Posts filed under ‘motorsport/racing’
Martin Hines- King of Karts- A Tribute – Part 2
PART ONE : https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/martin-hines-king-of-karts-the-tribute/
Waltham Abbey was filled to capacity and more , friends , family names familiar to those in and out of the world of motor sport gathered to say goodbye.
Lewis Hamilton and Carolyn Hoy Source: Karting1.co.uk
Carolyn Hoy, along with Geoff Barker gave the eulogies. Carolyn had known Martin throughout his rise in the world of Motor Sport. Her words can be found in the following jpgs. Please click on the following jpgs. to enlarge:
Page One
Page Two
Page Three
Page Four
Page Five
As I read the eulogies and went on my own journey down memory lane with my cousin Martin, I realized humour, along with always being somewhat opinionated coupled with you either like us or not , has always been a family trait. Sometimes we are irreverent, sometimes we shock,our humour can be cutting, sometimes annoying but there is always a twinkle in the eye.
My Uncle Mark, Martin’s Dad, had that twinkle more often than not and so I am sure he would have appreciated the fellowship as on the 13th October ( The anniversary of Mark’s death) a tribute was organized for Martin at the BRDC (British Racing Drivers Club) at Silverstone for the 100 or so friends in attendance.
It was an afternoon of stories over a microphone full of smiles and laughs as the anecdotes flowed. How wonderful leave a legacy of laughter and good times as your friends gather, how wonderful to have “lived” life whether people agreed with you or not “he dared”.
And finally from Tuesday – Martin’s daughter:
TO DAD
I never got to say goodbye
I never got to say how much I love you
I never got to have you walk me down the aisle
I never expected you to leaveIf only I could see you again
If only I could ask you one more question
If only I could have helped you
If only you didn’t have to leaveI wish I could hold your hand
I wish I could hear your voice
I wish I could go back in time
I wish you never had to leaveI will never forget your passion and determination
I will never forget the strength you showed in your eyes
I will never let you down
I will always be your little girl- LOVE YOU DAD
Those were the days cousin:
May your energy and passion still fill the heavens – Loraine
Martin Hines- King of Karts- The Tribute
Martin's son-Luke, wife -Tina and daughter- Tuesday
ED Note: Even though Martin passed two months ago, his death and his funeral (held at Waltham Abbey with hundreds i,n attendance) still brings hundreds and I mean hundreds of searches to this blog daily.
I received permission from Tina, Martin’s wife, to publish the following thoughts from those that spoke at Martin’s funeral for those unable to attend and from the tribute held last month on October 13th, which was also the anniversary of his father’s Mark, passing . This tribute will be in two parts: Other posts on Martin can be found here
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/princes-williamharry-lewis-hamilton-me-between-the-covers/
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/shhhhhh-secret-the-british-are-coming/
TRIBUTE TO MARTIN
It Was 60 years ago this month that I first met Martin.It was our first day at St Mary’s School, Church End ,Finchley,we sat together that day and were to become inseparable friends for the next 10 years.
As I look back over the years and although I didn’t realise it at the time Martin was developing his business acumen right from those early days. The first example that I recall was at St Mary’s when we were about 7 or 8, there was a craze for playing marbles during playtime, within day’s Martin arrived at school with a home-made marble alley, a piece of wood with different sized holes cut into the bottom with corresponding numbers along the top, punters were invited to roll their marbles and to try to get them into one of the holes, if you got it into the hole saying 4 then you would be rewarded with 4 marbles, if you missed Martin kept your marble.
I don’t ever recall many marbles going through the holes and have my doubts if they were even big enough to allow a marble through, I do however recall Martin being the envy of the school and walking around with the biggest bag of marbles you could ever imagine.
Late October early November would see the pair of us with our “penny for the guy”, our pitch was along Hendon Lane just along from Macfisheries where Maudie would be busy in her little cash kiosk taking money and giving out change, opposite was Hines Cycle shop where Mark would be tinkering away repairing pushbikes.
Once our collection box got to near a shilling or as it is now 5p one of us would pop along to Thurleys the sweet shop and spend our well-earned cash, not on fireworks but sweets, this was a special treat for us as we were 7 before war rationing came off of sweets.
