LESSONS LEARNED
5
It is never too late – Santa Pod, 2009 / Castle Combe, 2021
After my children grew up and left home, I spotted an eBay add for a slingshot dragster and it re-ignited the passion I remembered from that day in Blackbushe. Despite knowing very little about how to run a dragster, I went and bought it! I got a small team together, named it‘ Time Traveller’ and started running eight seconds on the quarter mile. That was 16 years ago and it has been an incredible journey since then. Around six years ago, though, my son Tom decided to take up Formula Ford and my brother Ted and I started to run him. Being around those cars again, I found the pull of circuit racing inescapable – so I started
driving again, in yet another Ray chassis. Initially, I could not believe how hard it was to find any decent pace and it really brought me down to Earth with a bump. However, I kept working hard, re-learning on a sim, and although there is still a long way to go, I managed to finish eighth overall in the 2024 Combe Championship and have this year acquired a Van Diemen RF89 for a shot at the Combe C Class Championship. So, at the youthful age of 68, I can honestly say it is never too late – whether burning up the quarter mile or going round and round, faster and faster, you cannot help but love it all!
Bob is back in a single seater, here at Castle Combe, and still going strong
The Connexions Ray in 1986- 87
Sbove: Bob’ s first year in Clubmans, qualifying at Brands Hatch, 1976
Revolution- April 2025
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