In the close-knit fraternity of historic rallying, Bob Bean is a figurehead
In equal part a proper gentleman and a fierce competitor, he’s been rallying for over 55 years and will mark his 80th birthday next March. But the Yorkshireman is not for slowing down or stopping any time soon.
It all started in 1960. “I’d been messing about in cars for a while and there was a rally called the Yorkshire Rally running and I thought ‘I’d love to do something like that,’” he says. “So I got an entry and we started in Ilkley market place. It was a road rally with people like Peter Procter and Pat Moss and it snowed like hell. It went all through Friday night and finished on Saturday afternoon and three of us were in a Hillman Minx. I think we finished 29th overall. I’d not got a clue but I was hooked from that point.”
Bean was soon competing regularly on road rallies, usually in Fords, and gradually migrated across to special stage rallies into the 1970s. He took eight overall wins on Motoring News road rallies and another eight podiums at the height of the road rally boom.
Denne historien er fra November 29,2017-utgaven av Motorsport News.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 29,2017-utgaven av Motorsport News.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Meeke's Walk in the (Car) Park
Northern Irishman survives a huge late scare to win
Brutal Bogie
Scot hammers BTRDA opposition in BRC preparation.
F1's Social Revolution
The way we watch F1 is about to change, but mostly on your phone.
Breaking Point for McLaren-Honda?
Pressure is on for the Anglo-Japanese
Victory For Moyers At Last
The saying goes that if at first you don’t succeed, try and then try again.
Payne Is The Malton Master With Third Win In A Row
Charlie Payne took his sixth win on the Malton Forest Rally and his third event win in succession. With Carl Williamson on the notes, their Ford Fiesta RS WRC was never headed over the six stages in tricky conditions.
Proton Iriz Debuts With A Podium Run
Ollie Mellors gave the brand new Proton Iriz R5 its competition debut on the Malton Forest Rally, finishing third.
Evans: I Want To Partner Ogier In 2018
Welshman sends plea to his world champion team-mate
Newby Wins At Leisure
Six stage wins in succession on the opening day of the Brean Stages Rally sealed victory for Arron Newby/ Andrew Leech (Subaru Impreza), ahead of Jim Munden/Nick Eccles (Impreza) and Thomas Cooper/Ian Davis (Mitsubishi Lancer E9) in third.
Solberg Targets WRC Return In Polo
World-beater samples new R5 challenger and wants an event deal