Early December we used to try our hand at Carol singing, but our first real business venture was when Martin discovered a niche in the market for White Mice, in no time at all a top breeding pair were installed in Martin’s granddad’s shed well out-of-the-way of Maudie’s prying eyes as had she found out I shudder to think of the consequences. It wasn’t long before our first litter arrived amidst great joy between us knowing that a small fortune was soon to be coming our way, as the days went by our joy started to disappear as our first litter developed brown markings and not the pure white as they should have been, unbeknown to us a wild feral mouse had made a visit somehow without us knowing.
Our next venture took over Maudie’s kitchen when we went into the plaster of paris model business, our speciality was 3 flying ducks to which would enhance any blank wall, a single duck was a shilling but if bought as a set of 3 the price reduced to half a crown or 12 and a half P, this went quite well until our pet rabbit business took over, this didn’t go as well as expected but I was beginning to realise Martin’s prowess as a salesman as he sold me one for three shillings and sixpence even though I was a partner in the business.In 1957 we left St. Mary’s and went to the Alder secondary Modern, still we were trying to make our fortune and we decided to go into Racing Pigeons, not a lot of money buying and selling but big prize money, we felt at last we had cracked it. Within no time at all Crescent Lofts were erected at the bottom of Martins garden complete with a few not exactly top class inmates, this was soon to be rectified when each Sunday morning we would hitch a lift with Mark and Maudie to London’s Club Row and Petticoat Lane,
Mark at the time was running his Whist Drive and used to get his prizes from a warehouse in Brick Lane, on arrival Martin and I would head for the pigeon stalls, on the way we would pass a Bagel Bakery where an old Jewish lady would stand shouting out ‘Best Bagels all FreshToday’, ….. each Sunday week in week out Martin would creep up behind her and at the top of his voice would shout ‘ALL FRESH TODAY’ making her leap about 3 feet in the air, I know not what pleasure he got from it but he would skip along down the street happy as a lark no doubt looking forward to the next Sunday to repeat it all over again.
On arrival at the pigeon stalls we would give the vendors the benefit of our knowledge of the pigeon racing world and would try to get a good deal. Martin got a bargain one day on a retired racer that had won just about every race going,…. I think the sum of three shillings and sixpence changed hands only for the champion to escape from the loft a couple of days later and no doubt return to it’s previous owner who probably sold it again at a later date.
During the time we had the pigeons Martin decided that we should form a skiffle group no doubt with a view on entering the world of Pop music, I was selected to play the washboard, I believe Johnnie Burford was on the double Bass which consisted of a tea-chest, a broom handle and a string, Martin I believe along with Terry White alternated between guitar and drums, unfortunately this too was doomed to failure mainly because the likes of Lonnie Donegan and Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers decided to start at the same time.
In our mid teens we slowly drifted apart with me having moved house and Martin leaving to go to another school, still we kept in touch, Martin decided to have a go at motor cycle scrambling and bought a 200 cc Aerial Colt, I was terribly envious of this machine but am pleased to say that at a later date I became the proud owner of it.
This was around the time when the Go-Karts came onto the scene, I used to accompany Martin and Mark to Rye House but was relegated to helping start the machine which in those day’s was a case of picking up the back with Martin sitting comfortably inside, running along and dropping it down to bump start it, most times I would end up flat on my face while Martin shot forward disappearing into the wild blue yonder.Girls were also a taking a part in our life at this time and having read Martin’s book I see that he mentions his first love Pamela Rowland.
EVERY SPLIT SECOND COUNTS- MARTIN HINES
I don’t think we had many secrets between us but one confession I have to make after all these years and that is the nights Martin didn’t see her ‘I did’, but if it’s any consolation I don’t think we were the only two on the scene at that time, and after all her Mum who took the money at Squires Lane Swimming Pool used to let me in for nothing.
As the years went by Martin had named the day to be married and I was pleased to be asked to be his best man. What seems to be a little stupid nowadays but was the thing to do back in the 60’s was to celebrate ones STAG NIGHT the night before the wedding. We decided to visit some of the drinking establishments around the SOHO area. Throughout our years together we were pretty much like peas in a pod even sharing the fact that through one reason or another we had both lost a front tooth that had been replaced by a small denture thus filling the offending gap. Martin was never a big drinker but slightly over did it on his Stag Night resulting in him being not very well down a side alley of Soho.
