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I'm doing a little digging about a certain Mac Ross who raced Minis both in club races and BSCC races from 1964 when he had a red Cooper S painted gold which later got a black painted front panel , and finished in the early 70's still in a Mini. All his cars had his own reg number BMR 10 on the bonnet.
I have seen ads in old Autosports for a speed shop (Ross Racing ?) he had in the London area and I also heard he was related to the famous Ross Foods family ? I can't confirm the latter though and would like to find any info at all on Mac Ross as I'm drawing a blank elsewhere. Any more info gratefully recieved.

Ta
Pete

There is a photo of BMR 10 going backwards at Druids on the cover of The Mini Seven Club magazine march 1967,inside the magazine a photo of Tony Lanfranchi driving the same car and a photo of Mac Ross measuring a girls mini skirt !. July 1967 edition has a humorous article by Mac Ross on the 70mph speed limit.

Really ? Just when the trail was going cold !

He's struggling to point the right way here too !

http://www.coteriepress.com/site/COTE/T ... 0638&cc=GB

I'd love to see anything that you may have about Mac, even all the old farts on TNF have drawn a blank. He's one of those Mini racers like Handley, Mendham, Ratcliffe, Rhodes and Montague that stuck with Minis right through the 60's and even into the 70's and scarsely ever raced anything else. Any more info on his background would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Pete

Nice sharp photo, its not easy to lose it on the pit straight at Brands. I am not a great computer tech person but can copy the 4 items i have and somehow send them to you if you wish.
tony.

I had heard he had his license revoked at some point but unsure if this is true ??

PM sent.

Cheers

Pete

Think his real first name was Brian - hence BMR on his number plate.

x rated z wrote:
and a photo of Mac Ross measuring a girls mini skirt !

Sounds like a man with his priorities set straight = girls & Mini,s

Simon776 wrote:Think his real first name was Brian - hence BMR on his number plate.

Yes I've discovered it's Bryan Macdean Ross, I've found a piece in Motoring News about him, he had lots of involvement in various classes of racing with Minis as did his son.
Thanks to Tony also , got the mags, very helpful and I'll post them back soon.

Cheers.
Pete

x rated z wrote: its not easy to lose it on the pit straight at Brands.

its easier than you think, i raced with a guy who managed to rotate a mk2 golf (on his own) doing about 120mph, he actually went over the finish line backwards - he said it was the closest thing to a religious experience he had ever had, the only damage was a tiny scrape on the rear bumper where it had rubber the armco on the outer track wall!

guru_1071 wrote:

x rated z wrote: its not easy to lose it on the pit straight at Brands.

its easier than you think, i raced with a guy who managed to rotate a mk2 golf (on his own) doing about 120mph, he actually went over the finish line backwards - he said it was the closest thing to a religious experience he had ever had, the only damage was a tiny scrape on the rear bumper where it had rubber the armco on the outer track wall!

I too have seen an aston DB5 lightweight that i was running come sliding down the straight at 90 degrees with the nose just inches off the wall. i remember eyeballing him thinking ouch,this isnt drifting Ian!

The pit straight at Brands has a massive camber compared with virtually any other race track, apart from ovals. Once you get out of shape it can be dire - and it's surprising there have not been far more problems over the years.
I see thay are planning major track changes again. Having destroyed a Cooper at the old Paddock Bend, I have little sympathy for complaints about any of the newer, tamer parts....

x rated z wrote: ,inside the magazine a photo of Tony Lanfranchi driving the same car and a photo of Mac Ross measuring a girls mini skirt

Talking of whom, has anyone got a copy of Lanfranchi's "Down The Hatch" book they would consider lending me, it's a tad difficult and expensive to get hold of.

Cheers.

Taken from a Mini Se7en mag

Ross Racing Equipment
Ross Racing, Rally And Sports Equipment LTD 264 Belsize Park Road, Kilburn High Road London NW6 open till 6.30 pm and sunday mornings.

Thanks Steve, his son Patrick ran that shop. Ross used Downton engines as I've found more often than not did most others. I'm doing a bit about Mary Taylor and her racing Mini aswell soon ,her car was Downton powered also. Downton must have been a very busy place in the mid to late 60's.

Pete,

I don't know if you knew, but when you wanted to become Downton dealer in the '60 's, Daniel wanted you to come to Wiltshire and work at Downton for a while. After that they found you able or unable, and as a result you could become a Downton dealer (or NOT!).
I know this for a fact as a mechanic i know was invited to work at Downton (about 5 months) before they were awarded the dealership here in Holland.
He had to take part in all the parts of the proces like grinding a head, building an engine, reworking manifolds ect.
All intresting stuff!

Cheers,

Jack