Nick Whale
Long time Midlands-based car dealer and inveterate motor sport competitor who now runs a trio of classic car auction outfits
1. It was impossible to be competitive as a privateer in British Touring Cars as we weren’t allowed the same tyres. My only podium and trophy was with Gerrit van Kouwen at Donington in 1990. I have 200 trophies, but this is the most important.
2. When I was 17 my first car was a ratty 911 and I have had one in my life ever since. I bought an R last year and love it.
3. The M3 marks the confluence of my business and racing lives. I joined my late father’s dealership in 1985 and took over in 1991. We floated it in 1996, then I set up on my own and more recently have set up Silverstone Auctions, Classic Car Auctions and the online Automotive Auction business. Until Covid I still had M3s – my old Touring Car, a Prodrivespec rally car and a road car – but I’ve recently replaced them with Escorts!
4. Ian Guest and I bought CUT 7 from Colin Pearcy. I only drove it because he was on holiday during Goodwood and it just floated. We did everything in it, winning at the 2002 Le Mans Classic, where I’ve now run twice and won twice.
5. I started by hillclimbing a Mallock U2 40 years ago. That led to Formula Libre and the Birmingham Superprix, then an M3 in the Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship (I won that in 1989). Then came Thundersaloons and British GT in a Porsche 911, plus Peter Wheeler sent me TVRs to evaluate and I did two years of FIA GT, but didn’t make it to Le Mans.
6. In 1998 I took up Historic rallying, initially buying a 3.0-litre 911. We won the Safety Devices Rally Challenge in 1999, but in 2000 they launched the British Historic Rally Championship and I won that with Nick Kennedy.
7. I’ve had at least four Carrera Cup cars. Tim Harvey raced them and latterly, when I was a Porsche dealer, I raced them in the GT Cup with my son Harry in 2007-2010.
8. When I started Historic racing, Ian Guest and I shared a Mustang. We did the FIA Euro Touring Cars with Gerry Marshall and Tony Lanfranchi and this was painted by a good pal, Tony Collins.
9. This shows the design I’ve had on my helmet since I started competing.
10. All my life I wanted to be a Porsche dealer. I achieved that in 2000 and stayed one until I sold up to Roger Penske in the global financial crisis. When things had been going well I bought a V10 Carrera GT to my own spec, visited the factory, had the tour, drove the test track and was waved on my way to drive it home. I am extremely proud of having done that.