After a very pleasant evening we somehow made it back to 26, Church Crescent, with the time being around 3am, we rang the bell only to be confronted by a most irate Maudie, and most annoyed at us being out so late the day before the wedding, Martin being in a happy and jovial state gave his Mother a wonderful broad grin, it was only at that moment that even I recognised a rather large gap in Martins front row of teeth, I think the modern term is to go Ballistic, Maudie just literally disappeared into space. Mark came out in his pyjamas and was none too pleased with the situation either.
I was informed as best man it was my duty to see that he was looked after. I was then bundled into Mark’s car and driven rather hastily back to Soho where I am pleased to say the offending item was duly retrieved but not till after the whole scene was lit up by a police officer wanting to know what was going on.
Some two years later I myself was married and was privileged to have my old school friend as my best man, even though he decorated both my car and house and made them look like something about to take part in a carnival parade.As the years went by we slowly lost touch, but thanks to the Internet I was able to follow my old mates success’s in his chosen career,
Source http://www.gprdirect.comI was extremely pleased for him and felt proud that I had been a very small part in it all. A couple of years ago by means of an E-Mail I wished him well on his birthday and was pleased to receive a nice reply saying that we should meet up and wander around our old haunts, perhaps he had another business venture in mind for the pair of us. Unfortunately we never did get around to doing that.
Throughout our years of friendship I don’t ever remember us falling out, Martin was always kind and generous, he had a great sense of humour which I am reliably informed he never lost. For all of my remaining days I shall cherish the fond memories of our childhood and our youth.
Martin I am not going to say goodbye as I hope the next time we meet we will be those two St Mary’s schoolboys again, perhaps we will go to St Mary’s churchyard and hide behind the tombstones and jump out on the passers-by as we did all those years ago.
Till next we meet old friend
Martin Hines – King of Karts ( racing) and my mum’s heart- receives the checkered flag
Further update on the funeral requests for Martin Hines from the Hertfordshire Mercury
http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Hoddesdon-and-Broxbourne/Family-tribute-to-The-Karting-Guru-Martin-Hines-07092011.htm
We have been overwhelmed by the messages of condolence received from across the world,” the family continued.
“We would like to thank everyone for their kindness and tremendous support at this time of immense sadness.”
The funeral will take place at Waltham Abbey Church at 1pm next Friday followed by a reception at Cheshunt’s Theobalds Park in Lieutenant Ellis Way.
The family is requesting family flowers only but would welcome donations to their nominated charity – Wormley-based Teens Unite Fighting Cancer.
A Just Giving page will be set up in Martin’s honour, the link for which will be available via the Grand Prix Racewear website http://www.gprdirect.com/ later this week.
UPDATE with regard to funeral arrangements Martins funeral will be held at Waltham Abbey Church, Friday 16th of September at 13:00 Details on how to get there can be found on http://www.walthamabbychurch.co.uk
It has been an emotional time around this house- from the getting through of celebrations NOT celebrated
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/birthday-chris-ritchey/
– to the planning of a tribute for my darling Uncle John ( my dad’s brother) 100 birthday.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/happy-one-hundreth-birthday-uncle-john/
And during all this trying to deal with the news that the obscenity that is cancer was claiming another of those of this family with a spirit and zest for living.
The announcement of Martin Hines ( my cousin) death spread throughout the racing world, broadcast just hours after his passing on the BBC during the Grand Prix – tributes from Formula One drivers, foundations, fellow competitors- flooded the internet .
http://www.racingsteps.co.uk/news.php?sid=3&sbid=5&nid=1384
http://www.kartsportnews.com/content/2011/news_110828-2.html
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/94071
Martin Hines the competitor, businessman, racing visionary, and tough opinionated “guru of the track” who held, in his career , the attention of two young princes and their mother – had finished his last race .
It fell to me to tell my mother her nephew, whom she loved so much, had died. Martin had surprised her just a year ago, she had watched his son, Luke, race at Mid Ohio , laughed , cooked him his favourite trifle and shared two very special days. As he drove out of my daughter’s driveway that Sunday and I watched my mum as he smiled and waved goodbye I remember thinking
she isn’t seeing a “world champion” successful businessman , tv personality she is seeing a little boy – her brother’s son and all that that held dear to her
.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/shhhhhh-secret-the-british-are-coming/
I read all the tributes in the past couple of days and I too thought of the Martin they never knew- the Martin of my youth.
Martin was three years older than I, but his dad and my mum were very, very close.
