Ian Ashley is a former British Motor Racing Driver, Pilot and Motorcycle and Sidecar Champion. He has also been an instructor in all three disciplines.In a hugely varied life and career, Ian went from dominant novice at the Jim Russell Racing School to a fast, but uncut diamond in Formula Ford and Formula Three (against future champions such as Britain's James Hunt), to pace setter in Formula 5000 and then giant killing performances in underfunded and uncompetitive British Formula One teams including Token, BRM, Williams and Hesketh. After a huge crash that ended his F1 career, he then diverted to become a pilot, flying crop dusting bi-planes, Lear and Gulf Stream private Jets and Sea Planes from Alaska!He briefly returned to cars, racing Indy Lights and Indy Cars in the USA and also raced motorbikes and turned his hand to three wheels in Motorcycle and Sidecars. He had a brief foray into the BTCC, TVR Tuscan and Lotus Elise racing in the UK and later in his life returned to historic racing cars and finally winning multiple championships in historic Sidecars.In his rich life, he has created had a few stories and had a few crashes along the way...#f1 #f3 #formulaford #formula5000 #hesketh #jameshunt #williams #brm #btcc #indycar #tvr #lotus #racing #british #motorsport #stories #crashes #crash 00:00:00 - Coming up...00:01:59 - Intro00:06:35 - Holding on to a sidecar...00:10:29 - My Dad was a test pilot for Concorde00:18:07 - A start at Jim Russell00:23:00 - Into Formula Ford and Formula 300:27:35 - Racing with Fittipaldi brothers Emerson and Wilson in Brazil00:31:54 - Becoming a star in Formula 500000:38:52 - Formula One with BRM00:40:15 - James Hunt00:42:19 - Giving no quarter00:44:36 - Learning the art of slipstreaming00:48:34 - F1 debut at...the Nurburgring!00:53:29 - Racing with Williams00:55:19 - Racing with a plaster cast leg...00:58:25 - A mistake moving to BRM01:00:08 - A drive with Hesketh01:06:35 - A brave shit01:12:24 - Becoming a Lear Jet pilot01:20:15 - Flying Jackie Stewart01:25:56 - Learning to drive or fly - the principle of starting with one axis01:31:14 - Looking like Ian Anderson from Fairport Convention01:33:10 - The accidental arrest!01:35:28 - Flying sea planes from Alaska01:37:22 - Indycars & Indy Lights01:40:55 - Motorbike and sidecars!01:49:37 - "Shunt" and "Crashley"!01:50:36 - Back to historic racing cars...01:52:15 - An unusual link01:56:00 - Motorcycle and Sidecar Champion01:56:59 - Can you remember...?Note: Due to technical issues with the audio that almost caused a cancellation and re-record, AI was used to help clarify voices. You may notice a slightly digital sounding voice in places, but I wanted to make sure the production happened and voices could be heard well. Hope that's understandable. If you enjoy this episode and would like to see more please Like, Share and Subscribe! Thank you, AnthonyIf you are interested in learning more about Ian's career, here are some good articles:https://www.f1forgottendrivers.com/ian-ashley-f5000/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-2012/113/more-than-a-tocken-effort/http://www.forix.com/8w/ashley.html

Kelvin Burt is a British Racing Driver with nearly 40 years of motor racing success. From the late 1980’s as David Coulthard’s title rival in Formula Ford 1600, Kelvin rose through the ranks to become a Formula Vauxhall Lotus Champion, British Formula 3 Champion, Porsche Supercup race winner, Formula 1 test driver for Jordan Grand Prix, British Touring Car Championship race winner with Ford, Volvo and Alfa Romeo, Japanese Touring Car and Super GT race winner, Macau Grand Prix Winner, British GT Champion, multiple ASCAR race winner and FIA GT podium finisher with Ferrari onto become a racing team owner.

Today he continues his career in motorsport as a race winning coach in International GT’s and Single Seaters.

