Historic Racing News podcast

Martin Brundle joins the show this time round to talk about his days working for ‘Uncle Ken’ and the Tyrrell Racing Organisation. He talks about the trials and tribulations of the permanently underfunded team and the accidents which nearly ended his career. Richard Jenkins has written a new book about the complete story of Tyrrell from the early days in Formula Three right up to the sale to British American Tobacco. He tells Paul Tarsey some of the lesser known stories from the early days in Formula One with Jackie Stewart right through to the other hugely talented drivers who raced various Tyrrells over the years. ‘Baron’ Tarsey is joined by Jim Roller and Joe Bradley to look back on one of the best-loved teams that Grand Prix racing has ever seen!

The team discusses the drivers who succeeded in Grand Prix racing when they didn’t have the best car. Whether it was a 1960s BRM or virtually any of the grid from 1989 or most of the Ferrari cars which Gilles Villeneuve drove, debate will be forceful and the Corridors of Power trophy will, as always be hard fought. Jim Roller takes a look at the Monterey car week and Paul Jurd and Joe Bradley await the Goodwood Revival which starts in a couple of days time. Rick Shortle tells us about his days as circuit manager at Snetterton and tells some tales he couldn’t have done at the time! Paul Tarsey hosts the show and expresses the occasional opinion too.

The first test day for the Goodwood Revival has already taken place and there were some amazing cars being shaken down, including Saif Assam’s glorious Shelby Cobra. We also talk to Rory Butcher about the differences between racing his Toyota in the BTCC and peddaling a 1960s short wheelbase Porsche around Goodwood. Artist Andrew Kitson has made a study of the history of Snetterton, the Norfolk circuit which started life as a USAF bomber base in WW2 and he tells us about the history of the place. Jim Roller and Paul Tarsey discuss the time they have spent together, with both of them in the UK for a rare opportunity to share some interesting motorsport experiences. They also investigate the happenings at Monterey Car Week and look at the Pebble Beach auctions.

The Shere Hill Climb in England’s leafy Surrey happens on Sunday 3rd September and boss Martin Warner talks about what to expect. Corridors of Power discusses the most groundbreaking Lotus F1 cars of all time. On the panel this time are Nick Padmore, Jim Roller and Paul Jurd.

The HRN team have lots to talk about (don’t they always?). Paul Jurd is back from a weekend at Zandvoort and compares notes with Jim Roller and Paul Tarsey who were there in June. Joe Bradley is enthusiastic about his recent trip to Estoril in Portugal and the whole team talks about the Goodwood Festival of Speed which happened last weekend, including that scary moment when a wheel went into the crowd, thankfully without serious injury. The boys also talk about the ridiculous Special Saloons of the 1980s which saw fibreglass lookalike bodies from everyday saloon cars covering out and out race cars. The ‘Chimp’ was a favourite, a 2 litre Chevron made to look like a Hillman Imp!

It’s the British Grand Prix this weekend and the team takes a look at the history of the great event. Starting with pre-war races at Brooklands and Donington through Aintree, Brands Hatch and of course Silverstone. Jim Roller, Paul Jurd and Joe Bradley are the panellists on ‘Corridors of Power’ this month and each of them puts forward their own nomination for ‘The Most Memorable British Grand Prix’. Host Paul Tarsey has to pick a winner.

Paul Tarsey talks to Alexander Hesketh about those heady times in the 1970s when he put together the ‘dream team’ of James Hunt, ‘Bubbles’ Horsley and Harvey Postlethwaite to challenge the established teams at the very front of Grand Prix racing, from the high point of winning the Dutch Grand Prix to the heartache of closing the doors at the end of 1975.

With much talk of the Le Mans centenary we take a chance to look back at that first-ever race. There was no official winner declared in those early days, it was a car’s performance over three consecutive years which counted, and the original racetrack was more like a gravel rally stage than a race circuit. You can hear why a last minute change of heart by W.O. Bentley changed the course of his eponymous brand forever.

Paul Jurd and Paul Tarsey are in the UK and at Le Mans are the full team of contestants. Regulars Joe Bradley, Jim Roller and Peter Snowdon are joined by ‘the voice of Radio Le Mans’ John Hindhaugh. Their challenge is to choose any car, any driver and any circuit layout since 1923. The difficult bit is that they each need to be from a different era!

Jim Roller talks about some of the fabulous cars coming to market at Le Mans next month and also the Ferrari 312PB which is going under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s in Italy this weekend with an estimate of $14-18,000,000! Paul Jurd talks about the 1962 accident at Goodwood which cut short the frontline career of Stirling Moss. To this day the accident is unexplained, Moss had no memory of what happened, and PJ, Jim Roller and Paul Tarsey discuss the “what might have been” scenario. Lara Platman has spent years researching the lives of the hardy pre-war female racing drivers. Creating successful careers in what was very much a man’s world brought about some amazing stories, which Lara shares with the team.

