stapfam

In what seems a previous Lifetime- I used to be involved in Karting. 100cc and I did Endurance racing in Europe and became pretty good at it--In fact one of the top men in Europe. My Daughter has just looked at my scrapbook and posted some pics on Facebook and they have given me a shock. Quality of the scans she has done are not that good as most were taken from newspaper cuttings. The French love any form of sport and I was an oddball being British and racing for a French Club on a French Licence. An oddball as I say and the French loved it that I did not race for the UK in the International events and for a French club instead of being independent.

The heading my daughter put on Facebook was "Not many people have photos of their dad looking this cool." I suppose I have always been dad to her and she did not realise there was life previous to her coming on to the scene. But I have looked at the photos and BOY did I look cool. I know the 70's look is back in fashion but I had hair then--and it was black.

First pic is of me on the Kart at Caen in the 6 hour race and I think this was my only DNF that year due to the chassis breaking. Second is of the rolling start of a Street race at Le Touquet that I arranged with competitors coming from the London Kart Club. I am in there somewhere but Memory is a bit vague about this event. The third is me posing for a photo shoot for a local paper



But this one I like. 24 hour race at Mulhouse and it was hot. The pic is of the team as 3 drivers on 24 hour events and although fuzzy- I am the one with the beard- no T shirt and open chest. I used to have a body that looked good and it was even enhanced by the long hair and the beard. And on topic. I weighed 140 lbs then and 35 to 40 years later I still weigh 140 lbs. Cycling has kept the weight down but hasn't done much for the redistibution of that weight.



Ross showed these pics to his office and asked who it was. Most know me and only one out of 15 guessed it was me. Other answers came in with a famous F1 driver- and someone reckoned it was a film star from the 80's and several recognised a pop star from the past.

How wrong could they be.


So how good did you look in your youth--and has it shocked you on how you have changed.

Pamestique 

Hilarious photos - have to say you are much better looking now with the gray in your beard!

NOS88

Bit of a dare devil then, eh?

jyl

You look great in those pictures! Sort of a Clint Eastwood squint. Good job on holding the same weight too, that's rare I'd think.

I have very few pictures of myself, from then or now, and certainly none in as cool a setting as yours. Here's one from maybe 25 years ago - I'm dating it based on the neon pink shorts - on a Southern California beach.



I'm not the same weight today, have shorter and greyer hair, don't currently wear Vuarnets or neon, but still the same general look.

Rwc5830

Stap, you're a brave man to post those pictures

In number 4 you look like Cat Stevens to me!!

RobertL

Cool! A fun look back.

In picture three, how did you avoid burning your right arm and side? It seems like that would be very hot and very easy to inadvertently make contact with the motor head.

Cougrrcj

35 years ago - I was lead singer in a band, had 'big' hair down past my shoulders, was 140 pounds, was big into disco dancing and had a 95-pound Italian dance partner...

Today I look like a cross between Jimmy Buffett and Richard Dreyfuss ...and they're both over ten years older than me! You know those commercials that say 'Life comes at you fast?' Well, that's me in a nutshell... Heck, even the tagline below my screen name is a Buffett song lyric quote!

billydonn

Cool post Stap! Thanks for posting. I would have shown you more respect if I knew!

Me at a high school prom about 1965. I'm still in touch with the girlfriend occasionally.... first girl who broke my heart.

About 1971 with my hippie pals

stapfam

Now Please you are not the one in the middle-- are you? The others look normal for the era The Centre one looks years ahead of his time.

And Robertl pic three is a posed one for the papers but when racing your arm is out front and movement kept any engine heat away from you. Pit stops though and with the bump start required after stops- that exhaust was too near the forearm and we had a bucket of water and burneze in the pits for when you forgot it was there.

volosong

Can't find any of me from 35 years ago. I was usually behind the camera in those days. Here's one close to that era, and one a little bit older.

Dudelsack 

Not too long ago but I was still a little cool back then. I've since lost it all.

I-Like-To-Bike

58 Years ago:

phread59

Hey Stap you handsome devil! Seeing those old carts brings back nostalgia. Those old carts are dinosours now. Hell Eddie Lawson runs over 150mph in his supercart these days. The box stock 5hp Briggs are almost as fast as the ones you ran.

But it sure is nice of you to share. I have no old or new photo's to share. I'm quite the ugly spud. And I don't get photographed much. Thanks for an enjoyable post.

Mark Shuman

10 Wheels

Bushy

Bikey Mikey

You hippie.

cccorlew

I love seeing these old photos.
Here are two from my collection.


Curtis 1973 by ccorlew, on Flickr

But better yet, my sweet MyLilPony! Riding that bike for a while now.

Tricia on her bike by ccorlew, on Flickr



Tricia the Girl Scout and bike by ccorlew, on Flickr

TromboneAl

About 40 years ago:

Artmo 

Stapfam- the orginal Boy Racer. Impressive!

stapfam

Be honest and Initially I was a better mechanic than I was a racer but I got into Endurance racing as "Speed" was not the final criteria. None done in the UK so it was race abroad. Found a French Club and French Co-Driver and soon learnt that reliability only gets you in the top ten. Within a year I had the speed to win and travelled Europe picking up trophies and championships galore. Also found a few friends along the way and it was a very enjoyable time. Although Karting is a cheap form of motor racing- it is not cheap and the call of the wife wanting a house- then a better house and family meant that I had to go and earn a living in a proper job.

And before anyone knocks Karts-Most of the top F 1 drivers started in karts and one of my early races in 74 was against Alain Prost. Karts are a good grounding for competitive racing and even on these Small engine machines high speeds are possible. Had a Speed trap at the "White House" circuit at Le Mans and we recorded 174 KPH at the end of the straight. Work it out-24 BHP pushing 160kgs and the power to weight ratio is way up there.

And the 250cc machines we had in those days used to beat the Formula Ford round Brands Hatch on lap time and were way faster than the motor bikes in any class.

rck

Me in an exotic country-1971. Back then I had more hair (which should tell you something about now) and was 20lbs lighter.

SaiKaiTai

Man, you looked like such a rapscallion. You look so much more respectable now. Almost dignified. I hope I am not offending LOL

We have a photo up from our 10th anniversary, 20 years ago. I can barely look at that... anything earlier would only make me cry.
When I met my wife about 15 years before that, I weighed 145 lbs. I don't now...

mkane77g

1970. 17yrs. old.

h2oxtc

Here's a photo from exactly 35 years ago ... solo bike tour through the Canadian Rockies.