I
will never know why my grandfather took my brother and I to see motor
racing at London's Crystal Palace circuit in 1956.I had never expressed
any interest in motor racing and we lived some distance from the
circuit. My grandfather also had absolutely no interest in motor sport
as far as I know. Indeed he could not drive and he definitely could not
afford a car. In fact I would not be surprised to learn that at that
time he had never even been in a car.
So
whilst mystery surrounds why we were peering through a fence at a field
of 500cc Formula 1 cars that morning in 1956 what I do know is that the
outing triggered a sequence of events which defined my life. Let me
explain.
I came away from Crystal Palace that day totally hooked. Three hours turned me into a motor sport junkie -at ten years of age.
The
next week I visited the local newsagent on the way home from school. We
walked to and from school in those days. No helicopter mum at the
school gate in a black SUV and school buses had not been invented. It
was long walk so we were fit. In the newsagent I fingered a magazine
with a green cover-Motor Sport- price one shilling and sixpence. I saved
my pocket money. I went without my favourite sherbet lemons and sherbet
flying saucers and bought the magazine. It was a revelation to me-like
opening a door to a magic kingdom. I still have a copy of that issue-not
the original copy though. Today it looks dull with its few small black
and white photos and pages of dense small type. In 1956 it was
wonderful. I read it from cover to cover-many times. I have been reading
Motor Sport ever since and have been a subscriber for over 40 years.
One
section of the magazine totally entranced me-the very long column from
the Continental Correspondent,Denis Jenkinson,who was known as Jenks and
who signed his writing DSJ.
Now
by 1956 Jenks was a legend. He was navigator for Stirling Moss in his
victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia. They covered the 1000 miles at an
average speed of 100mph in their Mercedes on closed public roads. Not only was the drive heroic
but Jenks' story of the drive has become known as one of the classics of
motor sport journalism. Jenks was very brave man- he had been sidecar
passenger for Eric Oliver when Oliver won the 1949 world motorcycle
sidecar world championship. Motorcycle racing sidecar passngers are
brave verging on barking mad.
Jenks
was totally eccentric. He was very short with a flowing beard. He
looked like a robust garden gnome. His personal life was very odd. He
lived in a tiny cottage in a dark wood in Hampshire in the UK. The
cottage did not have mains electricity,mains water or mains sewage. The
rooms were filled with pieces of disassembled cars and motorcycles. Not
surprisingly he did not have a wife and although he apparently he did
have a number of girlfriends the relationships never lasted. No surprises
there.
But
in 1956 I did not know of or care about DSJ's domestic foibles because
each European summer he crisscrossed continental Europe following the
motor racing and sending back detailed accounts of the races as well as a
very entertaining account of his travels. And what travels they were.
The era of the autoroutes/autobahns and autostradas was very much in its
infancy so his travels in his company car-a Porsche 356 -were on the
then main and minor roads with stops in facinating but often basic
hotels in towns and villages which were still unspoilt. It was a magical
time.
In
1956 Porsche was barely known in the UK but Jenks' travels and his
enthusiasm for his 356 did much to raise the brand's profile in the UK. I
became an instant Porsche enthusiast although at that point I had never
even seen a Porsche. I soon went out and bought myself two 356s. Both
the same colour of beige and sadly both only Dinky Toys.
Jenks'
passion for Porsches resulted in a very readable book titled "A Passion
for Porsches" first published in 1983 and republished more recently.
Jenks
took his own photos using a Rolleiflex camera. His first basic test for
any car he was asked to road test was whether the glovebox could take his
faithful Rollei. The 356 passed the test.
Jenks
was good friends with Jesse Alexander-a wealthy American who had moved
across to Europe with his wife and child -his domestic arrangemants were
more normal than Jenks'- to see if he could make a living from motor
sport photography. On Jenks' recommendation he bought a 356 for his
travels and so he also developed a passion for Porsches. Jesse Alexander
went on to more than make a living out of his photography he became
probably the best motor sport photographer ever. He has published many
books of his photos-some are still available -and his photos are
classics from an era of motor sport which was very special.
I
saw and talked to Jenks at a few races over the years-that was before
the Bernie era when mere mortals like me who were not FOB - friends of
Bernie-could get access to the pits and paddock. I last saw him at the
Goodwood Festival of Speed in 1996 just a few months before he died. He
was sitting alone in some shade and was very frail but as we chatted he
still enthused about motor racing. It is perhaps just as well that he
passed away when he did because I am sure that he would be appalled at
the charade which calls itself formula one today.
As
I gently chatted with him that day nearly 20 years ago I explained to
him how his writing had resulted in me being a lifelong motor sport
enthusiast and had also resulted in my working in the motor industry for
nearly 50 years and had fired my enthusiasm for Porsches. He seemed
genuinely pleased to hear my story. Thanks Jenks without you I would not
be writing this story today.
Story by The Rolling Road-JohnS. Originally published in Porsche Power issue 4 2015
