Beginnings in Motor Racing
Guinness's interest in motor racing began whilst at Cambridge University, as riding mechanic to his elder brother Sir Algernon Guinness.
His first major race as a driver was the 1907 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. His Darracq retired early, owing to axle failure. This involvement with the closely related Sunbeam, Talbot and Darracq marques continued throughout his career. In the same year he also took part in the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit des Ardennes.
Around this time he acquired space in a disused pub, 'The Bald Faced Stag' in Putney, London as a base for his motor-racing exploits.
From 1913 he was an official driver for Sunbeam, along with Henry Segrave. Sunbeam's engine designer, Louis Coatalen, became a friend and assisted his motor-racing career, driving Sunbeam or Talbot cars.
Read more about this topic: Kenelm Lee Guinness
Famous quotes containing the words beginnings, motor and/or racing:
“Let us, then, take our compass; we are something, and we are not everything. The nature of our existence hides from us the knowledge of first beginnings which are born of the nothing; and the littleness of our being conceals from us the sight of the infinite. Our intellect holds the same position in the world of thought as our body occupies in the expanse of nature.”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)
“We disparage reason.
But all the time it’s what we’re most concerned with.
There’s will as motor and there’s will as brakes.
Reason is, I suppose, the steering gear.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
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