You never know!!!

[meirion 347]

You never know who you are talking to some times. We went food shopping today and as I pulled into the carpark of our local small supermarket, Stans, I spotted this Gen5 parked up. I told Sian that I'd see her inside because I wanted to take a couple of pictures. As I did that, the owner turned up and was very friendly and happy to talk. I did of course ask him to join CCUK (as you do). He said he had spoken to a few Gen5 owners up at the Ponderosa a few years back. Sounds like he bumped into a Gen5 North Wales weekend.

Anyway, we talked for a bit and he mentioned that he was a race driver of a Lotus Elise. I neglected to ask him his name  When I got home I googled and googled doing my best Sherlock Holmes and after zooming in on the photo I got a clue to follow. The owner is Danny Holland and his story is incredible. He was a Welsh Guard and was seriously injured by an IED in Helmand, Afghanistan. He had always loved motorsport and the Army introduced a karting activity for injured servicemen. He jumped at the chance and ended up racing for the team. He has progressed now and is driving a Lotus Elise competitively. He has recovered from PTSD, shrapnel and serious brain injuries along with the loss of hearing in one ear.

This guy is something else and such a nice bloke to stand and talk to an old fart like me. Check him out, "Danny Holland Racing" on FB and his story here http://www.motorsport-wales.co.uk/danny-holland-injured-welsh-guard-to-racing-driver/  Don't click the links at the bottom of the page, they take you to weird places!

 

[Old Red Celica 1,807]

He's special enough to park in the drop off zone.

[ESTHAR_CITY 2,303]

What an awesome story

[Sherv 2,488]

14 hours ago, Old Red Celica said:

He's special enough to park in the drop off zone.

Damn straight. 

 

Yeah you never know who you may bump in to. I was in Sainsburys looking for a birthday card and the woman next to me commented on my t shirt that had a yellow Barry Sheene '7' decal on it. (hero of mine from childhood, small decal on all my cars)

Started a chat and it was his neice, Paula. Lot of the family are still local as her Dad ran Paul Smart motorcycles in Kent. I was trying to act like i wasn't exploding inside, ha. 

 

But yeah thats a great story, proper hero stuff that. 

 

 

[CheltGirl 1,641]

What an encouraging story! Is that him coming towrds the car in your photo? We get so many people who do come up to the line of Gen 5's parked at the Ponderosa at the top of the Horseshoe Pass. I can't say I recognise him from those I've spoken to, but maybe another member will?

He seems to have lost his rear bump strip judging by the two holes

[Bumblebee 1,235]

I did a private 4hr booking at Blyton Park a couple of years back so I could test the new sequential gearbox and extra power on the Celica. Idea was I wouldnt get in the way of anyone.

Couldn't have been more wrong. The Brabham team were there testing along with another le man's car and a couple of formula 3 cars.

Had a chat with David Brabham. I didnt know who he was at the time. Came over as a really nice guy.

[Askari 1,038]

I worked with a local councillor once.  Old chap.  Very modest.  In fact, he was quite easy to overlook.  Until you discovered he went ashore on D-Day as a medic and spent the whole day on the beach.

 

A few years later my mother-in-law introduced me to someone she said was an old friend of hers.  She said he used to work on London Underground, but long since retired.  Chap was friendly enough.  Fair bit older than me, of course.  Walked funny.   Maybe a train ran over his foot?  No, he said.  It was Arnhem.

 

These meetings were many years ago now, but they taught me not to underestimate the quiet modest older types.

[Shipwrecked 212]

Years ago my dad was on a trip to Sweden and was on a boat heading to Malmö and sat down for the journey in a random seat. He nodded and said hello to the guy across from him and they started chatting. Turns out he’s from Belfast, the other fella. So’s my dad. They chat on, one buys the other a pint. The guy asks my dad why he’s going to Malmö and he tells him. The guy says he’s going to a music festival somewhere. They keep chatting, about Belfast, people they know in common, the local characters and so on. A few more beers are exchanged (£4 a “pint” my dad told me) and they had a great chat. Totally oblivious my dad.... just two fellas from Belfast having a beer. Just as they were getting ready to disembark, the guy says you don’t recognise me do you ? No says my dad. Fella says I’m Van Morrison (the singer for you youngsters).....

[CheltGirl 1,641]

I bet more famous people would wish they could talk to people naturally and just be themselves - without the other person knowing and making judgements or fawning at their feet!

Edited February 14 by CheltGirl

[Askari 1,038]

I had breakfast in a hotel once with Rev. Richard Coles (Bronski Beat, Communards, Radio 4 etc.). Nice chap.  We chatted.  He told me he was a musician before becoming a priest.  I had not the slightest idea who he was.

 

[dublet 1,344]

I once ate some cake baked by Ian Hislop.

[GT1994 56]

Great post Meirion. I was fortunate enough to be racing at the 24 hours of Le Mans Karting back in 2013 when Kart Force was competing for their first time there. Was incredible watching them compete in their adapted Kart. Unfortunately both our teams had horrendous luck ,us with mechanical gremlins and them with a huge crash.  But they won the spirit of the race and rightly so

[meirion 347]

54 minutes ago, GT1994 said:

Great post Meirion. I was fortunate enough to be racing at the 24 hours of Le Mans Karting back in 2013 when Kart Force was competing for their first time there. Was incredible watching them compete in their adapted Kart. Unfortunately both our teams had horrendous luck ,us with mechanical gremlins and them with a huge crash.  But they won the spirit of the race and rightly so

That's brilliant mate 

[Sherv 2,488]

16 hours ago, dublet said:

I once ate some cake baked by Ian Hislop.

In Private,naturally.

[dublet 1,344]

Eye.