Joe Bradley, Jim Roller and Peter Snowdon look for the ‘Greatest Sports Car Drivers of the 1970s’. Redman, Ickx, Follmer, Haywood, Pescarolo and Elford plus many more get discussed as well as some of the great races like not only Le Mans and Daytona but the Targa Florio and Sebring too. Paul Jurd and Paul Tarsey look at the calendar for the next few weeks and Scott Stringfellow talks to Joe Bradley about over forty years in motor sport.

Joe Bradley and Jim Roller talk about HSR’s annual springtime trip to Road Atlanta for “The Mitty” (pictured) and inevitably reminisce about fun times at the beautiful Georgia racetrack. Jim also talks about the auction scene and he and Paul Tarsey take a look at Bonhams recent Goodwood Members Meeting sale.

It’s time for the Goodwood Members Meeting and we talk to the General Manager of the Goodwood Road Racing Club about a packed weekend. Paul Tarsey talks to Gordon Murray about his early career at Brabham and McLaren and how Gordon invented the ‘strategic pit stop’. Paul Jurd looks at what’s on during April and Jim Roller provides a heartfelt tribute to the late Lady Susie Moss. Peter Snowdon joins the team for Corridors of Power this time round, their subject for discussion is ‘The greatest-ever all-round driver’.

The Racer’s Concours is the unofficial name of ‘The Amelia’ and Jim Roller and Paul Tarsey took a trip to Florida to see what was happening. Tarsey took a detour on the way and talked to George Levy at the Motorsport Hall of Fame of America in Daytona and then met with Jim to visit the auctions at Amelia before the concours itself. Hans Wurl from Gooding and Co gives us a peek behind the curtain and talks about the world of high quality auctions and Kevin Jeannette talks about a secret passion in a vehicle which isn’t a Porsche!

The Historic Racing News Radio Show is back on the road, this time at Race Retro. The show is very much aimed at the club racing historic competitor and we will talk to friends we met at the show. Paul Jurd looks at events happening around the world in March and Jim Roller previews the first big auction weekend of the year when The Amelia opens its doors. Four separate auctions are being held on Amelia Island over the weekend which is traditionally known as the “Racer’s Concours” because of the huge number of race cars on display.

Paul Tarsey dons his beret to be your guide around the Parisian extravaganza that is Retromobile. The annual show features some of the most valuable cars in the world which are for sale, plus jaw-dropping displays. Paul talks to some of the major players in the marketplace such as William I’Anson, Florent Moulin from Art & Revs and Eliot Artignan from Osenat auctioneers. Plus exciting news from David Hinton about plans for Historic NASCAR in his HSR calendar and a look at the on-site Artcurial auction too. Joe Bradley talks to Simon Owen about the amazing new range of cars from Scalextric, including (Joe is delighted to see) a Brabham Fan Car!

Lee Masters talks about the upcoming Race Retro show where a full-on exhibition is outside action including a full-on rally stage exhibition. And in Corridors of Power, who from the world of motor sport would you choose to sit next to on a long-haul flight? Paul Jurd, Jim Roller and Nick Padmore fight for their choices.

Warren Hughes talks to Joe Bradley about his early days in Formula Ford and Paul Truswell tells us about his love for the Formula Ford Festival. Paul Jurd digs out the history of the formula and discusses the earliest days back in 1967 with Paul Tarsey. There’s news from the Roger Albert Clark rally and from Classic Sports Car Club, and Ian Wagstaff talks about his new book Audi R8-405

Donald Campbell died on 4th January 1967 trying to break the World Water Speed Record. His nephew Don Wales explains what happened on that fateful day and why Campbell made some fundamental errors. Rob Cull and John Pearson talk about their innovative and very successful series running under the Equipe Racing banner and Jim Roller brings us up to date on the latest from the world of auctions. Plus, who is the ‘Greatest F1 Team Manager’? Paul Tarsey hosts.

Formula Ford has launched the careers of some of the greatest champions in our sport. In this episode the team takes a look at why the formula has been so successful, right up to the present day. We talk to Jeremy Shaw about his ‘Team USA’ initiative, James Beckett who, amongst many other things, started and runs the Walter Hayes Trophy and Rick Shortle tells us what it was like racing against, and beating, people like Johnny Dumfries, Damon Hill, Mark Blundell, Andy Wallace and Derek Warwick. Jim Roller also looks at some interesting auction results which have ended to 2022 season with some big surprises.