"I didn't like damaging cars UN because I had to repair them"

As handy under the bonnet as he is behind the wheel, the multi-talented Andy Dawson reflects on his varied motorsport career

- PAUL FEARNLEY

Driver/engineer or engineer/ driver? The man in question reckons the latter, despite his many successes at the wheel: the first-international rally win for the Dodge) Avenger, co-driven by future world champion David Richards; the first international rally/ race win for Mazda, beating teammate and soon-to-be Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter; and the only win in the British forests for Lancia’s iconic Stratos.

He won a Rally Sprint at Donington Parkina Stratos, too, albeit mainly by beating all bar one of the assembled F1 stars in the event’s Ford Fiesta race. He beat a horde of handbraking French to win the Group 2 category on a Tour de Corse. Four times he finished in the top 10 of an RAC Rally. Oh, and he drove for Williams.

But then again, Andy Dawson had been born into engineering royalty in Chester in 1947. His Scottish-born father was elected president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1979 having shone at Rolls-Royce, Shell Aero Engine Laboratory, Perkins and Zenith Carburettor Co.

“When I told him in 1972 I was going to be a professional rally driver, he looked at me as if to say, You're crazy! There’s no money in it,” says Andy. He was determined I should start a business.” Hence Dawson Auto Developments: I made a lot of money driving cars, but wasted a lot building cars, specifically during my Datsun saga. I thought that was going to be wonderful. I didn’t realise that every time Timo Salonen crashed, I would have to pay for it.”

Andy studied Mechanical Engineering at Birmingham University, where he befriended one Patrick Head, with whom he shared driving and navigational duties on night rallies. Upon graduation, he joined a Rootes Group on the verge of becoming Chrysler UK) and got dragged into” Des O’Dell’s quirky comps shop.