British Stock-Car Racing in the 1950's-1970's

Welcome all to

David Kipling's Home Page

for fans of REAL racing in the golden age:

"BriSCA" Stock-Car Racing in Britain, 1950's-1970's

Real racing, by real characters

Crashing and flipping at Brands Hatch.

Watch for Pink labels: photos loaded in the last 12 months.

and there are now over:

230 photos of British stock-cars, including a whole new section (see bottom of menu) on Replicas and Restorations

"Shield of honour": if you were good enough to qualify into the stock car World Final, you received this shield. But this one was presented to superstar Fred Mitchell, # 38, who went into the '63 world final as defending (1962) world champion. This beautiful memento passed to Fred's long-time race mechanic Pete Schafer, who has now generously entrusted it to me, in memory of Fred. Thanks, Pete.

A classic track program, from 1960:

[programme from Andrew Lively]

plus plus plus:

1960's-1970's British drag-racing and hot-rodding

Do you have a vintage stocks or drags photo or story you'd like to contribute? E-mail me and I'll give you another e-mail address suitable for sending jpg's, etc

This is not a personal home page. I set it up to share a specialized topic for a few people world-wide: BriSCA "Stock-car racing" as the phrase has applied in Britain since 1952. This is a nostalgia page about a rough-'n'-ready form of motor sport that has too often been misunderstood or looked down on. British stock-car racing thrives today in a sophisticated and higher-tech way, But this web site is dedicated especially to the racers who entertained us in the 1960's and 70's. I started with a collection of old snapshots I'd kept in a shoe box; but over the last 5 years or so, many kind people have sent me their stories and their own photos. Ex-racer Dick Young has been especially helpful with pictures and stories. This page is now a collective celebration on the part of fans who, like me, admired the early era of stock-car racing and drag racing. Some of them are or were racers; some are the sons and even grandsons of racers featured here. It has been wonderful to hear from you good folks over the last five years. Keep 'em coming!

You'll need at least an hour to go through this pictorial history. Click on those headings in the left hand column, and you'll find a ton of stories and technical facts, plus my opinions, and most photos are a link to click on.

I know zip about computers, and can barely work this machine, so no comments, please.

The only personal information you get is that I teach technical and business writing at the BC Institute of Technology Canada, and that I grew up in Brixworth (rural Northamptonshire UK) the field where I helped herd the sheep is now occupied by Indy-and-Grand Prix-winning ILMOR Racing Engines. I also lived in Birmingham , North London, Redhill (Surrey) 1969, Bristol, the South of France , Vancouver BC, Canada (1978 to date). If anything you see here makes sense or revives memories, say "Hi" on spratton@hotmail.com

Me: Click here for a snapshot of a younger me before all the grey hair appeared, in mid-March, when the lakes in BC, Canada are still frozen solid.

Summer 2004, and here I am happy to be back at Brandon Stadium for the first time since 1966, sorry, 'Coventry International Motor Speedway', beside Andy Smith's car:

---and beside Tony Smith's #91 with the 'scooby-doo' cartoon:

Terrific DVD: Les Cotton has available a DVD (see sleeve image) of wild stock-car action from the 'real' Belle Vue in 1986, the new Belle Vue in 2004, and Sheffield in 1987: get in touch with Les: stoxdvds@googlemail.com

The Ultimate Books: Between them, Keith Barber and Malc Aylott have given us the last word in stock-car histories. If you see these (eg at Keith's stall?) anywhere, dish out the dosh. Here's one. Here's the other. They cost a few quid, but you'd spend the same on a bad night at the pub. To keep myself honest, I have refrained from 'stealing' info out of these books for my site, as that would not be fair.

A few stock-car links to sites that I have enjoyed; (can't promise they are all still 'alive'):

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=261426&uid=140593

Simply tons of cars, scroll down and enjoy!

http://www.spedeworthv8stockcars.com/

http://www.f1stockcars.co.uk/goldenoldies/60/gallery1.htm

http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/mansell/25/

http://thestarter@classicstockcars.co.uk/

http://home.clara.net/norden/

http://www.thora-stockcars.com/index.html an important historic archive

http://www.petermarsh.freeuk.com/stockcar/index.html

http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/StockCarPhotos1954-1979/lst

http://www.ukovalracing.info/

http://www.petermarsh.freeuk.com/stockcar/ Solid historical research here!

http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/mansell/25/ for a great CD of scores of classic photos

http://vsca.freeyellow.com/index.html the Veteran Drivers association

http://members.tripod.com/~StockcarPics/ you don't need to read Dutch to enjoy the cars!

http://www.incarace.co.uk/ see what's on today

http://www.rollingstart.fsnet.co.uk/ wish my site was as slick as this.

http://www.f1stockcars.co.uk/goldenoldies/60/gallery1.htm great photos from someone who was there.

http://www.digitalred.com/web/sites/brisca/ BriSCA discussion forum