Personal

Name:

John Connor

Age:

37

Marital status:

Married

Children:

2

Occupation:

Financial Adviser. That’s why I co-drive.

Place of birth:

Halesowen.

Country or county where you live:

Halesowen, West Midlands, England

Does your spouse / partner like rallying?

Not since I left her in hospital looking after our 10 month old daughter who had an asthma attack the night before the 1994 RAC Rally. It got to 7.00 a.m. and I had an appointment in Chester about 12.00 p.m. I just hope she does not read this; I am still grovelling 9 years on.

Any other hobbies?

History.

Your opinions

Favourite food:

All of it.

Favourite drink:

Stella, although it can make me terribly sick.

Favourite motor sport paper / magazine:

Motoring News.

Favourite sports person (other than rallying):

Damien Hill.

Favourite film star:

Les Battersby. ** He's the only one I have ever seen on a rally.

Favourite holiday destination:

It wouldn’t be Wales.

Which TV sports programmes do you watch?

Robot Wars.

Starting out

How did you start out?

I went to watch the 1983 RAC at Sutton Park in Brum. I was hooked so went to Wales the next day. The following April I went to watch the AGBO Motoring News Road Rally and then the Eagle Road Rally. Gwyndaf Evans was in the Chevette. The next one I went to I was competing in.

First driver you sat with: 

Rob Nutland. The engine blew on the first stage.

First event:

The Dai George Memorial Rally in September 1984 as a driver. Still don’t know who he is.

Rallying background

Type of licence held:

National Navigators A

Which motor club do you belong to?

Quinton MC

Do you contribute towards your rallying?

Yes

Have you ever driven on a rally?

1984 -1989 It took me 5 years to realise I was far too intelligent to be a driver.

Did you ever marshal on events? When and where?

I have marshaled on various events over the years.

How many events do you get to watch? (e.g. per year)

3 ish.

How many rallies do you take part in? (e.g. per year)

It depends on the driver but about 9 -10.

Have you competed abroad? Where and when?

Wales mainly, although I have been to Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

Your opinions (rallying)

Favourite rally car:

The Yugo 55 and Yugo Sana are very special to me.

Favourite rally driver:

** Richard Burns

Favourite rally co-driver:

Me.

Favourite bit of road or forest:

Gravely ones.

Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?

You cannot beat the speed of checked notes but then again you cannot beat the feeling of knowing a driver has trusted what you have just read from a map, that a Civil Servant was probably responsible for!

Things you dislike about rallying?

The current state of the WRC and the fact that certain people feel it is OK to try to earn mega bugs off the back of volunteer organisers and marshals. I hope it all ends in tears.

Who do you think will win the World Rally Championship in 2003?

I think it will be Petter Solberg and I reckon the froggie bloke (the good looking one, not the bald or the other one with the bulgey eyes) will be a close 2^nd. I also predict that Makinen will retire, McRae will lose his drive, Sainz will put it in a ditch because the in-car camera catches fire and BURNZIE will make a full recovery and come back and blow everybody into the weeds in 2004!

.... and in 2004?

* Petter Solberg again
** Who cares? It's got b....er all to do with rallying anyway!

Rallying history

Drivers you have sat with:

Rob Nutland, Ralph Blore, Adam Crowton, Clive King, Colin Knott, Richard Bourne, Adrian Walk,  Richard Knott, Peter Beards, Paul Manning, Paul Thomas, Geoff Cottrill, Graham Woodhouse and Nathan Crewe - all the famous ones.

Best driver you have ever sat with? 

I reckon “Cott the Smock” has still got a few seconds left in him….. somewhere.

** Paul Thomas reckons there are a few minutes still left in him!

Best result:

There have been a few good ones but winning N3 on the Granite City in 1998. It snowed, we had no brakes and a broken rear shocker after sliding into a slush-filled ditch. Paul Thomas and I still dine out on the story now. Paul is great.  He gives a running commentary as you are having accidents.

Worst result:

The 1997 RAC with Peter Beards.  We got stuck in a ditch 4 stages from the finish. I cried when I handed my time cards into the course closer. What a girl! Retiring at Donnington Park in 1998 with Paul Thomas was really crap as well.

Championships contested:

AWMMC Road Rally
Welsh Road rally
AWMMC Single venue
Mintex National
Colway 1300cc championship - when it was standalone and attached to the BRC
BTRDA
and even the Welsh National.

Best Championship result:

This year with Nathan has been very good but the 1998 Mintex winning N3 with Paul Thomas was my best. ** However the BTRDA 1400cc championship is the most competitive in the country, all the lads at the sharp end are very good.

Best rally memory:

There are loads, mainly revolving around road rallies but the best is the 1994 RAC Rally. McRae got lucky that year and my wife met me at the finish with my daughter who was discharged from hospital. ** Thankfully she wasn't carrying a frying pan!

Strangest incident on a rally:

I can remember being sick on a road rally after running back to a control to borrow a jack after ours collapsed. The marshall told me he would give us a fail if we reversed into the control to return his jack. I hope he is still cleaning his shoes!

I also remember on the 1997 RAC, the landlord of the digs we were staying in answered the door in his underpants carrying a spear! Thankfully he did not shout ZULUUUUUUUUUU! Now that was strange. But we were in Cheltenham.

Biggest accident:

Richard Knott in Hopton on the 1996 Woodpecker. We hit a gatepost dead centre of the bonnet. I looked up when Richard said, “Shit” to watch the post disappear under the car and the bonnet turn “V” shaped in front of us as we slid onto our side into a ditch. Fair play to Richard, he was straight on the starter. I had to explain to him that the rotor arm will not go round when it is wrapped in radiator. I forgot to mention, I did call the corner WELL in advance.

Achievements gained from rallying:

Laughing.

Your current performance

Your current driver(s) and events or Championships being contested in 2003

Nathan Crewe, Silkolene BTRDA 1400cc Championship.

... and in 2004?

* This year I am sitting with Paul Thomas in a 4WD 2500cc TIGRA or, as we call it, a T16R4. I won N3 in the Mintex in 98 with Paul but he has spent the last few years building a monster.

** I will be back with Paul (from Coventry) hopefully in June 2004 and we will begin a belated attack on the BTRDA.

How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?

Amputation and lyposuction would probably be a big help.

How could you improve your current driver’s performance?

Tell him to go faster. 

If you had £50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do? 

A runner!

Your future in rallying

Where would you most like to compete (in the world):

Finland or the 1987 Cilwendig.

Which rally would you most like to compete in?

Safari.

Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for?

** Ronnie Beecroft

Ambition in rallying for the future:

To still be around when I get to Geoff Cottrill’s age.

What would you like to put back into rallying?

I reckon I do my fair share running the Web Benefit Heart of England Rally Championship but what I would really like to do is turn back the clock to when men were men and rallies were rallies. That’s not going to happen, is it?

The future of rallying

Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend?

I do not know. I fear we are about to enter a WRC barren spell for 20 years or so.

Which up-and-coming rally co-driver can you recommend?

Ones who are willing to part with some cash come in useful. If I was a driver I would not bother with the others.

What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers?

Enjoy it.  Rallying will not be here for ever.

Any other comments?

** Bring back William Woollard

 posted 18/11/03
updated 12/2/04 (items marked *)
updated 17/6/04 (items marked **)