Doctor on the Grid

How Dr Tony Goodwin's Passion for Motor Racing Drove Him to Combine His Medical Career with 463 Races in 21 Countries and Four Continents Over Six Decades

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Author:

Tony Goodwin

Format: Hardcover, 184 Pages

Item: 200816

ISBN: 9781899870844

Publisher: MRP

Specs

Illustrations: 150 b/w & color photos

Size: 8.5 x 10.2 x .8

Weight: 2.188 lb.

Published: April 1st 2012

DC: AE

List Price: $64.95 $48.71

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Description The Author Reader Reviews

Dr Tony Goodwin's autobiography should be an inspiration for anyone who believes their quest to go motor racing has been thwarted by lack of funds or opportunity. His life story proves that a combination of passion, determination, adrenaline, relentless energy and endurance, while being prepared to suffer discomfort and at times to indulge in the life of a nomad, was all it took to indulge in the seemingly impossible -- to embrace a demanding medical career with a passionately active hobby which saw him race on the proverbial shoestring 463 times in 21 countries throughout Europe, Asia, South Africa and America over six decades.

His medical career took him from Guy's Hospital into general practice in the Home Counties, on to an RAF short-service commission in the Far East, back to medical partnerships in the UK and on to specialisation in aircrew testing at Gatwick Airport. But this much-travelled medic covered far more ground in his 'other life' as a prolific amateur racing driver, driven by his unquenchable passion for motorsport.

Finally retired, he retains his links with motor racing as President of the Formula Junior Historic Racing Association and through his racing driver son Chris, who like his father contrives to handle two 'day jobs', as chief test and development driver for McLaren Automotive and as manager of the Brazilian F1 driver Bruno Senna, who has contributed the Foreword to this evocative book.

Tony Goodwin's career as an amateur race driver must be unique. Not only did he take part in 463 races in 21 countries across four continents between 1956 and 2008, he combined his globe-trotting circuit activities with a demanding career in medicine.

Like so many UK drivers in the 1950s he began racing by building his own sports car and driving it in 750 Formula events, competing alongside the likes of Colin Chapman, Eric Broadley, Tony Southgate and others who would reach the top in motor sport as both drivers and constructors.

Graduating through sports cars into single-seaters, he shared the track with future world champions Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt and Nigel Mansell during their formative years, and later, when competing in endurance racing, he again raced against former Formula 1 drivers as they widened their own careers.

Always strapped for cash, he invariably raced on the proverbial shoestring, but driven by a mix of passion, determination and ingenuity, he kept going when so many others gave up the struggle. Competitive to the end, he was able to retire in 2008 as the oldest driver ever to win pole position for a race at Monaco, driving his Formula Junior Lola in Historic racing.

Today he remains active in the racing world with his son Chris Goodwin, who is McLaren Automotive's Chief Development Driver and the manager of F1 driver Bruno Senna.

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