After winning the 1983 British FF2000 championship Tim had intended competing in F3 in 1984, but unfortunately was unable to secure sponsorship, However, 'Swallow Racing' offered Tim a few races in their Reynard FF2000 car. Swallow Racing was run by Tim Stakes who was boss of Rugby Finance  Tim competed in fourteen races in Europe and Britain, and won five races and took three seconds places. Due to these successes 'Swallow Racing' confirmed that they would sponsor Tim for a full season in the 1985 Marlboro British  F3 championship'. The team will be running the new Reynard F3 car with three new Volkswagen engines.

1985 Formula 3. Feb Pre-season report.PDF I visited Tim at the Reynard factory as he was helping to build up the car he would use, and I also spoke to Adrian Reynard who was the first constructor to introduce a Carbon Fibre chassis into F3. Reynard had assistance from the government and Ciba Giga to develop the production process which has since become standard practice. However Tim missed the first 'Official' pre-season practice after damaging his car after a heavy crash in an un-official test at Goodwood! In the first race at Thruxton, Tim was leading the race but ran off track as a shower of rain caught him out on the high speed section of the circuit, handing the lead and the race to his Swallow team-mate Andy Wallace! However the pattern was set with Tim leading races but unable to break his F3 duck and take a well deserved win. Some of the problems were later traced to the Reynard's fragile rear anti-roll bar mounts. (See photo left)

1985_early_rounds_cuttings   March 1985 Western Mail_cutting

On the championships 2nd visit to Thruxton, Tim once again took the lead only to loose it to Wallace after Tim was blocked by a backmarker! Tim closed back up quickly and hit the back to Wallace's' car in the Thruxton chicane, (whether Wallace missed a gear or decided to give Tim a brake test is not know). Tim carried on with a damaged nose-cone and came under pressure from Russell Spence (a red headed Yorkshireman with whom Tim had a few clashes). Spence tried a move up the inside on Tims' car & then protested Tims driving! Tim was fined £50 by the organsiers but kept his 2nd place. -Wallace won and was heard to comment to Tim at the end of the race, 'Are we team-mates or not!' which was a slightly naive comment, as Wallace had not held back when Tim was held up whilst in the lead earlier in the race. 1985_later_rounds cuttings. However halfway through the season Swallow Racing gave Tim & Andy an ultimatum that they had to find more money or loose the drive! Wallace was able to find extra money from his sponsors, one of whom was BPCC (run the notorious Robert Maxwell who was later revealed as a fraudster).

Tims usual backers were unwilling to support him within Swallow, and he left the team. Later Tim re-appeared at the British Grand Prix supporting race with a   car run by Richard Dutton Racing. Adrian Reynard, who felt he could not support Tim directly, had been able to direct him towards a sponsor who had bought a Reynard and fitted it with an Alfa engine, prior to its' export to America. Tim had backing from Autowindscreens and  Swallow Finance who were bitter business rivals of Rugby Finance (and I believe there was also something personal)!

1985 Grand Prix F3 race cutting

Famously after a few drinks in the BRDC Clubhouse, Tims former team boss Tim Stakes bet Richard Dutton £200 that Andy Wallace would finish in front of Tim in the race. In the event Tim finished 6th and Wallace was only 14th, so Stakes was forced to hand a big bunch of fivers to a smiling Richard Dutton. Race Results

(N.B In modern times Richard Dutton via his Fortec team has provided cars for new young Welsh drivers Seb Morris & Matt Parry)

Tim's second race in the car at Donington Park resulted in a moral victory, as he started on the front row & was in a commanding lead and looked set to win the race. However a brief, light rain shower crossed the track, and with all the cars on slick tyres, the organsiers panicked & red flagged the race to allow all the cars to change to wets. However by the time that had been done, the track was completely dry! Tims' gearbox failed on the re-start so he was robbed of  his first F3 win! Tim scored some worthwhile points at Snetterton but he suffered a engine blow up at the next round at Oulton Park, but he had done a lot to show that the Alfa engine was a competitive unit! 1985_final_rounds cuttings

Tim completed the season with backing from Brian Holmes Autowindscreens & Welsh company Self-Lock. However, amidst all the confusion within the Reynard running teams re breakages, the rival Ralt team who had been well off the early pace, found a solution to their problems and Brazilian Mauricio Guglemin driving a Ralt RT30, went on to overhaul the early season points leader Russell Spence, to win the 1985 Marlboro British  F3 championship!" Silverstone poster  1985 final round_programme.  1985 F3 Season reveiw http://www.oldracingcars.com/f3/uk/1985/

1986 Terropol. For 1987 Tim linked up with genial Derby based Anglo/Italian slot machine king Guido Basile, under the Terropol banner. In a complete contrast to the small factory units used by Penistone & Swallow, the Terropol workshop was located in a vacant shop in a back street in Derby, where the cars were prepared behind the shops plate glass window! Reynard were late in producing their 1986 F3 Chassis, so Tim frustrated at waiting, along with many others, went for the Ralt chassis. Tim scored well with several 4 & 5th places and highlight was 3rd in the non-championship, Cellnet sponsored, British Grand Prix race at Brands Hatch. Reports 1986 Early Races Early races 2 August_Western_Mail

 Later in year Tim was subject to a major article in the respected monthly Motor Sport magazine!

(N.B Andy Wallace was the only driver to gamble on waiting for the new Reynard chassis. The gamble paid off and he won the 1986 championship)

Tim also competed a one-off race in the inaugural Birmingham F3000 Superprix race held on the city centre streets on August Bank Holiday, in a Colin Bennett March. Tim had backing from Selflock, the Cwmbran company who had installed the manhole covers over the course!

After a dry practice, (Tim was 23rd fastest out of 35 starters)  the race was washed out as the remains of  Hurricane Charley crossed the Atlantic and lashed the course! 1986 Brum SuperPrix report Results  http://8w.forix.com/bsp-86race.html

The race was stopped after 24 laps; Tim spun out early on and can be seen exiting the car after 1 min 49 seconds of the Utube movie of the race!

1987 Swallow Racings F3 car.  For 1987 Tim found himself at a loose end. 'I knew that Tim Stakes was trying to develop his own Formula 3 car, and as I needed a drive I phoned him up and said 'Why don't we let bygones be bygones' Tim did a tremendous job of trying to develop the car but it was in vain!  1987 press cuttings  April 1987 Western Mail cutting  July Western Mail cutting 3rd July Carmarthen Journal  17th July C Journal   August Carmathen Journal  

Eventually Tim decided to head back to Lampeter and set up a petrol station & car sales garage which is still open today, and does good business. Although he did mention he might have set up as a team manager, he concentrated on building the business, but re-emerged in 2013 in Classic Saloon Car Racing against his friends from the 1980s' Richard Dutton and Neil Brown