#dontliftoff #F1 #Formula1 #EddieJordan #JordanGP #Tyrrell #Arrows #F3 #champion #FF1600 #FormulaFord #FormulaVauxhallLotus #british #motorsport #MotorRacing #underdog #Japan #GT #racing #btcc #TouringCars #ford #AndyRouse #Volvo #TWR #AlfaRomeo #Macau #KelvinBurt #british #BritishGT #ferrari #FIAGT #JackieStewart #PaulStewartRacing #Coaching

Chapters

00:00 Teaser

01:48 Intro to Kelvin Burt

10:58 Starting At Jim Russell 

13:32 Drifting My Dad’s Capri

16:55 My Dad’s Story - Motorbikes And Road Rallies

20:54 A Formula First Scholarship

23:38 Getting His A**se Out At Brands Hatch

27:28 Formula Ford 1600

33:30 David Coulthard’s Closest Rival

38:15 A Modest Attitude

40:40 First BTCC Race And Win With BMW

44:15 1990 Formula Vauxhall Lotus

49:00 Formula 3 With Fortec 1992

53:07 - F3 Champion With Paul Stewart Racing 1993

59:48 A Good Story About Richard Dutton

1:02:00 Drive To Survive: Drama That Isn’t There?

1:07:40 The 1993 F3 Season Into An F1 Test

1:11:54 F1 Testing - Grabbing An Opportunity 

1:25:24 British Touring Cars With Ford

1:31:25 BTCC With TWR In A Volvo

1:36:15 The Oulton Park Crash

1:44:06 A Return To BTCC With Alfa Romeo With Gary Ayles

1:45:20 Porsche Supercup Win At Silverstone

1:47:13 Touring Cars And GT In Japan

1:52:48 Group C testing and more Japan

1:55:43 FIA GT & Le Mans with Ferrari 360 & 550

1:59:50 Making Myself Sick At Sebring

2:01:50 ASCAR

2:08:49 “I Could Listen To You All Evening”

2:09:38 The Thruxton Carrera Cup Crash

2:16:27 Jan Magnussen At Jim Russell

2:19:17 A Bedford DTM Drivers Story…

2:22:06 Silk Cut Jaguar Le Mans Winner

2:23:35 Coaching In Single Seaters & GT’s

Steve Markham is a former Oval Grass Track Racer, Stock Car Racer, Hot Rod Champion, Start Marshall, Rally Driving Champion, Rally Co-Driver and Instructor and lifelong HGV Truck Driver, Logistics Organiser and Trainer.#rallying #ovalracing #hotrod #rockingham #silverstone #stockcarracing #briscaf1 #grasstrack #hgv #hgvtraining #hgvdriver #truckdriver PLEASE NOTE: Views shared in this podcast are the individuals own and do not represent those of the companies or agencies mentioned.Chapters00:00 Steve Markham’s Early Life and Influences02:58 Discipline and Parenting06:05 Health Challenges and Resilience09:08 Grass Track Ovals, Stock Cars and Hot Rods11:51 The World of Motorsports14:50 Friendships and Collaborations in Racing18:01 Rallying memories20:52 Memorable Stories23:59 The Evolution of Racing Cars27:02 Geoff Capes57:25 Nostalgic Reflections 58:51 Establishing a Performance Driving Center01:01:29 Barry McGuigan and Encounters with Sports Personalities01:02:59 The Intersection of Sports and Entertainment01:05:39 Training and Assessing HGV Drivers01:09:31 The Evolution of Electric Vehicles01:12:43 The Next Generation01:15:10 Politics01:20:51 Social Media01:23:03 Kier Starmer 01:26:45 The State of the UK01:30:15 The Future of Energy and Sustainability01:34:30 Brexit01:39:18 The Challenges The Government01:45:10 Global Conflicts01:49:56 The Future of EV’s and wrapping up

Chris Hartley is a British Motorsport Commentator and former Go Kart Racer. He has over 30 years of experience from competing in Club and National Karting Championships in the 1990’s to becoming a commentator firstly in karting, then rising to some of the most prestigious championships in the UK and Europe including, the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), Formula 3 (F3) and Formula 1 (F1) at the British Grand Prix as well as other well know events including Moto GP and Carfest.Chris also runs his own Media Production and Editing Company ‘Chris Hartley Media’ with clients including Ferrari and Fun Cup.He can be found at:www.chrishartleymedia.comhttps://www.instagram.com/hartleycommshttps://x.com/hartleycommshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hartley-media#dontliftoff #british #motorsport #commentary #karting #f1 #britishgrandprix #btcc #dtm #ferrarichallenge Chapters00:00 Chris Hartley’s Podcast Listens03:10 The Art of Conversation in Podcasting06:12 The Evolution of Motorsport Media08:59 Personal Stories from 1990’s Karting Days11:59 Racing Friendships22:41 More Karting Memories24:36 The Physical Demands of Karting26:43 The Evolution of Karting28:17 Chris’s Journey into Karting30:49 The Competitive Nature of Karting34:35 The Changing Landscape of Karting38:18 Overcoming Challenges in Motorsport42:52 Life Lessons from Karting51:48 Never Give Up: The Journey of Resilience53:07 Karting Challenges and Triumphs55:41 The Thrill of Racing58:45 Racing vs. Other Sports01:00:12 From Racing to Commentating: A New Chapter01:05:48 Finding My Voice01:13:48 The Journey of a Commentator01:19:35 Fun Cup Racing and Slick Pit Stops01:21:10 Creating a Fun (Cup) Awards Ceremony01:22:36 Commentary in British Touring Cars and DTM01:24:32 The British Grand Prix01:26:30 The Evolution of Racing Commentary01:28:00 Karting to Formula Racing: A Journey01:30:05 Max Verstappen - The Rise of Young Talent01:31:55 The Atmosphere of the Nurburgring 01:33:58 The Importance of Sim Racing01:37:56 The Challenges of Racing at the Nurburgring01:40:01 Future Podcast Guests

