Lola’s unsung heroes deserve more of a mention

I read with interest the Lola at 60 supplement in last week’s Autosport. While understanding that the company’s long history in so many categories precludes covering more than just a fraction of its activities, the single mention given to Rob Rushbrook MBE doesn’t do justice to the role he performed in the first 25 years or so of Lola’s existence. ‘Robbie’, a former Brooklands racer, was, as Eric Broadley’s business partner, hands-on right from the start in the manufacturing and production process and continued as such until his retirement.

It wouldn’t be fair to mention other individuals, much as I would like to, because there were so many who played a significant part in the company’s growth from two-man band to becoming the world’s largest manufacturer of racing cars. Full credit has to be given, however, to all those who toiled (I use the word deliberately) through the years on the shop floor, in administration, sales, finance and design offices, without whom Eric’s concepts could never have materialised, let alone win such a multitude of races. Special mention also for their families, coping with the disruptive day and night hours required when maximum effort was needed.

Quite rightly, Carl Haas Automobile Imports was acknowledged as a major factor in Lola’s US successes.

A similar accolade should be given to Japanese distributor

Nova Engineering; they did a great job with market advice, sales and support leading to Lola’s considerable achievements in what was then the Japanese F3000 Championship.

Lola was a great company. It can never be resurrected as it was; the world has changed too much for that. I hope, however, that the famous racing name might be taken forward in a new and different challenge, one that maintains the same reputation for fine engineering and business integrity.