Mike Rambour wrote "aren't there as many variations of Olde English White
as there are British Racing Green ?"
At least as many! However, I don't believe Americans became attached to
BRG until long after they had discovered OEW. I have always thought it was
related to the Indianapolis superstition about cars being painted green
being bad luck. I wonder how many remember the hue and cry in 1965, when
Jimmy Clark came to Indianapolis with his green Lotus-Ford? Some drivers
threatened to boycott the race, and many snickered at Clark and Colin
Chapman for having the engine mounted in the REAR of the car, of all places.
The Flying Scot, of course, showed them all, not only with the BRG paint,
but also becoming the first driver with a rear-engine car to win it all.
BRG was suddenly the "in" color for sports cars.
Clark quickly became an American hero, not simply to Yank sports car
drivers, but to American race fans, as well. His irrepressible personality
and wide, honest grin captured the affection of even his early detractors.
If he was racing anywhere in this country, his legion of fans were
prominently displaying their "Jimmy Clark for President" signs. Those
signs were seen everywhere in the election year of 1968, but quickly
disappeared when Clark was killed in April or May 1968 at Hockenheimring
(Germany). Sadly, it was a race he never wanted to enter, for it was for
Formula 2 cars, and he really wanted race a Formula 1 at Brands Hatch (or
was it Goodwood?). Because of a contract obligation, Firestone made him
race in Germany instead of England.
Now for a little quiz on your historical knowledge: British Racing Green
was on Clark's car because:
1. To him it represented the green, green hills of his home in the
Borders.
2. The FIA dictated colors for each country.
3. It was the company color for Colin Chapman's Lotus Cars Ltd.
4. Clark's wife, Beatrice, picked it because it was her "lucky" color.
Buster
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
http://www.team.net/archive
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/spridgets
|