1976 Japan Grand Prix

With the release of RUSH, I thought this picture of me with James Hunt at the reception for the 1976 Japan Grand Prix was timely.

autograph

London to Brighton

Marshaling at Hyde Park for London to Brighton with the 750 MC

Carlos Pace

Not only a terrific driver but a nice guy

Kento and Mario

Me with Mario on the starting grid Japan Grand Prix 1977

At the time of the 1976 and 1977 Japan Gran Prixs I was working for Japan Airlines at JFK airport in New York.  Since the 1976 race followed the USGP and the 1977 the Canadian GP,  both cars and personnel were traveling on JAL from North America.  Being a long time formula 1 fan, I served as coordinator for both movements.  After the Glen in 76 the teams left on passenger flights and 1 747 cargo flight from JFK.  I was fortunate to meet most of the drivers and  team member and travel to Japan for the race.  I attended the official reception in Tokyo and had ID as race staff member.  The race was run in terrible rain so I spent most of the race in the covered VIP stands.  Mario won the race and James Hunt the world championship with a number of drivers dropping out due to the conditions.

1976 staff ID & pass

The 1977 race followed the Canadian GP and I traveled to Toronto to oversee the cargo 747 charter flight for the cars.  I them went to Vancouver to assist with the passenger and travel on to Japan.  I experienced what has to be the dream of any F-1 fan with no connections to the sport.  On race day I attended the race with my wife and 5 year old daughter along with a colleague from Japan and his 5 year old son.  He and I had official pit passes and my wife, daughter and his son just complimentary race tickets.  Our dealings during both these movements were with the then FOCA of which Bernie was president.  At that time he also owned the Brabham team and I asked him in the paddocks if we could get pit passes for my wife and the kids.  He sent me to his trailer were a I contacted a lovely blond women for the passes, she pulled out a pile and said "how many do you want". OMG what a chance but I had no one else to give one to so I had to say only three.  The back of the passes said no one under 16 was allowed in the pits but my blond daughter and her Japanese friend were the hit of the paddock area.

Paddock pass with Jodi Schecters autograph

Jodi signing it.

myself with James Hunt and some Japanese dude that wanted a autograph at the reception for the teams in 1976 race

Vanderbilt Cup Race, Roosevelt Raceway, Long Island 1960

An attempt was made to bring back the Vanderbilt Cup Races to Long Island in 1960. The 75-mile race featured Formula Junior cars and was held in the parking lot of Roosevelt Raceway, a trotter track in Westbury, N.Y.
,on June 19, 1960. The winner of the race was Harry Carter in a Stanguellini. The accompanying sports racing class was won by Walt Hansgen in a Birdcage Maserati.  While cleaning out my attic, I discovered some 35mm black and white negatives of that meeting that I had taken.   Any comments and identification would be welcome.  Some of the other notable drivers in the race included; Pedro and Ricardo Rodriquez, Roger Ward, Jim Rathman, Jim Hall, Carroll Shelby, Lorenzo Bandini, Charlie Kolb and others. I have been told the second and third from left in the above photograph are Roger Ward and Chris Economaki.

Rest and Be Thankful

Rest and be thankful hill climb was run from 1949 to 1969
as competition to the British Hill Climb Championship.
  Jackie Stewart raced a Ford 105E engined Marcos here in 1961.
He said: "it's a special place for me, the cradle of my life in
motor racing. I must say as a young American,
I was fascinated by the array of cars,
in particular the Cooper-Japs and Cooper-Norton.
these are some pictures from the June 1964 event.
The first is a Maserati Special driven by Lord Doune
of the Doune Motor Museum, note duel rear wheels.
The next is Mrs. Agnes Mickel in a Cooper.

Maserati Special

Agnes Mickel

Maserati Special

Chaparral Cannonball

Cooper - Monaco?

Mason Mk.1 special