JAMES THACKER has kindly supplied the following:
“Here is a photo showing, left to right, Geoff Clark [ex Abingdon Special Tuning Dept] Bob Neville and Roger Enever. The latter pair are well known for owning and racing the black MG Midget reg 138 DMO and subsequetly many other cars including Roger being a a works driver for BMC at Le Mans and other long distance events in Sprites, Midgets, MGB’s and also an Austin Cooper S and a Chevron B 8 etc. Neville drove several other cars too including MGB’s and Porches. On the right, James Thacker owner of Mk 1 Sprite TZA 238 since 1970. Bob and Roger were pleased to see the car after a gap of very many years as in the 60’s Alec Poole kindly let both of fhem drive the Sprite. There is a photo of Roger Enever drving TZA 238 in John Baggott’s book “Frogeye Sprite, The Complete Story”
[ p188] . Enever, Poole and Neville were all BMC apprentices in the mid 60’s and had the right connections in order for the former two to each obtain the very first “in line” 1275 engines for the [138 DMO] MG Midget and [TZA 238 ] Mk 1 Sprite in which Enever and Poole were very much recognised for their “giant killing” acts against much larger sports cars. Shortly aftewards they were chosen by BMC to start a long career of being professional racing drivers. I believe that as a result of their success all three of them, Poole, Enever and Neville, are members of the Silverstone based BRDC.
In the photo on the right, is the ex Stirling Moss Mk 2 Sprite, 9253 WD, owned by Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird, TZA 238 and the ex Richard Budd Le Mans/Donald Healey Sprite 4 HAC now owned by Richard’s son, Charlie. It was great to see this car out again as it has not been seen at an event for very many years. Charlie Budd is to be congratulated on getting this lovely historic car re-commissioned to use again overcoming many teething problems. It was probably the only full race-engined car not to arrive via a trailer as it is only kept a few miles away; – it sounded really good! The fourth car in the row is Ian Turner’s ex Tony Griffith Mk 2 Sprite 6699 rebuilt by Ian and Mark. They very commendably brought three Sprites cars to the Gaydon event. In addition to 6699 WD they had Ian’s also quite recently rebuilt Mk 1 with Sebring bonnet and Mark’s Mk 2 Sprite which he races successfully in the Equipe GTS series. Mark’s wife, Jen. was the third driver bringing the Mk 1 Sprite with their daughter, Isabel. They all live not that far away in the Banbury area”.
