Sterling achievement as Moss landmark brings back memories of Southport’s racing past
GLOWING tributes and a special parade to celebrate the 90th birthday of the legendary Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss at last weekend’s Goodwood Revival meeting rekindled memories of the times he stayed in Southport and of his many racing successes on Merseyside where he became known as the “King of Aintree” .
The Duke of Richmond (formerly Earl of March), leading the celebration, described Moss, who was unable to be present through ill health, as a “God given talent” and “perhaps the greatest driver of all time” with highlights including 16 world championship Grand Prix wins from 66 starts and success in the Mille Miglia endurance event.
Also known as the greatest driver “never to win the World Championship” Moss was runner-up on four occasions - 1955-1958 and third on three more - 1959-1961 - before his F1 career ended in a crash at Goodwood in 1962.
In the course of his tribute the Duke mentioned two of the most important days in British motor racing history, both staged at Aintree, where Moss became the first Englishman to win his home World Championship Grand Prix, as a member of the Mercedes-Benz team headed by Juan-Manuel Fangio, when the team was stationed in Southport during race week in 1955.
And then two years later, in 1957, when Moss, in a Vanwall he shared with Manchester dentist Tony Brooks, provided the country with its first all-British World Championship Grand Prix victory in the British (and European) Grand Prix held at the famous Merseyside racecourse circuit.
Taking part in the special tribute for Moss, whose articles on motoring and motor sport appeared in the Southport Visiter back in the 1950s, were several notable cars from his remarkable career including a Vanwall similar to the one that was on display at the Atkinson, Southport, two years ago to mark the 60th Anniversary of that famous win at Aintree.
The parade was led by the Duke of Richmond in a Aston Martin DBR1 sports car with Lady Susie Moss, wife of Stirling, in the passenger seat waving to the appreciative 150,000 audience mainly in period attire - a feature of the Revival meeting.
There was also a tiny Formula 500 car - he won his first car race in one at Goodwood 71 years ago - and an open sided Lotus Climax 18 that he raced to victory in the Monaco GP for Rob Walker in 1959.
Details of Moss’ achievements could be found and depicted on Aintree programme posters from the 1950s and early 1960s at the Cooper Car Company Ltd tribute display, another major feature during the three days extravaganza.
Earlier this year the Southport Visiter noted in its British Grand Prix report that it was the 60th Anniversary, on July 18, 1959, when the late Sir Jack Brabham took a works Cooper-Climax T51 to victory in the third of the five “Aintree” British Grand Prix held during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Who did he beat that year? None other that Moss, who made it to second place in a British Racing Partnership BRM.
It was good to see that one of Brabham’s sons David taking part in the Moss tribute, along with other motor sporting legends, Dario Franchitti (Indycar), Jeff Gordon (NASCAR) and Derek Bell and Tom Kristensen (Le mans and Endurance).