A classic car driver is all about looking the part and that was Tommy. It didn’t matter if he was driving Olly’s E type or his own TR6, he sublimely fitted in, especially when he wore a flat cap, cravat and enduring smile.
Inspired by several weekends at Goodwood Festival of speed, Goodwood Revival and a trip to Circuit des Ramparts Angouleme France, five guys (Tommy, Simon, Olly, Bernie & I) decided to get into classic car racing. To most of these guys known as “The Weekly Ale Tasting Society”, or TWATS for short, this was our chance to be part of the action. So we acquired an Austin 7 Ulster known as BIFF.
Biffs first outing at Angouleme finished with a very respectful seventh place under the stewardship of Bernie. Not long after, Biff was retired from racing and we entered her into Trial events. This entails going up muddy tracks as fast and as far as the car can go before she stops in the mud.
One day, at an event in Hereford, we had finished our final hill and Tommy said he would drive the car back to the where the car trailer was parked. It was a nice sunny day, families were out and Tommy was in his element cruising down the road in BIFF. One family saw Tommy coming, they stopped and the whole family waved. Tommy took his right hand off the steering wheel and returned their wave. That day Tommy saved the council’s grass cutters a lot of work, Biff veered sharply to the left, mounted the grass verge and proceeded to cut the grass very short, as well as damaging the front axle!!!
Tommy, the gentleman driver, but always best with two hands on the steering wheel.
2 replies on “The Gentleman Driver – By Paul”
We would always look forward to our Biff updates in the office in Sutton. All the adventures you all went on – just brilliant. We loved hearing about it! xx
Neil was such a great story teller, it was if you were there with him, we all literally had a Monday morning debrief about the weekend’s escapades, and a mid week one following the boys night out!