In the midnight hour she cried...

[Reynard]

Tell us more, sounds interesting.

I'm writing a novel set in a motor racing environment, in part based on my own experiences, first as a teenaged fan in the late 1980s / early 1990s, and second, in the decade I spent working media passes as a photographer / journalist.

The main theme of the story is about the relationships between my main character and the six men who, for better or for worse, shaped her life. A secondary theme is a study of grief, and how it affects us all differently.

He's right you know.

Last time I looked, the plumbing was very definitely female LOL.

 

[classic33]

? How do you know? I haven't knowingly come across a Deborah but it's possible.

That'd be telling, but maybe BT knows!

 

[Pinno718]

I'm writing a novel set in a motor racing environment, in part based on my own experiences, first as a teenaged fan in the late 1980s / early 1990s, and second, in the decade I spent working media passes as a photographer / journalist.

The main theme of the story is about the relationships between my main character and the six men who, for better or for worse, shaped her life. A secondary theme is a study of grief, and how it affects us all differently.



Last time I looked, the plumbing was very definitely female LOL.

[Insert cheesy Carry On film gag]

So, (racing) girl meets (racing) boy. (Racing) girl meets other (racing) boy. (Racing) girl falls in love with (racing) boy. (Racing) boy dies in tragic wheel nut accident?

In true John Fowles (French Lieutenants woman) chapter 13 style, beautifully intertwined with Flann O'Brien's 'At swim two birds', we could have a novel dissection and character assassination to see if it's all plausible?

 

[Reynard]

[Insert cheesy Carry On film gag]

So, (racing) girl meets (racing) boy. (Racing) girl meets other (racing) boy. (Racing) girl falls in love with (racing) boy. (Racing) boy dies in tragic wheel nut accident?

In true John Fowles (French Lieutenants woman) chapter 13 style, beautifully intertwined with Flann O'Brien's 'At swim two birds', we could have a novel dissection and character assassination to see if it's all plausible?

There is a certain amount of girl meets boy. But there's also an abusive father, a teacher who by turning a blind eye condones bullying, there's an ex, there's the best friend and then there's the mentor. And then there are three other female characters - the mentor's wife, a racing driver, and the competition for the love interest.

Motor racing attracts a lot of interesting people. Note, interesting doesn't always mean nice. Some people involved in the sport can be thoroughly unpleasant. But it's a fertile ground when it comes to developing characters.

 

[Pinno718]

It's not 'Green eggs and ham' the sequel then?
Have you had other novels published?

 

[Reynard]

It's not 'Green eggs and ham' the sequel then?
Have you had other novels published?

I do not like green eggs and spoo
Even though Londo tells me to
I do not like it near and far
I do not like it with G'kar...

Sorry...

No, not novels. But I have co-authored a number of academic papers, written professionally as a motorsport journalist, and have penned research articles on a number of motoring topics ranging from vintage engineering drawings to tracing the provenance and history of a particular racing car.

 

[Pinno718]

I do not like green eggs and spoo
Even though Londo tells me to
I do not like it near and far
I do not like it with G'kar...

Sorry...

No, not novels. But I have co-authored a number of academic papers, written professionally as a motorsport journalist, and have penned research articles on a number of motoring topics ranging from vintage engineering drawings to tracing the provenance and history of a particular racing car.

👍

I am a petrol head and cyclist simultaneously. My stepfather was with jaguar racing team in the 50's before their withdrawal from works backed Jaguars and went on as a pit crew member for a privately owned team running D Types. What era did you cover?

 

[Reynard]

👍

I am a petrol head and cyclist simultaneously. My stepfather was with jaguar racing team in the 50's before their withdrawal from works backed Jaguars and went on as a pit crew member for a privately owned team running D Types. What era did you cover?

Neat. That's definitely one of the more interesting eras of motorsport. Ever read "From Starting Grid to Chequered Flag" by Paul Frere? if you can get your mitts on a copy, then I'd highly recommend it.

I covered everything from BTCC through to short ovals from 2000 through to 2009 when ill health intervened. Was also part of the media team that covered the ASCAR & Pickup Truck series at Rockingham.

 

[classic33]

It'll be lights out in less than 8 minutes.

 

[dicko]

I know of a private entry Formula 1 team based in a small Lincolnshire village that took part in the 1960s F1 races. One of the pit mechanics often called at the garage I was living at for a chat. He once had a Ford Cosworth engine in his van he had just picked up for the big race and was delivering. The F1 team owner was Colin Crabb of Antique Automobiles, would that make a good story?

