Memoirs of the Modsports days in the late 70’s

Spring is here again and preparation for the racing season begins!

30 years ago I was getting ready for the Modsports Championship season. I was reminded of these times by the smell and feel of Spring and an article in Practical Performance Car about my old Trans XL Mini Marcos.

I sold that car in 1981 after 3 successful seasons for what, at the time, seemed like a fair price but I should have kept it hidden away somewhere. In the interim the car seems to have become famous, it’s been sold to America and subsequently brought back again. In fact it has travelled more than I have!

Racing was different in those days (now entering old git mode!). There were two Championships the BARC, where Modsports was often a support race to the F3 Championship, and the BRSCC. If entered in both you had a calendar of about 30 races for the year. Racing was good with full grids and also many non championship races.

No trucks were needed and most of us operated with an open trailer and tow car. The pit crew was normally your wife or girlfriend! Spares and tools were kept in the boot and the spare wheels and wets on the back seat. No awnings or plastic paddock floors, you’d just turn up, unload, scrutineer and be ready for practice.

In those days (here I go again…) racing was reasonably affordable, the entry fee was £25 but a class win was £75. The extra £50 was enough to cover petrol and an overnight in a B&B if required. Shell ran a bonus scheme of £15 a win and other bonuses were also available.

Travelling light with only a trailer and the wife meant that you could chase both Championships. After a Saturday race we’d load up the trailer and get our heads down at a local B&B ready for racing on Sunday. Sometimes this meant a trip from Oulton to Cadwell late on a Saturday afternoon with less traffic but fewer motorways. We always made sure there were two spares wheels for the trailer and a set of wheel bearings. Regular competitors were racing 35 to 40 times a year.

Some of the competitors from the good old days still come into the Merlin shop, many are still racing although they’ve all moved onwards and upwards. When they pop in its great to recall past events and pontificate over how racing has changed over the years.

One particular Easter weekend saw us racing at Oulton on the Friday. A fellow competitor raced a Davrian and took the view that as it was a holiday weekend away from his farm he may as well keep racing. On Saturday he raced at Aintree and we went home. Come Sunday we all meet at Donnington and after that race drove up to Croft ready for Monday. Over that Easter weekend our friend had completed 4 races at 4 venues with the same car! Where did he get the energy? Though our friend was accompanied by his new blond Swedish girlfriend on this tourist tour of England and at the Croft Hotel on the Sunday night we did note that he was looking somewhat tired!

Those were the days!!