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Post by weewillie on Jan 14, 2010 11:22:51 GMT 1
I am certain that I read in a book by Paul Huggett that BBC DJ and presenter Johnnie Walker raced in midgets in the early 1970s. Is my memory correct on this.
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 14, 2010 12:49:23 GMT 1
Tour memory is correct. Also, although the name escapes me at the moment, a radio luxemburg (remember that) DJ also raced a Midget. I will have to look up who that was.
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Post by ovaltrack on Jan 14, 2010 14:20:19 GMT 1
I don't have any record of Johnnie having raced a Midget but there was clearly an association somewhere along the line perhaps for one or two meetings but I don't have him programmed or listed in results. He did race Stock Saloons (buying a Magnette from Roy Wood who only did one meeting in the saloons) and Superstox though and his accident in the former is documented in his excellent autobiography. Midgets are not mentioned in the book by the way. Incidentally, 80s Dastle Midget driver Barry Phillips told me that he was the one who caused Johnnie's crash! The Radio Luxemburg car was #208 (the station's frequency) and was raced by MARC driver Hedley Leyton in 1972. A picture of the car appears on this page in my Midget history site www.arejayenn.com/gpmidgets/tome/1970s/1972/1972_marc.phpDon't forget if anyone would like to add data or pictures to that resource (based only on the formula started in 1967) I would be delighted to hear from you.
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Post by haflinger121 on Jan 14, 2010 15:07:48 GMT 1
Richard, I can't say for sure whether Johnnie ever drove midgets or not, but the book mention is certainly there, on p.93 of Paul Huggett's Drive It! The Complete Book of Short Circuit Racing. "...and radio DJ Johnny Walker, who had tried Stock Car racing and found it not to his liking after breaking a leg - though one would have thought the very quick Midgets would have felt even hairier than the Stocks!"
I met Johnnie a couple of years ago, and presented him with a copy of the Stock Car & Hot Rod Journal that had him on the cover, while getting him to autograph mine. We had quite a long chat about racing, during which he revealed a lot of knowledge of the people and events of the time that he was racing. But I have to say, he never mentioned midgets once.
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 14, 2010 15:45:25 GMT 1
Johnnie Walker drove a Mk3 Dastle, Hedley Leyton drove a Mamba, both in 1971
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Post by ovaltrack on Jan 14, 2010 19:34:40 GMT 1
I've not actually met him but have spoken to him on numerous occasions - like you Graham I gave him a gift, in my case one of my Superstox/Stock Car books. He was good enough to call and say thank you and we spoke again when he called to ask some questions for his book. Yes he's very knowledgeable about the racing and a nice guy. Great broadcaster too. Don't get me started on the nondescript people on most of the stations these days!
Rod - do you have any documentary evidence of Johnnie and Hedley from '71 at all please? Many thanks.
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 14, 2010 20:51:47 GMT 1
Jan '72 magazine article with a couple of photos. I have concquered my scanner gremlins, so I will upload what I can tomoz
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 15, 2010 17:23:54 GMT 1
Hot Car Mag Attachments:
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 15, 2010 17:25:03 GMT 1
hotcar
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 15, 2010 17:26:01 GMT 1
Hotcar mag. Jan 72
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 15, 2010 17:27:59 GMT 1
try again
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Post by rodpashley on Jan 15, 2010 18:47:18 GMT 1
I think we are getting a little off topic now , but 1975 was the first (I think) full year of GMPC, the only big name still associated with us was our President, Graham Hill. You can correct me if I am mistaken please.
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Post by corsa61 on Jan 28, 2011 0:30:25 GMT 1
johnie walker raced in 71 in an emery imp engined car and hedley leyton's mamba was mini engined later raced by john graham and then don bray
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