We spent many Sunday afternoons having the traditional Sunday dinners together. Martin and I getting up to all sorts of mischief in my uncle’s big house ( at least it seemed big to me) whilst the adults did what ever they did – making forts and tents out of blankets – both of us bossy and opinionated even then. It was Martin that taught me to hold my own , his favorite game was “I dare….”
My uncle’s Bingo Hall nights would find us terrorizing the neighborhood as the proverbial cowboy and indian to shouts of
“Clicky Click number six” or Legs eleven” “unlucky for some number 13″….
drifting out along with clouds of cigarette smoke through the open windows into the alleyway that was our prairie.
We would sneak to the old burned out and bombed cinema and continue our play with the other cousins and neighborhood kids, using the water filled bomb crater as a place to float our “ships”.
Martin would take one of the remaining curtain ropes and swing across the crater. None of us “cowardly custards” would dare to follow his lead , the debris of the bombed structure would fall around us as he would swing back and forth laughing at the scaredy cats below. He really knew no fear.
My family left for Canada and I returned as a teenager. We ended up once again staying with my uncle and aunt and Martin. He introduced this rather ” naive countrified Canadian” to the grown- up London of the swinging 60’s.
“Don’t worry
said my aunt to my mum –
she will be safe with Martin looking out for her”
–
Martin and safe were not words used in the same sentence
I still smile at that first introduction to life in London. A double date with Martin’s latest and me with his friend- getting stuck in the mud in the local “parking place”.
Oh the story he told when we all arrived back covered with mud from trying to push him out of the mud- my uncle having to eventually come and rescue us . Martin was spotless and the rest of us caked with mud from head to toe.
How is he going to get out of this
I thought-
we are all going to be in trouble
but Martin smiled and joked and turned the situation on its head. He certainly had the gift of the gab…..
Through the years he had his share of loss, his daughter, Kelly, to the obscenity of Cancer, his mum and his dad. We would see each other at special functions of family through the years when they coincided with my being back in England.
http://90right.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/grand-prix-racewear-under-new-management/
Martin Hines has been professionally involved in motorsport for over 40 years, as a world champion winning competitor, talent-spotter and businessman. He won the FIA World Superkart Championship three times, the FIA European Championship six times and was multiple British Champion. Martin owns and runs Zip Kart (based at Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire), the leading manufacturer and supplier of racing karts, and runs the Zip Kart Young Guns team which has discovered, and continues to discover, some of Britain’s best racing drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard, Anthony Davidson, Gary Paffett, Jason Plato, Luke Hines, Oliver Turvey, James Colado, Oliver Rowland and Jake Dennis.
Martin Hines said: “Grand Prix Racewear is recognised as the Harrods of motorsport; the one place you can go to buy the leading brands from people who know the business inside out. We want to continue to do what GPR does best – supply motorsport equipment to serious and professional motor racing drivers of all ages on a global basis.
The family was always proud of their cousin and the success he had made of himself and of the legacy left by his dad, Uncle Mark. Martin’s lifestyle was very different from the rest of us (the cousins) – he walked in a world of deals and wheels.
As I think of him today. it is of the boy who was the only one among us who would dare to swing across a flooded bomb crater on fraying rope relishing the danger of the moment. He dared…………………….
Martin, who finished his race as a champion
To Tina – his wife, Luke -his son and Tuesday – his daughter – much love and memories .
Luck- American le man series-was in for Luke!
OOPS EDITORS NOTE: See what happens when I deal with French 🙂
I got my man ( s) wrong so correction please note: the crash was at the American le man series and the Petit Le Mans will be October 2nd ( see end of post)
As regular readers know my cousin’s son –Luke Hines -was over here racing in the American le Man series. We managed to get to Mansfield to see the action. I sat with Luke’s mum , Tina – in some ways it was easier on the nerves as the vehicles roared around the circuit- just seeing part of the track with the live action.
When we arrived back at the pit we saw there had been some damage done to the car- that could only mean one thing – Mum Gulp!
However , nothing like this- this is what happens when you are clipped when doing 161 mph…….
As for Gavin– well if Nag Nog has anything to do with it he will remain in the “plastic wagon class” -1 Nag- Nog power only!!!!
