RIP Chris Amon

[oldbike54]

 Son of a Kiwi sheep farmer done good , incredibly fast , just as unlucky . For an old f1 fan , drivers of that era are all legends 

 Dusty

[Motu]

It was a great time to be a Kiwi kid watching motorsport - Chris Amon,  Bruce McLaren, Deny Hulme in cars, Ginger Molloy, Keith Turner and Kim Newcombe all coming 2nd to Ago in the World 500cc Champs as privateers.  RIP Chris Amon, thanks for the memories....and the chance to drive a Toyota Corona that handled.

[Aaron D.]

Oh, that's too bad. He was the one I rooted for, especially at Ferrari. Godspeed.

[oldbike54]

Oh, that's too bad. He was the one I rooted for, especially at Ferrari. Godspeed.

 For some weird reason I had a multi year subscription to Road & Track from the age of 7 until maybe 13 . R&T reported on all of the F1 races , giving a very detailed account of what happened as the race transpired . Reading about Clark , Brabham , Amon , Ginther , Surtees , Courage , Stewart , et al , was exciting and felt exotic to a kid living in Oklahoma .

 Dusty

[Muzz]

It was a great time to be a Kiwi kid watching motorsport - Chris Amon,  Bruce McLaren, Deny Hulme in cars, Ginger Molloy, Keith Turner and Kim Newcombe all coming 2nd to Ago in the World 500cc Champs as privateers.  RIP Chris Amon, thanks for the memories....and the chance to drive a Toyota Corona that handled.

 :1: on that Motu.  Of course, you could throw Hugh Anderson (world champ 125cc0 in that mix.

Actually, he still rides. About three years ago I went to a BEARS meeting and he was campaigning a '49 BSA 650. Cast iron head, extra manifold brazed in to the head, went like stink and he left all in his wake. 

[LowRyter]

red carrying a white bundle of snakes.  Personified Ferrari until Lauda came along. 

[PJPR01]

Used to have little toy cars that looked like that with all of the other Matchbox collection.

Was Kim Newcombe related to John Newcombe the great tennis player?

[oldbike54]

Used to have little toy cars that looked like that with all of the other Matchbox collection.

Was Kim Newcombe related to John Newcombe the great tennis player?

 Probably , all of the Ozzies and Kiwis ARE related ...

 Dusty

[ed.bremner]

Aw Crap....

My brother used to insure his aviation business (Brymon Airways) in the early days.  Chris gave him a spare helmet, which my brother used to ride with for ages....rather longer that I suspect was really safe, but he still has it on the shelf.  One of the good guys.

...good reason to ring bro I guess.

eib

[Muzz]

Was Kim Newcombe related to John Newcombe the great tennis player?

No. Read the book about him and that was never mentioned.

[ITSec]

A nice retrospective gallery from the BBC...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/36974693

[keuka4884]

Saw a picture of him sitting up in the passenger seat in a Ford GT40 after it won LeMans and ended the Ferrari dominance in the 60's.
I went to all the F1 races at Watkins Glen through the 60's. What a scene. Easy to walk through the pits then. At one race after a wild Saturday night we saw a tree that had all the leaves taken off and an empty beer can attached to every branch they could find. 12 ft tall. How they reached all the branches while totally polluted I cannot account for.   

[Arizona Wayne]

Before I got into street bikes I was immersed in sports cars and saw some top road racers @ Riverside raceway in the 60's including Ken Miles, John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Dan Gurney, Ken Hill?, Jim Hall (Chaparrel), Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme, Roger Penske,  you name them.    I had Volvos back then PV544, P-1800, 142S.  Jim Clark ran the Indy 500.  Those were the days..............    

[ohiorider]

Before I got into street bikes I was immersed in sports cars and saw some top road racers @ Riverside raceway in the 60's including Ken Miles, John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Dan Gurney, Ken Hill?, Jim Hall (Chaparrel), Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme, Roger Penske,  you name them.    I had Volvos back then PV544, P-1800, 142S.  Jim Clark ran the Indy 500.  Those were the days..............    

Wayne, your post struck a nerve with me.  The only track where I spent much time spectating was MidOhio, in Lexington, Ohio.  First time in 1972 .... last time 2014.  Saw many of the drivers you mentioned race there.  From SCCA Regionals to some really big iron.  Still recall the time George Fulmer was at the wheel of a fantastic Porsche 917 when he lost it slowing for the turns after the straight.  I recall him spinning once maybe twice, ending up aimed in the same direction he'd originally been heading ..... and off he went again!   Only owned one Volvo, but it brings back good memories. It was a PV444 with dual SU sidedrafts.  AZ, thanks for the reminder.

Bob

[John Ulrich]

I was a fan of George Fulmer in Trans Am and Can Am.