ROBERT BARRIE

More from our resident racer

History is bunk said Henry Ford. The history of our cars isnʼt always complete or correctly-reported, thatʼs for sure. My column on Peter Gregg and his 911 2.8 RSRS was an attempt at getting some history right. I was reasonably happy with the results and the response. For example, Bill Warner, Chair of the Amelia Island Concours and a prolific snapper in period, kindly explained the uneven positioning of the race numbers on the 1973 Daytona 24Hours winning car.

The number was in the centre of the door on one side and ahead of the rear arch, as per the usual Brumos practice, on the other. The race was a round of the World Sportscar Championship and the FIA required an illuminated outline around the numbers.

Gregg and Jack Atkinson, the team manager, complied on one side – presumably the one that faced the timekeepers – but not the other. Itʼs the sort of thing you wouldnʼt know unless you were there. The team went back to the usual positioning on the Sebring 12-Hours winning car – that was an IMSA- rather than an FIArun event.

Some others politely pointed out that the column contained a modest helping of bunk itself. Fair enough. I can live with chassis 0940 currently being in Europe rather than the USA, as I suggested, not least because it supports the observation that most of Greggʼs cars are now over here rather than over there.

Even so, my thanks to John Starkey and others for pointing it out and my apologies to the owner for the mistake. John also noted that whenever I wrote chassis 0885 what I actually meant was chassis 0865. He has an eye for detail that man – he should write a book or ten. More thanks to him and apologies to some more owners for the muddle.

For those that care, 0885 is the well-known Samson-liveried and Kremerrun car. I know the car and the owner, so thereʼs really no excuse. However, the most awful thing I did, and the one I feel worst about, was misspelling Hurley Haywoodʼs name. The man has won Daytona five times, Le Mans three times and Sebring twice. You would think I could get his name right, but apparently not. I now have a copy of Hurley From the Beginning to make sure I donʼt do it again (Iʼd better read it, too, for I missed the faux pas – KS).

So, on to matters that are less historic and that donʼt involve me beating myself up quite so much. This column has been in the intermittent habit of making end of year awards and now is as good a time as any to do so again. Itʼs a personal reflection on the past year. Some outstanding cars, drives and events will be missing simply because, sadly, I wasnʼt there to take part or see them. With that disclaimer in mind, here, in no particular order, are some of my choices.

Car of the year, for me, was the Irish Green ex-dickie Stoop 904. Itʼs a truly lovely thing and to see it competing at Goodwood, where it raced in period, not once but twice was fantastic. It was also the poster car – quite literally – for Luft GB. Well done to the owner and to Maxted-page for the prep.

Runner-up was Simon Bowreyʼs lovely 356 Pre-a that he generously let me drive at the Revival.

Honourable mentions go to David Kennedyʼs Slate Grey early RHD 911 – absolutely the best-looking course car – and the multicoloured Paul Smith 911 that James Turner had a hand in.

Drive of the year was Sam Tordoff in his 356 PreA, also at the Revival. To stall on the front row and storm through the field to second was mighty. There is some great in-car footage of his efforts and those of the rest of us in avoiding his stationary car at the start. Hats off to all concerned.

Runners-up in this category were James Cottingham winning in the 904 in the freezing cold at the Membersʼ Meeting and Ollie Bryant and Andrew Smith winning every round of the 2-Litre Cup in their Historika-run car.

Event of the year was the Revival again. They keep getting it right. Le Mans Classic and Luft GB were close, but the Porsche anniversary race at the former was messy and the latter was unlucky with the weather. Race series of the year was the 2-Litre Cup – itʼs for our sort of cars, itʼs proper racing and itʼs great fun. Again, a generous owner kindly let me share his car. Next season sees six races – letʼs hope the high standards can be maintained or improved.

Lastly, in a new category, the award for the best family stop-off at an old French motorsport venue goes to Mont Ventoux, with the perennial photo opportunity at Reims-gueux a close second. What a sensational hill-climb Mont Ventoux must have been in the day. I have some fabulous pictures of early 911s competing there from Maurice Loucheʼs archive. If I can sneak them past the editor, they may appear in the New Year. Have another good one! CP

“EVENT OF THE YEAR WAS THE REVIVAL AGAIN…”