A couple of people have asked me about the car I drive at the present time. I’ve answered that earlier but you probably couldn’t guess what my first car was, unless you really know me well.

I was reading on www.autocult.com.au about peoples first cars and it got me thinking about mine.

My first car was a sky blue Mini 850 with a push button start feature. It was made in 1961 and I think I paid $400 for it. I actually bought it because I had started racing Mini’s at 14 years of age and figured it was good for practice reasons.

I had a lot of practice at some unconventional driving techniques. The car would constantly slip out of third gear, so I would have to hold on to the gearstick to keep it in third. Unfortunately the Mini didn’t last as long as I would have liked it to and it was the victim of a road accident.

I remember it pretty clearly I was driving along in the wet and slowed down because there was an accident on the road. The guy behind didn’t and hit me pretty hard, but because I was used to contact on the track I didn’t think much of it until I was 50 metres down the road and realised I was on the road rather than the racetrack.

I got out and the car was a write off, but as is the case with most write offs I benefited from the cash.

It was a sad day, as I had some interesting moments in that car. From the locks never actually working and one day walking out of school to find the Mini had been moved to the bike racks and also packing it full of people on more than one occasion.

The car was full one day driving to school and a mate had some metal in his bag, which he threw in the back where the battery was, the reaction actually caused the battery to explode in the boot sending battery acid spraying over everyone’s bags and equipment.

You can look at my racing Mini at this link http://www.jasonrichards.bigblog.com.au/data/4/20077/image/Trophycollection3871320070305140713.jpg

Anyway on that lighthearted note have a safe and happy Christmas.

JR

I’m gearing up for Christmas and a break to recharge my batteries after a long year of racing. Some of it was successful and some of it wasn’t and in this post I will give you my end of season thoughts.
 
But first what I have been up to.
 
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Well it wasn’t the best way to finish the season, but on the positive side of things we have a car with a lot of speed going into the 2008 championship when we at Tasman are hoping to be a genuine title threat.
 
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