her lunch on the back seat! My son and I then did four more laps in a light rain. I was very intense memorizing corners and landmarks to be ready for the race a week later. As I got the feel of what corner was coming next I started passing Mercedes and BMW's in my Lada! It was great fun for my son.

As for the race, I survived and finished mid-pack. Aryton Senna was in the race, so you know I was a long way from the front!

There is a Lotus story here too. They ran a Formula Renault race with a 5 minute staggered start from the FF2000's. After practice on Sat. we compared notes with the FR guys. We were complaining that they had 5-speeds and they had a big advantage over our 4-speeds. They said, NO, NO. You have Hewland's and set your ratios where you want. We have the stock Renault gear ratios; we have 4 FIRST GEARS AND ONE OVERDRIVE! That is the same gearbox I later found in my Europa TC.

Ken

[bengalcharlie]

Great reading gentlemen,

but it shows your age!!
Unfortunately I have missed all these great events because I was not even born or too young to remember.
It shows us that most youngsters prefer subarus and mitsis instead of our basic cars with excellent balance and simplicity.
PS i grew up in Belgium and I Spa and the nurburgring are fantastic circuits ( I never raced there but from a spectators point of view)
Another fantastic memory I have is from the circuit of monthlery ( I hope I did spell this cor rectly) near Paris but I have heard it is closed now.
What a shame!!
cheers

Robin ( the young lad)

[1964 S1]

... this IS a great read. I'm still waiting to hear from M100 so I can find out where to send his beer....

[M100]

>I'm still waiting to hear from M100 so I can find out where to send his beer....

Tuscany for the next week then back to freezing England where a warm beer is always welcome

[chrishewett]

So has anyone thought about going to the Jim Clark revival meeting at Hockenheim? (28th-30th april). It looks like it will be a special Lotus do. I intend to take the +2 as a dry run before classic Le Mans.
I expect to see you there Hamish!
Chris

[1964 S1]

One TransAtlantic warm beer, coming up.

[Hamish Coutts]

Chris,

Must have been off the planet recently. Can you explain a wee bit more about the JC revival meeting?

Will be back from honeymoon by then (hopefully sporting a tan ) so 28th to 30th April is a viable date. Should have the car 'sorted' by then and that sounds like a nice wee run.

Mmmm. Must look out the sat nav.

Hamish.

[chrishewett]

Try www.jimclark-revival.com
If you are a member of club lotus they will have info soon, register your interest and they will keep you informed. I may make my own arrangements for crossing and hotel but it would be nice to travel in company with other lotus. Plenty of time to arrange it but hotels soon become full at these kind of events.
Chris

[Hamish Coutts]

OK.
How about a bit of joinedy up thinking and doing a Monte Carlo type start and meeting up at some point (probably in Europe) and then going on to the event (in supportive company)?
Anybody fancy?

Hamish.