A nice post, Keith. Greatly appreciated. Just one small point; Innes didn't speak with any kind of Scottish accent, let alone a broad one.

Memory plays tricks with us all as we age, and I'm no exception. Thanks again for a super missive.

 

Innes at Spa in 1963 with the luckless BRP. He deserved better.

 

His autobiography, All Arms and Elbows is a very good read.

 

Innes Ireland was my very first racing driver hero. As time went on, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, and Dan Gurney moved higher in my drivers charts and as they passed on or retired, their places were taken Jochen Rindt featured as did Niki Lauder, Keke Rosberg and Clay Regazzoni and so it goes on. I think the last drivers I really looked up to were Damon Hill and Jensen Button but even in their eras, the corporate driver was becoming the norm and my interest in the drivers was replaced by simply wanting to enjoy the racing and even that “ain’t like it used to be” mainly because the cars are so advanced nowadays and many of the new circuits were designed by a bloody computer and of course the gimmicks like DRS feature now and while the “show” may have improved, the racing hasn’t with aerodynamics getting ever more complex. Ah well, having reminded me of a 9 year olds hero, you will just have to put up with my reminiscing.

 

The second picture down is Innes with Denise Mccluggage Aussie racer drove a Porsche , Innes was driving a Lotus 19 for team Rosebud both in a series in the USA , can't remember the year very early 60,s as far as i can remember.
The picture with Innes driving the shark nose Ferrari was a one of, Ferrari sent over the car with a full set of mechanics, something to do with the aftermath of Stirlings big accident, think he finished 6th in that car.
As far as accents are concerned Trisa, i possibly do have him mixed up with someone else , on that day there was a oppurtunity to meet many drivers , and get autographs , can remember getting Jim,s and Grahams as well as one or two others, strange thing was thinking back is how easy it was to get access to the drivers and actually talk to them. Another picture, Jim and Innes when they were driving the Lotus 21 for Lotus works team.

 

Thanks for the memories, chaps - I also have very fond memories and admiration of the man who figured so large in such very different times.

 

All those great pics remind me that you could SEE who the drivers were then and recognise them as they wore open face helmets.

OK so the current 'Darth Vadar' helmets are much safer, but it's impossible to tell who's who as you can't see and read the racing numbers on the cars either!

 

It's also a pity, Kit, that the halo makes driver identification difficult nowadays, and I gave up trying to see car numbers a while back.

 

The picture of Innes sitting amongst all the young fans having a *** is one picture that sums up that era , you could see, meet and be with your heroes just look at the kids faces says it all.
And another picture Innes at the wheel of the UDT Laystall Lotus 19 again early 60,s ,note the mods to the front wheel arch must have been difficult to drive that car fast round bends chuckle

 

A few more pictures of Innes.

 

Nice one Trisha bet you didn't know there was a 3 seater Honda did you well at Clermont Ferrand in 1965 there was , Ritchie Ginther ( driving ) Innes next up and on the back not looking to great is Jo Bonnier, can just see Max , Lewis, Vettel doing that chuckle , i think not

 

Wonderful photo's, thanks.

Rosebud Racing is mentioned above. IIRC this outfit was run by John Mecom, an oil millionaire, and many hilarious stories are told in Innes' book about his adventures with JM. One anecdote which may not be in the book was that Mecom arrived at an airport in a big hurry and wanted a flight out, but had left his means of paying behind. After remonstrating with the ticket clerk, he persuaded him/her to telephone his bank and speak to the manager.

"I have a Mr. Mecom here with no money on him. Is it ok to sell him a ticket?"

"Sell him the whole d"mn airport if he wants it".

 

Love the three-seater Honda. Never seen that photo before. There would be Hell to pay if that happened today. There would have to be an enquiry, an appeal to Paris and 'elfs would hastily hold an international conference (of 'elfs).

Fines and grid penalties would be just for starters, and journos would melt their nibs scribbling the word, 'dangerous' at least 15 times per sentence.

Scheesch! "WARNING. Contents of this coffee cup might be HOT."

'Elfs! Go and get a proper job.

 

Love the three-seater Honda. Never seen that photo before. There would be Hell to pay if that happened today. There would have to be an enquiry, an appeal to Paris and 'elfs would hastily hold an international conference (of 'elfs).

Fines and grid penalties would be just for starters, and journos would melt their nibs scribbling the word, 'dangerous' at least 15 times per sentence.

Scheesch! "WARNING. Contents of this coffee cup might be HOT."

'Elfs! Go and get a proper job.

The 3 wise men Trisha, Scott Watson, Innes Ireland and Jimmy Clark now i have an idea who enjoyed the evening to much, was thinking if that was today the media would crucify them.

 

Innes with Guy Anthony Vandervell.