George Proudford-Nalder is a young Australian driver racing in the British Ginetta Junior Championship. Having raced in karting since he was 9 years old, in his rookie season in car racing with McKenna Driver Development, 15 year old George has impressed by being a front runner and finishing on the podium.Supported by his family, it is George's ambition to graduate the British F4 championship in 2026 and ultimately become a professional racing driver.

George can be found at https://www.instagram.com/gpn.racing#dontliftoff #ginettajunior #ginetta #BritishF4 #weareginetta

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to George Proudford-Nalder

03:45 George's Journey in Racing

11:23 Early Experiences and Background

18:25 Transition to Car Racing

24:59 Competitive Landscape in Ginetta Junior

31:47 Reflections on the Season

38:24 Future Aspirations in Racing

45:00 Team Dynamics and Personal Life

Mike Wilds is a true British Motor Racing hero with over 60 years of racing experience from humble beginnings in 'club' Single Seater racing, then through into National and European Single Seaters, Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2, Formula 5000 and finally Formula 1.

He later furthered his professional career in Sports Cars, making 7 Le Mans 24 race starts and winning the 1986 World Group C2 Team World Championship. He also has 12 British Championships in Sports, GT, and Touring cars, including the 2013 Britcar Production Cup Championship and most recently Class 2 of the 2016 Britcar/Dunlop Endurance Championship in a Ferrari 458GTC Evo driving with son Anthony.

For more information on Mike, to obtain a copy of his excellent book ‘Life On The Wilds Side’ or to contact him about some coaching in your own car go to MikeWilds.com.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mike

