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| Parts Department - Snetterton and elsewhere Some of the news doesn't fit into the race reports. It seems to be Geoff oriented. GEOFF JONES The biggest story at Snetterton for anybody with a feeling for Monoposto
heritage was the retirement of Geoff Jones. Geoff's cars, which in my time have included the Phoenix as well as his current Speads, are always immaculate, and always well driven. His style is hard-trying but always fair, safe and knowing everything that’s going on round him. Some years ago Startline ran a series of profiles in which one of the questions was “who would you be happy to be side by side with going through Gerards?”. I think Geoff would be on most people’s list. We hope that Geoff will still be seen around the odd paddock as he's far too young to join Lee Bennett and Chris Woodhouse in the Kidderminster Home for Parked Up Old Racing Drivers. We also hope Geoff will allow us to buy him a beer and give us the material for a future feature. In the meantime, more tributes on the forum. GEOFF FERN As forum readers will be aware, Geoff Fern is in the process of building a motor cycle engined car. As yet there are no indications of the construction technique – tube, alumunium monocoque, carbon, or even based on one of the existing stable. Reports of missing scaffolding on Warminster building sites will give a clue. One thing is certain – it will be stylish, well presented and well driven. GEOFF COWELL Geoff Cowell was out in his new car, the Cowell HiTec. He suffered a few new car teething problems but (as I can witness from following him) took to it quickly and seemed to immediately have more pace in it than his previous Jedi The car was designed by David Peers (also known for the Johnny Walker of the 1960's) for hillclimber Phil Jefferies. Phil built a replica for the late Rob Barksfield, from whose estate Geoff acquired the car with copious spares. Unusually “a host of spares” meant more than “bits chucked in a box when they broke or bent”. They were, in fact, nearly enough to build another car subject to Geoff creating a new tub so he did.
Features of the very neat HiTec are a paneled spaceframe, pushrod front
and pullrod rear, and a geometry developed by David Peers which happens
to coincide with the published thoughts of such luminaries as Allan Staniforth
and Ron Tauranac.
Brian Jones took on Geoff’s old Jedi and it certainly seemed to suit him., being around 8 seconds faster than his old Swift FR.
And finally..... FELIPE MASSA This arrived in the inbox from a normally trusted source:
And in case we haven't offended enough people:
Pix thanks to Reuters, Ferrari Owners Club,BBC, Norwich Photo/Andrew Cliffe, some leftie website we've forgotten Ideas thanks to Winston Darcy and Montana Sauvignon-Blanc, whose last indy-folk album was excellent. The anti-Ferrari stuff is actually done much better here. |
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He
told us that a problem with joints (his, not the Speads) meant it was
increasingly difficult to work on the car and to get in and out. I suspect
that the issue is that Geoff falls below his own very high standards rather
than those of “more ordinary” competitors, but it was an emotional
and full moment as he finished the last race. After 21 years racing with
the club he started from last on the grid rather than his allotted 9th
to avoid any start problems and then drove cleanly through the field to
finish 9th, even finding time to give a few waves to fellow competitors.
BRIAN
JONES
Got
a Ferrari? 
*Guaranteed
world championship? 
