Pole Position — The BRDC Diamond Jubilee Book

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To celebrate the sixtieth year of the BRDC, this great book has been produced in a special edition for members. Magnificently illustrated with some 380 pictures, it is also available to other interested parties.

Here is the full story of the origins and history of this unique Club told by S C H Davis (a reprint from a previous Jubilee Book), alongside every aspect of the structure, development and racing career of the BRDC told in chapters contributed by leading motoring writers — the Silverstone story by Ray Hutton; a look back to racing before the BRDC was a “twinkle in the eyes” of Ebblewhite, Benjafield and Davis by Cyril Posthumus; the post-war racing story by Doug Nye; the commercial side dealt with by Mike Doodson; race safety described by Dean Delamont, and much, much more besides.

There are articles by Humphrey Cook on ERA, Frank Williams on the Williams Team, publisher John Blunsden on the Club’s offices and its Presidential suite, secretary Pierre Aumonier on organising this premier motor racing club, a reprint of John Cobb’s article on record-breaking, Richard Noble on his great Land Speed Record, Blunsden again recalling famous Pressmen (with a splendid memory of the late Gregor Grant), Maxwell Boyd with a behind-the-scenes view of Silverstone, and Jenks on the high accolade which being chosen to display the BRDC badge represents. In addition, Davis Hodges explains sportscar racing and Alan Brinton race-reporting.

There are cartoons of drivers, the BRDC awards winners along the years, photograph, of dinners in honour of such occasions as Sir Malcolm Campbell’s LSR successes, 47 colour plates and a foreword by the BRDC President-in-Chief the Duke of Edinburgh.

If anything is lacking it is a description of the BRDC 500-Mile Races with which the Club opened its racing events, but these have, anyway, been covered in MOTOR SPORT (we present a resume this month on page, 1240-41) and in my book about Brooklands, published by Grenville. The BRDC deserves this book and all keen motor racing followers deserve to read it. WB