How quickly we forget.

[Curly3]

Not VMX, so shoot me.
On Australian Story tonight is Sir Jack Brabham.
Won his first world title in 59 by pushing his car across the line in the last race of the season to finish 4th.
The only person to win a world championship driving a car he designed.
I remember riding with his son's at the old Kingsgrove brick pits.
We're quick to celebrate the achievements of people like Bradman & Fraser but motorsport is forgotten.
A shame.

P.S. His parting words were.
      " I'll die without an enemy in the world, I'll outlive the bastards "

[Hoony]

caught the last part of aussie story, what a legend. sad he nearly went unrecognised.

" I'll die without an enemy in the world, I'll outlive the bastards "

that quote was indeed an Aussie classic.

[AjayVMX]

That was a great programme.

I dragged my son downstairs to watch most of it.  He's a part of the "top gear" generation, was fascinated by the fact that McLaren was from NZ.

I have been fortunate enough to have met Sir Jack.  He was hard to talk to because he was so deaf 

[Curly3]

No earmuff's or earplugs back then Ajay.
OH & S, whats that?
Can't imagine a modern day driver being allowed to push his car across the line.

[AjayVMX]

I'm betting that they wouldn't even think of doing it! 

[FAT-TOY]

  This thread reminded me of a doco I watched years ago.  It was about a engine designer (Aussie I think) who built and raced his own design Grand Prix bike I think in the 70s.   He became quite ill during the developing and testing of the bike but I think it was one of the only privateer designed bikes that went on to actually win a Grand Prix race.   He died soon after the show was filmed I think of cancer.  Anyone else remember seeing it, I would love to watch it again.
                                                
                                                                Zane

[mustanggrahame]

Zane are you thinking of John Britten from NZ

[VMX247]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=QeQ_jVjBvg4

pre78 ~ pump up the volume 

http://www.abc.net.au/austory/


For Zane : Britten thread
http://www.speedzilla.com/forums/ducati-workbench/36484-john-britten-thread.html

[GMC]

I only caught the last bit too, spewin I missed most of it.
It was many years back now that I built the exhaust megaphones for some company that was restoring his car.

[FAT-TOY]

  Thanks Grahame thats it. (1 mans dream)  Now I just have to arrange to get a copy of it.  This is a good show and worth a look.
         Zane

[Curly3]

I think they have an encore screening on the weekend some time.

[Davey Crocket]

I'm like AJ, have been fortunate to meet Sir Jack, I think Honda have been kind to him of late, that blokes more famous overseas than here....I mean, who the farks Lowndes or Skaife or Winterbottom when it comes to the world stage...dont get me wrong, there great drivers/blokes but.... I was also lucky enough to meet John Britten.....just like Bruce McLaren, taken too young. The autobiography's of those guys are great reads.

[Lozza]

John  Britten developed cancer as a result of working with carbon fibre.

[GD66]

Jack has a tie-up with Honda that dates back to 1964, when he started to help them on their path towards F1. Also he won the 1966 F2 title in a Brabham-Honda. Somewhere I have a pic of him blatting round Suzuka on Jim Redman's 350 Honda four during a break in testing, with Jack tucked in wearing his blue Dunlop overalls.
As recently as 1995 he drove a Honda NSX in the Bathurst 12 Hour. Bloody good to see this programme re-run, it's a ripping yarn about a true legend.  

[motomaniac]

Wouldn't have missed it for the world.Drove almost an hour to be with my Dad in hospital to watch it with him.It was a great tribute.Shame about no official recognition on the 50 th anniversary but the classic racers put on a good turn at the Island for him.