Description
Author: John Rhodes, Hardbound,125 Pages, ISBN: 9780955482625, Published, 2015
Foreword by Paddy Hopkirk -
My 50 plus years of association with the Mini includes track racing as well as my better known successes in rallying, for which I'm perhaps better known. I preferred rallying because it's just you against the clock! Track racing is quite a different sport and I probably didn't have the inbuilt gamesmanship to outwit my fellow competitors when battling for the lead at close quarters on circuits.
John Rhodes is a different kettle of fish. He was the greatest Mini racing driver ever. I had the pleasure of knowing and indeed competing against him in our Cooper racing team days. John probably didn't even notice me as I was always behind him! His unique style of attacking every bend completely flat out and then throwing the car sideways, with all four tyres smoking, showed amazing skill and bravery. I think he was known then as `Smokey Rhodes'. John's fame never went to his head. He always valued his lovely family more than his racing success, had time for everybody and kept his feet firmly on the ground.
He is probably responsible for my not pursuing a career on the track because I got fed up with seeing the back of his Cooper and admiring a skill which I wasn't capable of emulating.
John - thank you. You gave a lot of racing fans a lot of thrills - and that includes me as a competitor, watching you from behind on the track
