The Ex-Drivers of Jolus number 2


Richard Buckingham Jr.

Why Richard decided to sell the Jolus and his Brabham.....

"I had a TBI (traumatic brain injury) racing the Brabham in New Zealand. I was in a coma for a month and don't remember anything for 4 months.  Judy had the car sold before I regained consciousness,  It was a BIG DEAL to get me back to the USA from New Zealand but Judy and my friends accomplished it for only $43,000 dollars--they had estimates as high as $120,000!  AND my insurance wouldn't cover any of it!  My friends started a "Get Dick home fund" which raised almost $90,000.  I am using what it did not take for the transportation for my physical therapy and personal trainer.  My biggest problem was double vision with torsion from a 4th left cranial nerve injury--I had my "good" eye operated on in Spring of 2005 to make it as "bad" as the BAD EYE.  It turns out they can't operate on the BAD EYE and make it well so this is your only option.  SCARY!  At least now when I look straight ahead, I only see one of anything.  It is NO FUN having vision problems and having them operate on your one GOOD eye!  This is the reason I no longer race, but I do drive the pace car for our races."

- Richard Buckingham Jr., March 25th 2009.

How they met.....

I bought the Jolus in 1991 on a trip to Australia after racing my Lancia Aurelia B20 in New Zealand. The Jolus could be set-up with very neutral handling characteristics which I was able to once I got a set of different springs (with different spring rates).

I raced the Jolus at my home track, Seattle International Raceway, but I also raced the car at Portland International Raceway, Westwood in Vancouver, B.C., Waterford Hills in Michigan, Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana as well as at many California tracks (Laguna Seca, Sears Point and Thunderhill). However, the most unusual races I participated in were in New Zealand when I shipped the car there to race in the "Southern Festival of Speed" and raced it in five different events "down under." In my racing career, I have had seven different race cars, but the Jolus was one of my favorites.

-Richard Buckingham Jr. March 28th 2009.

John Tweedale


I first became aware that the Jolus was for sale through a Formula Junior Historic Racing Association newsletter. I had been searching for a replacement for my Elva 100, and was determined to buy a Ford engined car, as with my average competence behind the wheel, I felt I needed the extra horsepower that the Ford gives over an A series. I also wanted something different, easily capable of attracting the eye of organisers of historic race meetings. I contacted Dick, who is an absolute gentleman, and he emailed me some pictures. Due to my ineptitude with a computer, I only managed to open the picture of the car partially hidden by a marshall with a chequered flag, and a partial picture of the dashboard! However the latter looked so good, I figured that if the rest of the car was half as good then it would be fine.
Dick was delighted the car had found an enthusiastic owner, and we agreed a deal.

When the car arrived in the UK , it exceeded my expectations. However before I ran it I had the engine rebuilt by Geoff Richardson, the gearbox by PDS, and the front brakes converted back to drums by Peter Denty. The car was then set up by John Sabourin, and I took it to Mallory Park for the first meeting in 2007 and qualified directly behind the two fastest class C cars. It was so much fun to drive, I felt at home in it straight away. As the season progressed the first race had predicted the pattern of results and I finished 3rd in class for the year.

The first highlight of the year was an open practice session at a wet and slippery Dijon.
There were only two other cars on track, one was my old Elva with B J Colaric at the wheel and a formula 1 Aston Martin. That was fun.
The other of course was Goodwood. It has to be the premier historic race meeting in the world. I had been as a spectator, many times, and vowed that one day I would get to race a single seater there. I took the car for a practice session, and the gearing was perfect, which was good for me, as I can’t change ratios. And it is just so fabulous driving what is one of the last true “road” circuits. No Armco or huge expanses of tarmac, just the green of the Sussex downs and lots of flowing fast corners. Heaven.
I qualified 7th and finished 5th after a friendly dice with John Delane in his wonderful Lotus 18. Even if you go to this event as a spectator, just go. There is fun for everyone.

So if 2007 ended on a high , 2008 was even better. The Formula Junior 50th anniversary. I had moved to Spain by then, but I came back for the Brands Hatch historic festival, and although I adore the grand prix circuit, I treat it with a huge respect. There were over 100 Formula Juniors there for that meeting, another fabulous weekend.
Then the car went straight in a container with 5 other FJs and was shipped to America.
This was the North American leg of the FJ 50th. The first 2 race weekends were at Laguna Seca, the “Pre” Historics followed a week later by the Monterey historics.
Laguna Seca is a awesome track with banked apexes on most corners. It is also gets very dusty after a few offs. I found it a real challenge and never came to terms with the precision needed on this great track. My highlight was leading the 75 juniors around the circuit in reverse for the featured formula photo. Driving up the corkscrew is much easier! Again if you can ever get to this event do it. The racing is good, but the other events happening around Monterey and Carmel and Pebble Beach, just have
to be seen to be believed!
So on to Lime Rock, another fairly untouched “road” circuit. After the precision needed at Laguna, this was a blast to be back on a circuit where a few good drifts actually helped the times. By then Donavan Racing were changing gear ratios for me, so I devised ratios which required as fewer gear changes as possible, I think I only used 3rd & 4th in the end, but it is a great fun circuit. I ended up 7th or 8th overall which was a fair result, as I was FLAT out!
So on to the jewel in the crown, Watkins Glen. I had read of my heros of the 60s racing here, again another awesome circuit. When you approach it for the first time, as an amateur, the huge all over catch fencing looks very daunting! It is used where service roads run under the track to stop cars flying too far into the air! Highlight of this meeting was undoubtedly the parade of race cars driving through the town on the original old road circuit. Great fun. I ended the tour with a 6th place, the Glen demanding more bottle than I have skill for!
Wow I had so much fun with that car.

From the Glen the car was containered back to UK where as I had retired I was no longer able to justify racing.
The Jolus was transferred to Ivo Goeckmann

Non of the above would not have been possible without foresight and determination
of Duncan Rabagliati and his Family who have made Formula Junior the world’s most supported historic formula, with races on 4 continents. Duncan’s enthusiasm , can do attitude and tireless devotion to FJ will certainly make him one of motor racing great ambassadors of all time!

John Tweedale