A LIFE LESS

immediately contacted the Dreyfus brothers who had a restaurant in Manhattan; more significantly Rene, the elder brother, had an illustrious career in Grand Prix Racing before the war winning the Monaco Grand Prix.

In the years leading up to the Second World War, the Dreyfus brother’s restaurant was a hub for the motor racing fraternity in New York, and it was only a couple of blocks from my office. I rapidly developed a network, particularly in the vintage or historic racing fraternity, where famous, and fast competition cars from the past were prepared for racing. I soon realised that sponsorship would be very welcome in the area of old car events, so I immersed myself in that particular area for some twenty or thirty years in Europe and in the Americas, conceiving new venues as well as substantial corporate support for existing events.

This also afforded me the opportunity to drive some of the cars which I love, but could not afford, all over the world. We did rallies and concours in China, America, and Mexico and, for many years I worked for Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Chrysler. I even helped develop a competition version of the Chrysler Viper which won its class at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring that same year. I got to drive lovely cars for generous owners like Lord Anthony Bamford, (Ferrari GTO and D Type Jaguar), Miles Collier (Mercedes W154), Jim Freeman (Lola T70), Dieter Holterbosch (Maserati Birdcage), and Bill Shanahan (Chevrolet Corvette) and, within my own means, several Formula One cars.

In many cases I made good friends with my motor racing heroes: Vic Elford, Sir Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Alain de Cadenet, Masten Gregory, Sir Jacky Stewart, and Rene Dreyfus to name but a few.

An incredible life and career journey which all started in Fred Wilkinson’s office and matured in Mr Townsend’s Rolls!