KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVE SINCE 1999
Geoff Crossley
11/5/1921 - 7/1/2002
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Amateur pre WWII racer who in 1949, after the war and with little previous experience with his Rilly, entered an Alta GP2 in the Belgian Grand Prix. He also entered the 1950 British GP at Silverstone, his only World Championship race.
Geoff Crossley died 18 years ago, he was 81 , He would have been 99.
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Born in Baslow, Derbyshire, Geoffrey Crossley started racing with a Riley pre WWII. With the end of hostilities he ordered the second Alta (GP2) from Geoffrey Taylor and upon delivery took it to compete in the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. This may have seemed an ambitious step for someone with only a little previous experience with his Riley, but wisely he took things easily and finished seventh, five laps behind Louis Rosier’s winning Lago-Talbot.
Crossley then entered the 1950 British GP at Silverstone, his first world championship race. He retired with transmission failure but enjoyed slightly better fortune when returning to Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix, qualifying 12th and finishing ninth once again five laps off the pace. He also entered a couple of non-championship events that year picking up sixth place in the Jersey Road Race.
It seems he was unhappy with the costs of running and maintaining this machine and dropped out of the racing scene, apart from a brief reappearance at Goodwood’s 1955 Easter meeting, entering his home-made Berkshire Special in the Richmond Trophy and Chichester Cup. However the car performed so poorly it was immediately withdrawn and never raced again.
Crossley worked in the furniture business thereafter but died in Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital after suffering a stroke.
historicracing.com
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Roy Salvadori 1922 - 2012
Salvadori raced for the factory teams of Cooper, Aston Martin, Vanwall, BRM and Connaught. He also drove F1 Ferrari Maserati, Cooper - Maserati and Connaught for private entrants. His best result in the FIA F1 World Championship was 4th in 1958 behind Mike Hawthorn, Moss and Brooks.
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Eric Thompson 1919
Thompson fitted his racing in with his work schedule. Twice winning his class at Le Mans and victories at Spa, Goodwood and other circuits, though he drove for fun, Thompson drove like no amateur. He only competed in one Grand Prix, the British in 1952, beating Farina in a straight fight for fifth place and two points. -
David Piper 1930
Ferrari's most successful privateer sports car driver. -
Ken Downing 1917 - 2004
Ken Downing was a genuine privateer who bore allegiance to the Connaught marque for most of his career, both in sports cars and single saters. Although Downing only made two Grand Prix starts, he was a regular podium finisher in National events. -
Ron Flockhart 1923 - 1962
Twice winner at Le Mans, Flockhart started racing motor cycles. He was killed when his aeroplane broke up in turbulence while in Australia practising for a London-to-Sydney record attempt.