John first contacted me early in 2010 saying he had decided to fulfill a lifetime ambition and go racing in historic cars, specifically Historic Formula Junior. We did 10 track days throughout 2010 mostly in a Lotus Elise, and I persuaded John that Historic Formula Ford was possibly a more sensible starting point in historic racing. John is currently leading the novice class in the HSCC Historic Formula Ford Championship and recently acheived his best qualifying position so far, 13th overall and by far the highest placed novice at the new Snetterton 300 circuit...

At an age when most of my contemporaries are thinking of retiring I decided to try to take up Historic Racing. Having no experience whatsoever, it was daunting to know where to start.

I had already done some marshalling and it was clear to me the difference that good instruction makes to a driver's progress, particularly when a novice is going to be running against drivers with decades of experience at all sorts of levels.

I went onto the Internet, and spoke to several professional instructors in the course of my search, but Tim Arnold clearly came across as someone rather different, someone who asked questions and listened, and then tailored what he offered precisely to the individual's needs and abilities, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all service. He spent a lot of time finding out about me, and what my ambitions were, and planning where and how to get me started.

From the first tentative track day in damp conditions, he instilled confidence. Good humoured, encouraging and endlessly patient, Tim combines a hands-on approach with clear technical explanations. Progress, speed and confidence come naturally, and the satisfaction he clearly gets from seeing his pupil's improvement is a product of his passion for the sport and his wish to impart his extensive experience.

In the last year, Tim has taken me from that first track day to passing my ARDS test, and onto the grid, and much more besides.

In addition to his ongoing analysis and improvement of my driving skills, he has given me invaluable advice on getting into racing.

He seems to know just about everyone in the sport, and the industries connected with it. He has spent a lot of his own time helping me find and prepare my first racing car, and has provided invaluable track-side support through my first season as a novice. From not very promising material a year ago he has got me (at the time of writing) leading the Novice Class in my Championship; my lap times continue to come down under his ongoing guidance, and I am starting to qualify in the front half of the grid. We both look forward to seeing how far we can get me in this season and next.

Choosing Tim as my instructor was without doubt the best decision I could have made; I cannot imagine how I could have progressed this far without his backup. For anyone thinking of getting into racing, at whatever level, I would highly recommend a chat with him. His passion for the sport, combined with his extensive experience and his analytical and communication skills make him a great teacher.

Thank you, Tim.

John

John Crowell
HSCC Historic Formula Ford Racer