Yvon Gisclard
How very sad that we hear from Yvon’s wife, that Yvon has passed away. He had caught the Charcot syndrome, maybe better known as the Lou Gherig disease which is a kind of a muscular dystrophy.
I remember when he first turned up in the car park at Pau sleeping in his van and showed me the car: It was an ex F3 Cooper Mk V. It was a true “Barn Find” that long ago had been converted to a Formula Junior, with Ford engine.
From that day, we welcomed him into the fold. In reality it was a shame he did not keep it as a Ford engined FJ as he lost a long time converting it, but he did run at Draguignan, and later as a 500, at the great race that we had there at Pau, after many previous years, when we used to smuggle him into the rear paddock, with the car and his little van to enjoy the weekend – always smiling and friendly.
He used to ring me up at home and we had this pigeon French conversation of much cameraderie and bonhomie but he spoke not a word of English and his accent was quite difficult to comprehend!! But, although funds were not plentiful, he insisted on remaining an FJHRA member until almost the end, and a well crumpled form in his characteristic hand writing arrived annually wrapped around a euro note!
Modern day historic racing is unlikely to include characters like Yvon again.
From left to right : Patrick Morin, M.Cooper, H.Julien, Yvon Gisclard.
The picture was taken at Draguignan Race Retro in 2002.
David Ham
We were so sorry to hear the sad news that David Ham died on 7th March after a long illness.
Whilst never a Formula Junior racer either “in period” or in historic racing, David acquired in the mid 90s a “garage sale” lot of Formula Junior projects, including a seriously damaged BT2 chassis that had raced in the Far East. With a further Brabham spares package from John Narcisci, the Brabham was rebuilt, and used for many years by son, Simon, although David tested the Brabham on several occasions and was much impressed with it. As Simon says “I know he was a huge supporter of the FJ movement in general and heartily approved of Duncan’s efforts to preserve the original ethos and camaraderie of the Formula.”
David, wife Andrea and Simon had been part of Duncan’s Historic motor racing scene since the very beginning of their Continental racing at Zandvoort in 1995. The very first Formula Junior family!!!! – although at the beginning, David was driving the wonderful and original Lister-Jaguar that he had bought in Period, although not perhaps without a twinge at the thought that he had previously owned and raced one of the iconic Aston Martin DBR1 sports racers. He later, also, raced with HGPCA in the ex Brian Naylor JBW-Climax rear engined F1 car.
David was always so interested and knowledgeable. While many others were only wrapped up in their own race and had little concept of the bigger picture, David was off watching and enjoying the whole of the day’s historic racing programme, while Andrea was one of the most smiley faces around the Paddock.
What a lovely family …..And a lovely Lister: what a treasure!!
David’s funeral will be at 2.30pm on Tuesday 22nd March at:
The Church of St. Edmund or St. James,
Park Lane,
Blunham,
Bedfordshire,
MK44 3NQ.