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Years ago I went up to Knockhill from near Wantage with Mr Scatchard and we didn't qualify (remember that!?).  They allowed me to take the start in case anyone couldn't make it and I then got black flagged and hauled over the coals by the CotC for having a go.  There must be some cracking stories of long drags to race meetings but not starting?

Hell's teeth, I'm on TV on Citroen's website!! About 0.9 seconds but who cares!?  Wasn't a broken drive shaft was it Bully?  I seem to remember an air filter got eaten and I was blamed for destroying the gear shift?  Interestingly if you (me) cannot type and remove the "f" from shift and shaft you get....

Someone needs to stop the Sparrow juggernaut: one sack of cement for every race he wins, so we're up to four so far  :) :) ;D

Hi Matt, remind me what the qualification is for the zimmer class please? I suspect I might hit the target!  Cheers, F.

Ahhh but this was the car has a more interesting history than that: originally built new by Mike Cooper for Peter Scatchard, it was raced with almost complete lack of success by him and me for a couple of years.  I remember towing the car to Knockhill and we didn't qualify (remember when there were too many cars on the grid??), watching the race and then 400 miles back home - joy! We always blamed whoever produced the engines until we finally persuaded the Great Graham Harper to build us one.  That excuse was no longer viable and the car got us up to well inside the top ten at Mondello one year until a person who shall remain nameless brake tested me at the second haipin.  I then reshelled the car and rebuilt it to fit the original low weight spec. we used to have to run and it then needed ballast to make the grade.  We consistently did pretty badly although it handled rather better after we removed the front roll bar.  Steve Jaques bought the car and it finally got the budget and driving skills to run at least with the midfield and sometimes better than that.  Under Paul R's care and now owned by Richard L. the car started to be right on it and but for a couple of really irritating and very minor problems it would have won the 24 hour at least once.  Despite the fact that Matt and Richard were faster than me and clearly overstressed the car, apparently it was my gear shift technique that was mostly to blame - but I plead insanity.

I quote extensively of course from the race drivers book of excuses....

Thoughout my time racing with and against Jon, I will always remember his faithful riding mechanic Tiggie.  At race meetings they were inseperable and bickered and shouted at each other without making the slightest impact on their regard for each other.  I have no idea what they shared but what I can say is that she is one of the nicest people I have met in many, many years and I know she misses Jon very deeply.  As and when I start racing 2cv's again (age and pocket depth allowing) I for one will miss her presence at the circuits very much.

Can I say with the greatest of admiration and all the best wishes for the New Year to all the 2cv addicts out there - you are completely and utterly bonkers!!  Love this stream of madness.  Xx

Just learned this awful news.  I raced with Jon several times including one notably wet 24 hours at Snetterton in which we got onto the podium (in fifth if memory serves).  He was one of life's true characters and I loved spending hours on the phone discussing his latest bonkers exploit or car/bike plans.  I am smiling at some of my memories as I write this and I will miss him dreadfully.

Long reach for the gear lever...

Wonderful to see Rambo out there.  Serious withdrawl symptoms.  Hope it's a cracker.

Did a vintage race in my 1938 Riley in the '90s. Going through the kink between the stone walled buildings was certainly flat but I never did - no seat belts or roll cage managed to impinge even on my imagination... Great little circuit, must have been fabulous in a 2cv.  Saw the legend Graham Harper doing the business. 

WTF are you guys talking about??? Or was it Ireland's win over the ABs?

Hi Marc, I have PM'd you.  Cheers, Francis

Derek, I assume this is not the famous Rambo?

Great photos.

Just wanted to mention and add my thanks to Paul, Sammie, Trevor, Simon, Bulley and Tom for an epic weekend. To anyone in the club who hasn't been to Spa then I envy you.  For an old geezer, this was one of those bucket list (getting too close!) events that will remain with me.  Spa is a curious mix of terrifying and satisfying and I don't think any of the drivers got out of the car without a wild eyed Pouhon story.  Well done to MIM and Rosie for being consistently quicker, even if Pouhon confounded Rosie on one occasion.  Rosie still managed to come past using all the road and more after some epic chassis straightening in the pits. Fantastic race!

Page 132, latest edition of Motorsport.  Is there something you haven't been telling us Pete? ;D