Ingliston memories

Sir,

Your excellent Track Visit to Ingliston (December issue) has stirred some personal memories from this venue, both as a young spectator and later an enthusiastic flag marshal from the mid-1970s until its closure in the early ’90s.

My first meeting included the aerial assault by Doug Niven on the toilet block near the Southstand corner, which only added to my fascination with the sport. Over the years I was engrossed by the spectacle of outrageous super saloons and amazed by the efforts of drivers such as Norman Dickson and Iain Mclaren, who valiantly hustled their F1 Lotus 78 and McLaren M26 around the narrow confines of a track never intended for such devices. I was a sad witness as a marshal on Caravan corner to the fatal karting accident involving Granville Grubb, and also to Rick Gorne collecting the oak tree at the exit to the Esses in his single-seater sponsored by Barratt Homes – whose logo depicts an oak tree! Then there was the stunningly quick David Duffield, who dropped his Ralt on exiting the pits right in front of the Arena grandstand full of his sponsors guests! And the huge crowds when Radio 1 brought its roadshow to town.

It is fitting that in the same issue there is an item on the new Yas Marina Circuit from where I have just returned following marshalling duties at the first Abu Dhabi GP. Such unique and lasting memories from both extremes of the motor sport spectrum. Fantastic!

Bob McEwan, Canewdon, Rochford, Essex