Someone mentioned about Geoff Woods Ford Escort "Super Saloon", I was testing a Clubmans car for a friend at Silverstone in 1975 and Geoff came up and asked me if I'd like a go in his Escort. We were using the GP Circuit, and I'd never driven a saloon car before. He said that if I was quicker than him I could drive it at the British GP meeting that year.
The first thing that struck me was the incredible noise inside the car, it literally hurt my ears, and we didn't use ear plugs then! The engine, a 2 litre Ford BDA, was right inside the car with me, actually if you look at the photo where the wiper arms come out is where the front pulley sits.
The next thing, I couldn’t believe how "nervous" the car felt on the track, very twitchy indeed! Anyhow, I did a few laps and came in, I think I lapped at about 108 mph and it was quite a bit quicker than Geoff had gone, so I got the drive!
Come Grand Prix practice and it was raining, he then informed me he didn't have any wets! I had to go out towards the end of practice in the pouring rain on slicks, and do 3 laps to qualify. That put me at the back of the grid. The next day if I remember all hell let loose for the GP with F1 cars flying off in all directions when there was a sudden downpour. When it was our turn to go out I was told by the pit marshal that the track was now dry and we had 3 laps warm up, as the conditions were different to practice. I set off like a scorched cat, just to get in some practice.............
Unfortunately, the track wasn't all dry, as I rounded Becketts onto the long straight down to Stowe the track was streaming wet! I completely lost it, went round a couple of times and ended up backwards into the bank on the left of the circuit, fortunately at quite low speed, I don't think the damage was too bad, but enough to put me out of the race.
As I stood on the bank waiting, Dave Brodie's car ground to a halt, also on the warm up lap, maybe his second, and he was out too. We didn't know each other then, although we each knew about on another. Dave said .........."You aren't driving that are you?"............"Well, I was before this happened" said I. ................"You wouldn't get me in that thing for a thousand pounds"
And that was it, we never spoke again until out of the blue in 1980 he phoned me up one day.........." How do you fancy racing a Clubmans car in Trinidad, all expenses paid, we'll be there for two weeks" .................Well that's another story.
When I got back to the paddock, somewhat embarrassed, I had to tell Geoff where the car was, but I couldn't stay as I had to go by car to Ingliston where I was racing the following day. My mate drove and me and Creighton Brown kept him awake by nagging all the time. We got to Edinburgh at 11.00pm only to find that the hotel had let our rooms, despite being told how late we would be.........................but again, that's another story
My only other experience in saloons was the BMW County Championship in 1980, with Tiff Needell as my team mate.
Hope you enjoyed the story,
Cheers
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/568/190775wa7.jpg
I watched your father regularly in all the above mentioned cars, was he not sponsored by "The Motor" in one of the Beemers? It's great to roll back the years and look through a thread such as this, just great days! Welcome 
"Rolling back the years" in here, recognising drivers names, cars (especially some of the Special Saloons, always my favourites) and even just the names of championships has been a real eye opener. Somehow todays racing, however fast and exciting, is just missing "something"
) at snetterton.
all 1974 Brands Hatch,
