July 1973. Silverstone.
After the British F 1 Grand Prix had finished their was a brief shower and then the track dried out for the last event of the day which was the Formula Atlantic Championship race. I had met up with a group of fellow Kiwis from the "Trafalgar Club" and I thought I would impress the women present with my knowledge of motor racing and even though there had been the big F1 crash started by Jody Scheckter and the big saloon car crash involving the Dave Mathews Capri that day, I told them that racing was getting safer and to come into the stands that were getting empty, for a good view of the start. Also in the field were 3 Kiwis; John Nicholson, David Oxton and Jim Murdoch. Plus cars built by Nicholson;the Lyncar-Nicholson for John and David Oxton and Alan McCall built Tui BHs for Murdoch and Tom Walkinshaw. The field also included future F1 drivers ;Tom Pryce and David Purley (who just two weeks later would bravely try to save the life of Roger Williamson ) plus John Nicholson.
Anyway we all settled in at the grandstand after the start and as the cars accelerated past us three of the first five cars touched and one cartwheeled past us and pieces were flying everywhere. It was a scary moment for all of us but fortunately no one was hurt. But the girls in our group had had enough and left me to watch the race alone!
It was an exciting race won by John Nicholson that day from Colin Vandervell, Geoff Friswell, David Purley and David Oxton was 5th.
So John Nicholson built engines won the Formula Atlantic race and Peter Revson's F1 winning McLaren M 23 also had a Nicholson built Cosworth DFV engine. This was a good day for John.
Even though the NZ "chicks" deserted me, I enjoyed it also!
A very talented Formula Atlantic field.
(Hyndman scrapbook pics)
(Ken Hyndman )
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