Jun 2009
Old friends
Wednesday/June/2009 07:05 PM Barrie`s
BlogBarrie`s
Blog
Barrie was very pleased
this week to hear from his old friend John McDonnell.
Poor Johnny has not been well and during the past couple of years has kept himself locked away in SE Kent where he lives.
John was a racing car engineer and has worked with some of the countries best known drivers of the period, Chris Craft, Richard Attwood, David Piper, Mike d'Udy and of course Barrie.
John prepared Barrie's class winning Lola T70 in 1970 when they took it to Kyalami 9 hour race in South Africa, also he prepared the classing winning Lola T290 at the 1972 Le Mans classic, this was the 1st Lola car to every finish the 24 hours race in France. John has lots to be proud of and Barrie was really pleased to hear from his old friend again this week.
Poor Johnny has not been well and during the past couple of years has kept himself locked away in SE Kent where he lives.
John was a racing car engineer and has worked with some of the countries best known drivers of the period, Chris Craft, Richard Attwood, David Piper, Mike d'Udy and of course Barrie.
John prepared Barrie's class winning Lola T70 in 1970 when they took it to Kyalami 9 hour race in South Africa, also he prepared the classing winning Lola T290 at the 1972 Le Mans classic, this was the 1st Lola car to every finish the 24 hours race in France. John has lots to be proud of and Barrie was really pleased to hear from his old friend again this week.
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Barrie with a hero.
Friday/June/2009 04:37 PM Barrie`s BlogBarrie`s
Blog
Here is Barrie
photographed [by Marie-Therese] with one of his
heros, David Piper. Silverstone in May this year.
David is the worlds most successful private entrant/driver in the world of sports car racing. David has driven in every major sports car series all over the world. For years David was faithful to the Ferrari marque, competing with P2/3 , P4, 275 LM all of which he still owns and runs. Barrie first met David in Magny Cours in 1969 when David was running a Lola T70 Mk3b with a 5 litre Chevy motor. Barrie was driving the Avalon Racing Chevron B8.Also at that meeting was Paul Hawkins Richard Atwood and Mike Hailwood. In those days Magny Cours was a lovely little circuit about 5 kms from the village. Sometime the scrutineering was done in the village square and the cars were driven down the main route national to and from the village which surprised some of the locals in their deux chevaux !
In 1970 David was driving a Porsche 917 at Le Mans while filming with Steve McQueen, the filming was done at real speed and David had a very heavy crash, in this accident poor David lost his leg. Once he had got to grips with his prosthetic leg he was soon driving in races again and has continues to do so up to this day. He has raced for nearly 60 years ! He had been a hero of Barrie since the 60's and today they are good friends.
David is the worlds most successful private entrant/driver in the world of sports car racing. David has driven in every major sports car series all over the world. For years David was faithful to the Ferrari marque, competing with P2/3 , P4, 275 LM all of which he still owns and runs. Barrie first met David in Magny Cours in 1969 when David was running a Lola T70 Mk3b with a 5 litre Chevy motor. Barrie was driving the Avalon Racing Chevron B8.Also at that meeting was Paul Hawkins Richard Atwood and Mike Hailwood. In those days Magny Cours was a lovely little circuit about 5 kms from the village. Sometime the scrutineering was done in the village square and the cars were driven down the main route national to and from the village which surprised some of the locals in their deux chevaux !
In 1970 David was driving a Porsche 917 at Le Mans while filming with Steve McQueen, the filming was done at real speed and David had a very heavy crash, in this accident poor David lost his leg. Once he had got to grips with his prosthetic leg he was soon driving in races again and has continues to do so up to this day. He has raced for nearly 60 years ! He had been a hero of Barrie since the 60's and today they are good friends.
Family Fun
Wednesday/June/2009 05:01 PM Barrie`s
BlogBarrie`s
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