03:01 The start of a career

05:58 The Evolution of Endurance Racing

08:59 Memorable Races and Personal Stories

12:02 Early Days in Racing

14:51 Family Influence and the Racing Bug

18:11 The Thrill of Competition

21:03 The Fire Incident and It’s Aftermath

27:35 More Racing History

29:57 Accidents and Their Impact on Racing

33:05 Family Legacy in Racing

33:52 The Journey from Amateur to Professional

36:56 The Transition to Formula Racing

40:10 Challenges in Formula 4 and Sponsorships

43:00 The Road to Formula 5000

48:05 The Leap to Formula 1

53:00 Memorable Moments in Formula 1

01:05:10 The Race That Changed Everything

01:07:43 Transition to BRM and Early Challenges

01:09:41 The BRM Experience and Testing Insights

01:12:20 Memories of James Hunt

01:16:14 David Leslie

01:19:52 Personal Reflections on Family and Support

01:28:21 Flying High: From Racing to Aviation

01:34:12 Racing with Family: The Wilds Legacy Continues

01:40:42 Racing Legacy

01:43:08 World Sports Car Championship Triumphs

01:45:49 The Thrill of Driving Classic Cars

01:49:59 Memorable Racing Experiences and Challenges

01:54:00 Accidents and Recovery: A Racer's Journey

02:00:02 Comedy moments

02:03:54 The Passion for Racing Continues

Barry Dunn is a former Clothing and Motor Trade Salesman, Sales Manager, Car Dealership owner and House Restorer. He is also a former sponsor and (still current) Father of Don't Lift Off podcast host Anthony Dunn!#dontliftoff #motorsport #motortrade #football #music #karting #f1 #stories Chapters00:00 Father's Day Reflections and Family Connections03:03 The Journey into Motor Racing05:56 Family Heritage and Early Influences08:57 The Dunn’s heritage in the Black Country12:01 The North East and Growing Up in Spennymoor15:04 Family influence on Career Choices18:04 Going into to the Motor Trade21:00 Memories of School and Early Relationships23:57 Music in our life26:58 Scrambling and motorbikes with the Hudsons29:59 Career Beginnings in clothing - the ‘Rag Trade’32:56 The Evolution of the Motor Trade35:56 The Rise of Chinese Automotive Brands38:56 Nostalgia for Classic Cars and Brands42:03 The Journey Through the Automotive Industry44:57 The Legacy of Family in Motorsports47:56 Reflections on the Future of the Motor Trade01:08:06 Musical Encounters and Celebrity Stories01:11:16 Motox and Mercedes01:15:14 Robert Maxwell01:19:26 The BMW Connection: F1 at Brands Hatch and the Turbo era01:21:47 The Racing World01:34:47 Karting in the 90’s02:02:50 The Ups and Downs of Racing Careers02:04:34 Finally…the Chris Wilder Oxford United Incident!

Paul Taft is a former multi-championship winning Racing Driver and Scramble bike rider. Since the 1950’s as a ‘works’ supported BSA rider to winning in Honda CRX, Metro Turbo, Renault 5 Turbo and in the British Touring Car Championship he has been at the sharp end of motorsport from rider to racer to instructor to coach, imparting his huge wealth of knowledge to the next generation.He also keeps bees, plays the clarinet and is a big fan of classical music. Since 1997 he has been 59 years old (in Taft years).

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Paul Taft

06:03 Bisto

11:58 Rally Driving and Car Control

35:05 Scrambling and The Isle of Mann TT

42:08 Transition to Motor Racing

49:35 National Service and Military Training

01:01:20 Competition and Career Development

01:14:30 The Art of Car Restoration

01:20:04 The Thrill of Speed and Risk

01:30:09 The Journey into Car Racing

01:43:49 From Sales to the Track

01:55:13 Nostalgic Reflections on Racing Days

02:03:04 Insights in Racing

02:14:34 Overcoming Personal Challenges in Racing

02:25:39 Personal Life and Performance
#dontliftoff #honda #crx #mgmetroturbo #racingdriver #motorsport #btcc

Mika Salo is Finnish racing driver with a prolific international career beginning in Finland in the 1970’s in Karting through to Formula Ford, Formula 3 (against compatriot and former next door neighbour Mika Häkkinen!), Formula 3000, GT’s, Sportscars and Formula 1, racing with Lotus, Tyrrell, Arrows and Ferrari. He most famously substituted for Michael Schumacher after the German broke his leg at Silverstone, and was on course to win the 1999 German Grand Prix before handing the lead to team mate Eddie Irvine and later finished on the podium at Monza.He is a double winner at Le Mans in GT2 for Ferrari and most recently an FIA Formula One Steward.His son Max has also begun a fledgling racing career beginning in FIA F4 and now races in sports cars in GT4, competing in a Porsche Cayman since 2024 in a Hitotsuyama Mercedes-AMG GT4 in Japan.To follow Mika:https://www.instagram.com/stories/mikasaloofficial/To follow Max:https://www.instagram.com/maxsalo_official/#mikasalo #ferrari #f1 #formula1 #podium #hockenheim #monza #karting #f3 #f3000 #lemans #winner #maxsalo #f4 #gt4 #japan #motorsport #racing #dontliftoff

Richard Attwood is a winner of the 1970 Le Mans 24 hour race with Porsche and a Formula One Grand Prix Podium finisher at Monaco in 1968 with BRM.

In an illustrious international career, that also including racing for Ferrari, Lotus and Lola at almost every racing circuit of the age including the Targa Florio, Nurburging Nordschleife and the fearsome original Spa-Francorchamps and Osterreichring, Richard raced with the very best including Jim Clark, Graham Hill, John Surtees, Pedro Rodriguez and many, many more.

At 85 years old he is still going strong, competing in historic racing cars and doing demonstrations at Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed.

He is simply a living British motor racing legend.

Richard can be found at:

https://www.richardattwoodmotorsport.com/

https://www.instagram.com/richardattwoodmotorsport/

https://x.com/rjdattwood

Please see the below for more podcasts, videos and articles Richard has been featured in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpWkesEeq6M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W3Pd4P7BWA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uXBxox_5S4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyZ__wM24Jw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj39mMan1hg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_5pTBxwBOc&t=70s

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/race/historic/2021/7/richard-attwood-is-the-most-humble-le-mans-winner/

#dontliftoff #lemans #richardattwood #porsche #917 #porsche917 #stevemcqueen #ferrari #1970 #winner #goodwood #revival #goodwoodrevival #goodwoodfos #festivalofspeed