The team discuss the first circuit they visited.
Historic Racing
Goodwood House is the backdrop for a relaxing conversation between Paul Tarsey, Paul Jurd and Peter Snowdon. They talk about the Festival of Speed (of course) and other things happening in the world of historic motor sport before PJ and Snowy go their separate ways on projects you will hear about over the next few months. Paul Tarsey talks to Andy Dee Crown who run the Historic Sports Car Club, better known as the HSCC. Andy explains how the club has a wide range of different series, catering to owners of period sports cars, through a very successful Formula Two and Atlantic series to the ubiquitous Formula Fords! ‘Corridors of Power’ features choices from PJ and Snowy plus Joe Bradley and Jim Roller. Seeking some technical input, the panellists are tasked with choosing the greatest racing of all time. There are some surprising choices! Let us know your thoughts on the choices, or anything else on the Historic Racing News Facebook page or @histracingnews #hrnrs
With the Le Mans 24 hours done and dusted, the team turns its attention to the upcoming Le Mans Classic. Paul Jurd shares some little known facts about the first-ever race held at Le Mans, and no, it wasn’t the inaugural 24 Hours in 1923, it was the French Grand Prix held on a circuit for 12 laps in 1906 ……. but each lap was 64 miles long! Jim Roller takes a look at the way the current 24 hour circuit has evolved over the years, starting with the northernmost point, the Pontlieue Hairpin, which intrepid motorsport archaeologists can still go and discover.
The HRN team discuss their favourite races of all time.
The Historic Racing News team discuss their favourite Le Mans race that they attended in person.
Paul Jurd and Paul Tarsey discuss the new book by Ian Wagstaff and Doug Nye about the highs and lows of BRM from the embarrassing launch to winning the world championship. In our monthly game show ‘Corridors of Power’ we get a view from the HRN panel about the greatest Le Mans race they have ever seen. And what a noisy panel we have: Regulars Joe Bradley, Jim Roller and Paul Jurd are joined by John Hindhaugh for this special edition of the show, and no quarter is given with these four arguing it out.
The Donington Historic Festival had some fabulous cars racing hard throughout the weekend, not least Andrew Bentley racing a glorious TWR Jaguar XJR8. Andrew talks to Joe Bradley about hustling the big V12 beast round the confines of Donington Park to take a well-deserved win. Paul Jurd takes an in depth look at those dark days just before WW2 when Hitler’s Mercedes and Auto Union teams arrived at Donington Park to steamroller the comparatively puny English contingent and Peter Snowdon talks about the modern-day Donington Park.
The pale green cars of the British Racing Partnership were a strong force in 1960s F1. Formed by Alfred Moss and Ken Gregory to contest the then-new 1.5 litre F1 they were the first team to bring non-trade sponsorship to F1. We review Ian Wagstaff’s new book about the team’s highs and lows and talk about the mark it left on motorsport. Nick Padmore talks about his busy Goodwood Members Meeting where he drove four cars, and gives us a sneak preview of his Monaco Historique drives. Peter Snowdon takes a look at the way the Monaco Grand Prix circuit has changed over the years and in Corridors of Power, Joe Bradley, Peter Snowdon and Paul Jurd discuss ‘Race series which should never have died out …. and we want to bring back’
Historic racing isn’t just about old cars. Many of those battling it out on the race tracks of the world are new cars which just LOOK like old ones! The HRN team debate just whether tribute cars, facsimile racers and just plain old fakes have a place in modern motor racing. Paul Jurd, Jim Roller, Peter Snowdon and Paul Tarsey are helped along this tortuous path by Julius Thurgood, who runs the Historic Racing Drivers Club and, for a USA perspective, Kevin Jeanette from Gunnar Racing, who has built and rebuilt several tribute cars in his time, as well as being one of the foremost restorers of the real thing too.