last901

Okay, this might be off-topic, but a friend of mine (and former '62 Corvette owner) sent this remarkable video link this morning.

It's the story of Stirling Moss and is beautifully done. Great old photos and films of sports car racing during the 50's and into the 60's.

If you're not as "wrinkled" as me and don;t consider yourself a fan of early bird buffet dinners, you may not appreciate this, but for the few of us who love the history of motor racing, this is really good.


http://www.motorsportretro.com/2013/...g-moss-legend/

Seattle C4

I was fortunate enough to meet him at a race at Lime Rock back in the 80's. What a gentleman.

actionguru

Sir Stirling Moss drove our 1964 red corvette coupe at Westwood raceway in 1966 while visiting the track and his old crew member Canadian sports car champion Laurie Craig. Craig drove this same corvette to the overall winner at the same race.

Kmcoldcars

Great video, Phil. Thank you for posting it.

Last C5

I thought I was the only one that remembered Westwood!

SmileyOr

My parents raced Alfas at Westwood in the late 50's into the early 60's. I might have taken a ride around the track in early 1959. I had a womb with a view at the time

Stirling Moss was one of the greatest drivers.

olympic

I was stationed in Germany during 1963-1966 and had the thrill of watching Sir Stirling Moss race Formula I at Nurburgring. Amazing.

Hary Gahtoe

Stirling Moss was before my time but I did see a World Class racer compete at Westwood several times starting around 1970 with a Yamaha TR to a true World Class race bike a Yamaha OW31
Steve Baker was the best World Class Motorcycle rider this area ever had.
Steve still has a shop in Bellingham and has rode with Giacomo Agostini and other top riders of the day at classic races in Europe

last901

You are Sorry, it's an old person's attempt at being silly.

BTW, local writer, Martin Rudow has written a pair of books on the history of racing history in the PNW including Westwood stories and photos.

Long Straights and Hairpin Turns

Weekends of Glory.

I believe he's updated these but not sure they're released yet.

86C4Z51

Stirling Moss and JM Fangio raced in the same era. Somewhere I have a photo of me by the statue of JM Fangio in Monaco. And I've driven the F1 race course in Monte Carlo. that was fun. I imagined being Stirling/Fangio/Schumacher at the time.

SmileyOr

I've just sent a request to the Timberland Regional Library to see if I can borrow this book. It is priced at $200-$400 which is a little beyond my limit unless I find something in it I can't live without

They don't have any copies in Oregon, but there are a few in the Seattle-Olympia area.

SmileyOr

Long Straights and Hair Pin Turns arrived at my local library today.

The book is filled with photos of the contemporary cars of the day. They even have one photo of my father in his Alfa.

I also found my mother mentioned as the winner of the powder puff race against 10 other wives at Shelton Forest Festival in 1960.

Just a quick skimming so far, but I'm going to have to find one for sale.

Mufflerbearing

Perhaps a search of the book's publisher might turn up some retail outlets.

last901

I have copies of both of Martin Rudow's books and they are terrific. Pretty eclectic to be sure, but a treasure to many of us who grew up watching racing in the PNW. I understand Martin has updated and/or revised both books. Not sure what's he's done; the originals are all I need to make me cry a lot. These are the sort of books, while well-produced and authoritatively written are not cheap. But to those of you like me who grew up during this era, they are a terrific value.

You can reach Martin through SOVREN I believe. He's a local guy. I have his card around here someplace...

SmileyOr

I did another search right after posting and have ordered a book from aerobooks of Burbank, CA.

They had it for $10 over cover price plus shipping.

Didn't see this before. The Amazon prices started at $192 and went up to $999 or someting.

So I should have the new book before I finish reading this one.

Thank you for the help. I did see that Martin is with SEVERN and publishes Formula V news letter.

last901

I just found Martin's card and not sure if it's still current, bu the contacts he lists are

Email: rsp@eschelon.com

www.vintagedrift.com

cell: (206) 427-1124

office360) 678-3172

No assurance these are still good contacts.

SmileyOr

After I receive the book I'll confirm it's the latest revision with the extra 16 pages.

The email address is the one shown on the Formula Vee website so that should be good.

If I had seen the Formula Vee website sooner I would have purchased both books directly from him.

zet06

Wonderful to see Westwood again. As to books on Westwood , Tom Johnston has written many books on Westwood and other tracks. Just google him. Tom is still very much involved in sports car racing running his Formula Atlantics over the last few years and was an invite to the Historics 2 years ago . Sterling Moss is still a judge at Pebble Beach each year, he's hobbled by age but he is always there and is very visable and always able to spin a story especially in Phoenix auction week madness as he and his wife now live there.
There is a British Columbia Sports car club Westwood weekend of racing to remember the old great track at Rivers Edge in Mission every year and of course they have an Historics race always in early august, some of the old cars from Westwood appear. Three year ago the late great Stan Burnettes Can Am car appeared now owned and restored by a Washington chap. Loud and quick. Thanks again for that as I was a pit rat doing anything for anyone. Westwood was one of those tracks that if you went off , the result was an encounter with a foreign object, namely boulder, tree or animal! Mine was the tree at Clubhouse, the honda was worse off than me. The new Ridge track has some of that same feeling. Support them , its a beautiful place.

SmileyOr

I did receive the revised edition with the extra 16 pages. Now to purchase the book continuing the history from 1962 to 1970.

last901

I have to relate an experience from years ago that now is hard to believe.

I think it might have been '68 or '69, but I was taking a class at Highline Community College and happened to see a flyer posted on one of the school bulletin boards. It advised us that Stirling Moss would be giving a lecture on driving safety in the auditorium - or whatever that building was called. Well, I attended and have a great time talking with Stirling. By the way, he rally did present a film on driving safety - and were not talking about driving safely around the streets of Monaco.

Now it just didn't make sense to me to bring Stirling Moss to Des Moines WA just to present a short movie. My suspicions were that, as the representative for Johnson Wax - then Sponsors of the Can Am series - there was no question in my mind that he happened to be in town to talk with the promoters at Pacific Raceways to secure a date for a Can Am event. I couldn't get him to admit it, but we did have a great exchange of memories and stories from his years in F1 and Sports Car racing. A memory I will never forget.

Oh, you may recall there never was a Can-Am at PR. even after the USRRC was dead. Maybe he really was in town to show a film on driving safety.

At least I got to meet him and hear him tell some great stories.

Arguably, the best driver ever in Formula 1 not to win a championship.