How a Racing Loophole Made Tom Walkinshaw a Legend
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Concept
24-hour race
The 24-hour race is a long car race where drivers race for a full day and night. The goal is to drive the most distance in that time, making it a test of speed and endurance.
Car
Jaguar Xjr
The Jaguar XJR-9 LMS is a famous race car from Jaguar. It raced in endurance events and is recognized for its unique look and speed on the track.
Term
V12
A V12 is a type of engine with twelve cylinders that helps cars produce a lot of power and run very smoothly. It's often used in fast and expensive cars.
Concept
checkered flag
The checkered flag is a special flag used in racing to show that the race is over. When drivers see it, they know they can stop racing.
Term
gearbox failure
Gearbox failure means that the part of the car that helps change gears isn't working properly. This can make it hard for the car to move or drive well.
Brand
MG
MG is a car brand from Britain that makes cars, including electric ones. They used to be famous for sports cars, and now they're making smaller, more affordable cars that run on electricity.
Car
Lotus Formula Ford
The Lotus Formula Ford is a small racing car made by Lotus. It's designed for beginners to learn how to race and is known for being fun to drive.
Concept
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a type of racing that uses small, fast cars. It's a popular way for new drivers to start racing and learn important skills.
Term
FF1600 title
The FF1600 title is a racing championship for small cars with 1600cc engines. Winning it means a driver is very skilled and has done well in races.
Car
Hawk
Hawk makes racing cars, especially for the Formula Ford series. These cars are built to be fast and help drivers compete in races.
Term
single-seater racing
Single-seater racing means that each car only has one seat for the driver. These cars are built for speed and are used in many professional racing competitions.
Concept
British Formula 3 Championship
The British Formula 3 Championship is a racing series in the UK where drivers compete in small, fast cars. It's known for helping new drivers get noticed and move up to bigger racing leagues like Formula 1.
Car
March F3
The March F3 is a type of race car used in Formula 3 racing. It's designed to be very light and fast, helping drivers compete at high levels in racing events.
Concept
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was a type of car racing that used very powerful cars with big engines. It was popular in the 1970s and helped drivers gain experience for higher-level racing.
Concept
Formula 2
Formula 2 is a type of car racing that uses fast, open-wheel cars. It's often where new drivers compete to get noticed and possibly move up to the more famous Formula 1 racing.
Car
Ford Escorts
The Ford Escort is a small car that was used in racing, especially in rally events. It became well-known for being fast and handling well on rough roads.
Car
Ford Capri
The Ford Capri is a sporty car that was made in the past. It was known for looking good and being fun to drive, especially in racing events.
Concept
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a racing series in the UK where regular cars are modified to race against each other on tracks. It's very popular and exciting to watch.
Car
Bmw 30
The BMW 3.0 CSL is a special racing version of a BMW car from the 1970s. It's known for being light and fast, making it popular in races.
Car
BMW 3.0 CSL
Company
TWWR
TWWR stands for Tom Walkinshaw Racing, a team that helped car manufacturers build and race their cars. They were known for their success in racing.
Concept
touring car racing
Touring car racing involves regular cars that have been modified to race on tracks. It's a popular form of motorsport where manufacturers can show how fast their cars can go.
Car
Mazda Rx7
The Mazda RX-7 is a type of sports car that uses a unique engine design called a rotary engine. It's known for being light and fast, making it popular in racing.
Concept
SPA 24-hour
The SPA 24-hour is a famous car race that lasts for 24 hours at a track in Belgium. Cars race continuously, and it's a test of how well they can perform over a long time.
Term
rotary engine
A rotary engine is a type of engine that works differently from regular engines. Instead of pistons moving up and down, it has a spinning design that makes it lighter and more powerful for its size.
Car
Rover 3500 Vitesse
The Rover 3500 Vitesse is a sportier version of a car made by Rover. It has a powerful engine and was designed to be both fun to drive and practical for everyday use.
Car
Jaguar Xjs
The Jaguar XJ-S is a classy car that was made for a long time, and it's designed to be comfortable and stylish. It's a good choice for people who want a nice car to drive on long trips.
Term
BTCC
BTCC is a racing series in Britain where cars that are based on regular cars compete against each other. It's exciting to watch because the cars are fast and the drivers are skilled.
Term
European Touring Car Championship
The European Touring Car Championship is a racing series in Europe where different types of cars compete on tracks. It's a way for car makers to show how good their cars are in races.
Car
Audi Rs4S
Car
Audi A3
The Audi A3 is a small, fancy car that feels nice to drive and has a lot of cool features inside. People like it because it's comfortable for everyday use but also fun to take on winding roads.
Car
Jaguar XJR15
The Jaguar XJR15 is a super-fast car that was made in small numbers and is based on a race car. It's special because it's very light and powerful, making it a favorite among car collectors.
Car
Jaguar XJ220
The Jaguar XJ220 is a really fast and beautiful sports car that was made in the 1990s. It's famous for being one of the fastest cars ever and is loved by car enthusiasts for its unique look and speed.
LIVE
What's up everybody? It's time for Tom
Walkenshaw, a name that we have
mentioned and a bit of story we've told
in previous episodes, but now Tom is
getting his whole episode his own
episode. Today we are going to learn
about some of the crazy cars that he was
behind. Some of the rule bending that he
was behind as well. Every great racer,
every great team leader in motorsport
[music] has probably bent the rules and
not got caught. Well, Tom did get caught
a couple times. Led to some controversy,
as they say, [music] across the pond.