NEXT RACE: Petit Le Mans, Road Atlanta, GA
SERIES: American Le Mans Series
DATE: October 2, 11:15 AM ET
TV: LIVE on SPEED and CBS
DURATION: 10 Hours
Princes William/Harry, Lewis Hamilton & Me ( between the covers)
by Loraine Ritchey thatwb@yahoo.com
Source published by John Blake Publishing
I am very protective of my name on the internet ( as some will attest to their chagrin) . Friends from all over the world ask me to be their “friend on FaceBook” ( not bloody likely!!!!! ) No partying friends for this face
and then of course the “koobface virus”
Everything you write or is written about you can come to the fore at the click of a search engine.
In the past year or so my writings have contributed to a daughter of a stuntman in Australia finding her fathers grave site in the USA ( at last) and a sense of closure.
Two young lovers once again finding each other and an engagement last week and then from the UK this week – the man in the pointy hat and red nose discovering himself on a google image and being led to this web site
Ron the Builder
NOTE:I am really hoping that Ron will contribute to this blog in the near future.
You leave tracks all over the web- some tracks are accurate and some are not. It is up to you to make sure your are writing accurately and being written about accurately – easier said than done but after all the reputation you save may be your own!
So how did Princes William , Harry and World Formula One Champion Lewis Hamilton and I end up between the covers?
My cousin Martin who is really quite famous ( even infamous) in the UK, Europe and the Southern Hemisphere. Martin released his autobiography in October (Richard Coomber)
My mum received an autographed copy this week, she was thrilled to see her brother Mark once again living on the pages of her nephew’s book.
Source ( family photo)
Martin has led a colourful life ( I can attest to that) and according to publisher’s notes:
Along the way he discovered and nurtured F1 stars, including David Coulthard, Lewis Hamilton and Anthony Davidson, and future stars Gary Paffett and Oliver Rowland.
He shared Coco -cola with Princess Diana as William and Harry were introduced to the “circuit” .
Source
Martin and I shared a Grandad
family photo
As you can see he was quite a character ( Grandad that is) and sorry Martin but I think he liked me best -I was always soooooooooo sweet 😉
I often wonder if the grandparents and great grandparents who enjoyed those family gatherings in by gone years – just what they would say of the family that is now dispersed throughout the world- how proud they would be of the accomplishments of their lineage!
We have a great deal of diversity in our family and I look upon my cousins and their children with pride and affection. We have great memories of our own childhood and shared a lot of laughs.
I caught up with Martin , his wife Tina and his daughter Tuesday in September – mum, my husband , Tony ( another cousin who was my son’s best man earlier in the summer)
all had a lovely lunch in a 500 year old pub in a little country village in the back and beyond.
Then 5 days later I dragged myself from the sick bed after a disasterous flight home to the couch and watched Martin’s son Luke on the TV in Atlanta, Georgia driving in the “Petite Le Mans”
I couldn’t help thinking ( knowing that Martin was trackside in Georgia watching his son) what a small world this really is .
Daily Telegraph
Martin’s book “Every Split Second Counts” ( My life with fast karts, fast woman and F1 Superstars) can be purchased through Amazon.comamong others.
That Woman's Weblog 
SHHHHHH! Secret- The British Are Coming
The phone call came
..but a world champion is coming to Lorain just to see her…. the fact that it is her nephew only adds to the fun.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/princes-williamharry-lewis-hamilton-me-between-the-covers/
Now the reason her nephew is flying in is to see his son drive in the American Le Mans on Saturday at Mid Ohio.
We will be having the surprise lunch Thursday for the visitors and for “The Dame” – it is a bit of a risk “surprising a 91 year old” but I think she will be fine- smelling salts handy ! Good job she doesn’t read this blog!!!!!
So it is left to us (that are in the know) to wangle it that I get this 91 year old down to the race track on Saturday – apparently this event is almost sold out ( at least the Grandstand) and golf carts are also all reserved.( I have a feeling they heard about my driving skills)
But the oldest and youngest member of the family – Nana and Gavin will debut at the race. Nana will take her hearing aids out and Gavin will have his ear protection in!
PHOTO SOURCE MOTORSPORT.COM
ORBIT No. 48 Porsche 911 GT3
ED NOTE: (Nag Nog) Oh ! Oh ! hope he doesn’t get to like this racing lark _ no more bleachers for Nag Nog please!!!!!!
For more information on Mid Ohio
http://www.midohio.com/Schedule/Mid-Ohio-Sports-Car-Challenge—The-Honda-Indy-200
August 4, 2010 at 11:43 am 6 comments