The SAS Historic Formula Ford field at Taupo over the weekend of January the 18th and 19th will feature an international competitor in the form of the highly experienced Robin Longdon. We’ve seen the Englishman here most recently in a Formula Junior Lola. He’s a regular on the Formula Junior circuit and, in addition to the rear-engined Lola he’s raced here, he has a front engined T2 Junior, a drum braked Mk3 as well as one of the first Lolas – the gorgeous little sports car dating from the late 1950s.
After getting some Historic Formula Ford experience racing the Phil Foulkes Van Diemen RF85 on one of his frequent trips here, when the suggestion was made ‘why not buy an old Formula Ford and leave it here to race’, the response was along the lines of ‘…it would have to be a Lola!’
In late 2019 Paul de Lacy reluctantly concluded his time in Formula Ford was over and a longshot idea was hatched – a plan that that ‘might just about have an outside of being of interest’ because Paul’s car is a Lola. An email was followed by phone calls to Chester, an inspection of the car was carried out by category guru Foulkes and a deal was concluded.
Longdon will be making his racing debut in a Lola Formula Ford at Taupo and, based on his record in Formula Junior, he will be guaranteed to be right in amongst it.
By the way, just to show that he doesn’t only have eyes for Lolas, he is the proud owner of the famous LotusGoodwood, Bruce McLaren Moto with the number plate ‘DAD 10’ – known by race fans and commentators in the late 50s as ‘Daddy-o’. Longdon is a regular at the Goodwood Revival with the Elite, when he’s not racing one of his beloved Lolas.
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