 

Watkins Glen, 1961, Innes scores Chapman's first GP victory.

 

Yes and at the time he was number 1 at Lotus and did get a pretty good no2 driver to back him up a certain Jommy Clark, if Innes had not fallen out with Chapman he could have been still his number one driver in the years to come .
He had all the skills but after Lotus not really the cars , like the UDT Laystall Lotus 24 pictured here at Monaco not sure of the year but 1961 looks favourite judging by him still with the Climax 24 , oh and i beleive the 32 car was his number 2 a certain Jim Hall at the time

 

Keith

If possible, please, it would be awfully nice if you could post photos of your relevant light green cars. Recall drooling when you showed them in a different thread, but they now seem to be more relevant here.

 

Can do these are all from proxy races the cars ran in up first is my Group 5 BMW M1

Next up is my Pink Ka bodied Ferrari 250 GTO, with Innes at the Wheel.

Then we have the entry for this years Tasman cup down under, First up Innes in car 14 Lotus 24 B.R.M. followed by Trevor Taylor in car 16 Lotus 24 B.R.M.

Plans for the Lotus 19 and a Fly 250 GTO are underway, also 2 more Lotus 24's to replace the bodies on the others here.

 

Beautiful collection. Many thanks.

 

Better picture of the BMW M1 with the rest of the field.

 

 

So that is a very brief history of Innes Ireland with some pictures, he was racing in that period when there were so many great drivers, Surtess, Brabham, Gurney, Hill, Clark just to name a few .
It is hard to say what was the best period, or who was the best as each to his own, but for me being 18-20 to be able to go to race meetings walk the paddock and see Graham Hill standing there chatting to crew and public alike, walking by Jack Brabham, Mclaren and all the heroes of the day , remember thinking how tall Gurney was compared to Clark both chatting away, and of course Innes where ever he was there were people , and the ladies loved him and all these drivers had time to talk .
And how great to be close to the cars the gleaming Lotus 25 with it's chromed exhaust, the Ferrari mechanics in their matching overall,s , pair of BRM's sitting side by side with admiring little boys pearing in the cockpits, differant times and seems now a differant age.

Innes Ireland was born in 1930 and died on the 23rd October 1993 was never the greatest of them all but with the same machinery was as good , he drove for Lotus , UDT and then BRP , Reg Parnell, and so many people wether it was a Ferrari 250LM, Ford GT 40,S, Cobra's Aston Martin, so many differant racing cars which most drivers did in those days.

His ashes were spread on hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at West Ross, a stone cairn was erected on the spot with a plaque attached to it .

We will never see his like or those like him again from that era, but i will always remember Innes Ireland

 

A nice tribute to a colourful, intelligent man who certainly enriched our lives for many years. Well done, Keith, and many thanks again for the photos.

 

Just a little add on come on you sharp eyed who can name all the drivers pictured below , don't see pictures like this of present F1 drivers.

And the best colour shot i have found of Innes Ireland in the UDT Laystall Lotus 24 climax , note the concentration to get the line just right mm perfect, some of the current crop have a lot to learn

 

Clark, Cooper, Ireland, Brabham, Moss, Hill, Bonnier, McLaren and Gurney are the ones I know.

 

As far as my eyesight will allow, left to right are: Clark, Cooper, Ireland, Brabham, Moss, Hill, von Hanstein, Bonnier, McLaren and Gurney.

Standing behind Bruce appears to be Prof Helmuth Bott, but the pic is very blurred with a greatly expanded page on my tablet.

 

Innes in conversation with Jenks far too long ago.

 

A very interesting thread, thanks for sharing with us. By the way Keith, I love the Pink Ka 250 GTO, it is lovely!

 

Thanks longdog pride of place in my semi retired collection along with the trophy it won , does look very good picture wise.

 

Innes driving a Lotus X1 in 1957.

 

Nice Trisha he drove alot of sports/gt cars here are a couple

Innes winning the 1962 Tourist Trophy in the U.D.T Laystall Ferrari 250 GTO , this car was the reason i started spraying my slot cars pale green.

Then we have Innes ni Ronnie Hoares Ferrari 275 P think either Sebring or Nurbering lost it,s notes

Innes in the U.D.T Laystall Lotus 19 1961 at Oulton Park, U.D.T raced various machines in sports cars , mainly with Stirling and Innes at the wheel, don't often see Innes with a face visor.
As i,ve said many times a lot of these drivers drove many types of car not just F1 and a lot of these SP'GT races were so very important in the day , a lot of kudos in winning them.

 

Keith, studying that posted result I cannot help but think that finishing third and so close to a Richard Mack chassis using a Pink Kar chassis is heroic. Please spill the beans - in a separate thread of course!