I would like to say hello and Merry Christmas to the many friends I have made here in the last many years. It astounds mne that I have spent so much time pattering on a keyboard all this time.

Just in case you are wondering about the plethora of typos, bear in mind that I'm fissed as a part as I type. My classic car club's Christmas luncheon included me winning a bottle of Johnny Walker Scotch, and as I don't normally drink spirits (I'm a beer man), my fingers are as I type at least six inches wide (or even wider).

As a minor update, my newest book is about 60 percent finished.

All the best!

Terrry Walker

Aaaargh! Merry Christmas in November? Humbug!

Still, same to you, Terry.

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, though, Barry. However, early greetings to one and all.

Oh dear. If it is a bottle of Red Label, it is for external use only, as an embrocation. It is also quite good for disposing of slugs.

I will add my seasonal wishes to everyone here too, if I may be so bold.

A man of taste!

I'm off to have a swift slug of Jamesons before tea!

I prefer it before coffee.

I'd prefer a Macallan, now that's a Gentleman's drink.

I recall in the old days, a racing meeting each Boxing Day, at Brands Hatch. Wasn't one the day that Jack Brabham wore a fake beard and used a walking stick as he approached his car on the grid? What year and formula would that be?

I thought that was at a GP in 1966, when he hit 40. Maybe France?

Zandvoort

But I have a sneaking feeling he did something similar at Brands

I can't imagine that meeting has taken place for many a year now, sadly - but happy to be proven wrong. I'm hardly in touch with what goes on these days.

There was also a Mallory Park Boxing Day meeting for a time as well I seem to remember. But which circuit had their meeting christened "Plum Pudding Meeting" or something along those lines?

Mallory still has a meeting planned for this festive season


PAR

Really, Phil? How good is that? Ten out of ten to them and good to know.

Does this then mean that there is still hope left for the UK motorsport scene?

Quite likely t'was Brands, but more usually it was known informally as "Brand's Hatch on Ice"

We are currently spending time in Hawaii with a family we know. On Thursday, for Thanksgiving dinner, we had turkey cooked in an outdoor "umu", done by the son-in-law and his friend who are originally from Samoa. The turkey cooked beautifully in a hour and a half. Yesterday, we helped them put up their Christmas lights! Feels strange to be driving around here, while "Let It Snow" plays on the radio. We will be back in Victoria, B.C., Canada in a few days...now that the snow has stopped there! So, while I normally wait till at least December to think about it, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.

Vince H.

Yes, a mixture of cars and bikes again I think. After a gap of 43 years, I went along in 2008 and had a very enjoyable day. I'm more four-wheels than two but, apart from a very nice Chevron, the outstanding memories from the day are huge 'trials' type bikes thundering through the esses, and Vespa scooters travelling faster than I've seen before or since.

It was cars only in 1965 and, without digging out my programme, I remember seeing Bernard Unett in the Tiger, and Derek Bennett beating Alan Rollinson to win that year's Libre championship. And an old bench on the exit of the hairpin, very cold and long gone.

Entry to this year's meeting (on the 26th) is only £10-£12; could be worth a look.

I have mentioned it before that my son indulges in scooter racing, a Lambretta producing 38 bhp is a serious bit of kit, a double knocker Norton only gave 48 if memory serves. The scooters are as quick as the slower pukka 125s.

Sharman, sorry, yes they were Lambrettas, not Vespas. Very impressive and quite scary ( to someone who began on a Puch Maxi, top speed 32mph on a crisp day, hopeless on any slope, once overtaken by a milk float).

Seasons Greetings to all the Forum Members from New Zealand
Hope to see some of you at the Skope Classic Meeting, Ruapuna Raceway, Feb 4th to 6th 2011

They're currently in the middle of a radio phone-in programme on Christmas traditions, and a lovely woman has just called to say that her family Christmas tradition is for her and her husband to race their sidecar outfit at the Mallory Boxing Day meeting. She's 60 and he's 74, and next year they're hoping to race in the Isle of Man as part of the TT 100th anniversary celebrations - hubby last raced there in 1957. However, as they live some 40 miles north of Aberdeen, they won't be getting there this year. I'm rather assuming the meeting will be called off anyway ... ?