MY MOTORSPORT MOMENT Derek Bell is Britain’s most successful endurance racer, with five wins at the Le Mans 24-Hour, three at the 24-Hours of Daytona and two World Sportscar titles, in 1985 and 1986. But his most vivid memory of racing on home soil came in his very first ever car race Event: Goodwood Members Meeting Date: 1964 Car: Lotus Seven The most memorable moment of my career was finishing third at Le Mans with my son, Justin, in 1995, but as far as racing in the UK goes, it was my first race – because I won it. I went to the Jim Russell School at Snetterton and came out with flying colours. He told me: “You’ve got all the attributes to make a good driver and I can’t do any more for you, I guarantee within a year you’ll be in a factory team.” I was stunned and when I came and told my stepfather, he put his newspaper down and said, “you prove to me you’ve got the ability to get there and I will help you.” He loved racing himself and I’d been to Monaco and Monza for the Grands Prix as a 16-year-old, so it was all pretty special. I was earning 20 quid a week as a farm manager and one day a guy called John Penfold came there to sell some farm machinery. We quickly became friends and said let’s go racing together and we have been lifelong friends ever since. He was very technically savvy and financially together and we ended up putting together a Lotus Seven from an old chassis and a Cortina 1500 engine for 600 quid. We finished it on the night of 12th March 1964, and it was pickling down with rain. John said ‘you’re going to have to take it up the road and give it a run’ so I did, but I only did 20 minutes to avoid ending up off the road! On race morning, it was still raining so he drove the car up, so I was at least dry when I got to practice. It was the Member’s meeting at Goodwood on 13th March 1964. I still go to that meet, and it is why it means so much to me. The first car – a modified Lotus Seven chassis with a Ford Cortina 1500 engine 50 Revolution - March 2022