 

[gbb]

For lots of reasons, I sleep appallingly, usually asleep ar 10 or 11, awake at 12.30, then 01.30 then again at around 3. Often my brain starts into overdrive and then I don't sleep for a couple hours. Constantly tired as a result.
So I've been trying Piriton (NOT Piriteze) one tablet before bed. It certainly helps, I still wake, not as much though and when I do, I feel more 'sedated' and tend to drop off quicker.
My son is the same and he's been on sleeping tablets before, he asked his doctor if there were any risks or negative to taking anti histamines regularly...no, not really was the answer.

 

[Pinno718]

Neat. That's definitely one of the more interesting eras of motorsport. Ever read "From Starting Grid to Chequered Flag" by Paul Frere? if you can get your mitts on a copy, then I'd highly recommend it.

I covered everything from BTCC through to short ovals from 2000 through to 2009 when ill health intervened. Was also part of the media team that covered the ASCAR & Pickup Truck series at Rockingham.

Not read that book. The 80's was the hey day for Group B and Le Mans Group C. Hedonistic but so much excitement. Kind of lost the lure since for me. Same with the DTM and BTTC at the time, which was riveting. F1 was brilliant then. I was turned off F1 when they started that silly 1 lap qualifier instead of the previous 1hr qualifying session which was often as good as the race itself.
The last really exciting Le Mans was Mazda's victory in the 787b. What a car. Years of perseverance by Mazda where other makers would have given up and then kiboshed by the damn FIA for the following season. Killing the future of rotary engines in the process. Smacked of the Mini Cooper fiasco over headlights regs at Monte Carlo. I honestly don't think they liked the Japanese usurpers piddling on their historic European chips.
There was a bit more excitement with the Toyota TS020 and other prototypes in the late 90's but it's all too sanitised now.

Slightly off track but I met David Vizard on a few occasions and had some very interesting chats with him...

 

[Reynard]

Not read that book. The 80's was the hey day for Group B and Le Mans Group C. Hedonistic but so much excitement. Kind of lost the lure since for me. Same with the DTM and BTTC at the time, which was riveting. F1 was brilliant then. I was turned off F1 when they started that silly 1 lap qualifier instead of the previous 1hr qualifying session which was often as good as the race itself.
The last really exciting Le Mans was Mazda's victory in the 787b. What a car. Years of perseverance by Mazda where other makers would have given up and then kiboshed by the damn FIA for the following season. Killing the future of rotary engines in the process. Smacked of the Mini Cooper fiasco over headlights regs at Monte Carlo. I honestly don't think they liked the Japanese usurpers piddling on their historic European chips.
There was a bit more excitement with the Toyota TS020 and other prototypes in the late 90's but it's all too sanitised now.

Slightly off track but I met David Vizard on a few occasions and had some very interesting chats with him...

I got hooked on motor racing as a seven year old back in 1982 - saw the British GP on TV and *that* move by Derek Warwick in the Toleman on Pironi in the Ferrari at Paddock. Been a Warwick Brothers fan ever since.

So yeah, I grew up on a diet of 80s F1, rallying and sportscars.

Mind you, by 1991, Group C in its current format was a bit on its last legs, and it eventually fizzled out at the end of '92. Mind you, Mazda (amongst others, including Porsche) re-worked TWR's XJR-14 and kept it going for a few years yet. Though not quite with the same amount of success.

 

[Pinno718]

I got hooked on motor racing as a seven year old back in 1982 - saw the British GP on TV and *that* move by Derek Warwick in the Toleman on Pironi in the Ferrari at Paddock. Been a Warwick Brothers fan ever since.

So yeah, I grew up on a diet of 80s F1, rallying and sportscars.

Mind you, by 1991, Group C in its current format was a bit on its last legs, and it eventually fizzled out at the end of '92. Mind you, Mazda (amongst others, including Porsche) re-worked TWR's XJR-14 and kept it going for a few years yet. Though not quite with the same amount of success.

I remember Tom Walkingshaw Racing.
I recall Derek Warwick in the Lombard RAC: clearly not listening to his navigator (so many cross overs with even Senna driving a Merc in a... filed of identical Mercs). This was an on board camera in a Astra GTE(?) and going straight on at a T junction, through a gate and into a field. He also did BTCC as you already know.

 

[Reynard]

I remember Tom Walkingshaw Racing.
I recall Derek Warwick in the Lombard RAC: clearly not listening to his navigator (so many cross overs with even Senna driving a Merc in a... filed of identical Mercs). This was an on board camera in a Astra GTE(?) and going straight on at a T junction, through a gate and into a field. He also did BTCC as you already know.

1990 RAC, in a Dave Richards-run (aka Prodrive) Subaru Legacy, with Ronan Morgan as his co-driver. Ronan had won the previous year's event alongside Pentti Airikkala in a Mitsubishi Galant.

Although if it's the Astra GTE through a gate thing that you're thinking of, then that's Derek Bell on the 1987 RAC. Although it's an Opel GSE, but it amounts to the same car subject to badge engineering.

Wrong Derek LOL!