This is a good episode. Cool episode. A
lot of cool Jags, a lot of cool Holdens.
Yeah. Let's get right into it.
Lemon, June of 1988. For the past 7
years, Porsche had held tight to the
checkered flag at the legendary 24-hour
race, but a Scotsman minus the kilt had
announced that he was prepared to loosen
the German grip on victory. This year,
as the sun set over the circuit dear, a
gaggle of racers led by Tom Walkenshaw
sitting behind the wheel of a halfozen
wells sorted Jaguar XJR 9 LMS were ready
to make that happen. Lap after lap, the
iconic silk cut sponsored purple and
yellow Jag streak through the field and
scream down the legendary Molsson
Straight. Its monstrous 7 L V12 echoing
across the fields [music] beyond the
track. Yan Lamers, one-third of the
triumphant crew, was deep into his final
agonizing stint. The checkered flag just
within grasp. A few hours earlier, he'd
overheard teammate Raul Bosell
recounting a gearbox failure. Lamers
could feel the transmission shaking a
bit, [music] and those same ominous
sounds described were starting to creep
up from below his seat. He knew what was
coming, but decided to go all in and
hope the gearbox held out. Every
potential shift of the lever was a
gamble. every corner a high stakes wager
against mechanical failure. But the Jag,
a masterpiece of engineering
meticulously prepared by Tom Walkenshaw,
[music]
had been the fastest car on the track
all day long. By lap six, Lamers was in
the lead. As dawn broke, the beast of a
Jag had stolen the checkered flag from
Porsche, shattering a seven-year dynasty
and putting Tom Walkshaw's name in the
spotlight. It was a victory forged in
engineering brilliance, driver tenacity,
and Wakenshaw's unyielding will to win.
A moment that perfectly encapsulated the
man and his empire. How did a young
Scottish farmer claw his way to F1 team
ownership? How did a fairly unknown
racer get picked up by Ford? And why did
Jaguar trust a team owner facing a
massive controversy with the relaunch of
their racing ambitions? We're going to
find out today on Pass Gas. It's Tom
Walkenshaw.
>> [music]
>> Hello everybody. Welcome back to the
show. My name is Nolan Sykes. I'm joined
this week by Bart Biddlinger across the
table from you.
>> Hi. Thanks for having me. Happy to be
here.
>> You're welcome, Bart. Tom Walkenshaw, a
name that I think has come up many times
on the show so far. I thought
>> Feels like we've done an episode on him
because mentioned so much.
>> Yeah. I don't know. We've mentioned him
so many times. Tom Walken Shaw. Um, I'm
just surprised we haven't done one on
him yet, but here we are. It's finally
the day and we're going to make it
happen here. Joe still out on paternity
leave at his baby is doing well. His his
both his babies. His baby boys.
>> His little baby boys are doing well.
>> Baby boys.
>> Yeah.
>> And I know they bounced cuz I dropped
one.
>> Oh, you did? [laughter]
Um, so we are still anxiously awaiting
Joe's return, which should be pretty
soon, I think. Couple more weeks.
>> Mon. So, next one. Yeah, one more week
when you guys hear this. Uh, he'll be
back. So, looking forward to that.
>> Joe, uh, Joe Nolan, your your teeth, I'm
noticing, are very white.
>> Are they?
>> Do you whiten them?
>> No.
>> Never?
>> Are you serious?
>> Look at those chompers. Are you using a
new toothpaste?
>> I am using a new What are you using?
>> It like some Colgate stuff. It's like
really gritty, though. Okay.
>> Red tube
>> I maybe it's like a blue paste. It's
super
>> I think red red tube's something else.
[laughter]
>> It Yeah, it's [snorts]
uh But thank you. Thank you.
>> Yeah. No, great. Let me know what it is
cuz I I'll
>> It works, man.
>> Yeah, I'll send I'll I'll try to
remember. Okay. Send toothpaste to send
toothpaste.
>> Just a just a just the name of it.
>> Okay. Uh yeah, send you a [laughter]
whole case of it. Um thank you. Yeah. Uh
I I I need to floss more. I wouldn't say
that before I noticed they were brown or
anything.
>> Yeah. [laughter]
>> I'm just noticing that that that uh
they're they're quite a bright white
now. So
>> that's good for you.
>> Wow. We should send this to maybe get a
a sponsorship.
>> All right.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Thank to God. Well, I'll start using it.
>> Yeah. We'll all just be blinding each
other with our teeth. [laughter]
>> We'll be right back after these
messages.
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>> All right, let's get into the story of
one Tom Walkenshaw. Tom Walkenshaw's
story begins not alongside the gleaming
chrome of a race shop or the roar of a
Grand Prix circuit, but in the mock and
grit of his family farm near oh. Oh boy.
Near [laughter] Pennyquick.
>> Okay.
>> In Midlotheian, Scotland. I'm sure uh I
did not pronounce either of those in the
native tongue.
>> Born to a family of market farmers on
August 14th, 1946. As a kid, he was
thrown into the demands and unrelenting
hard work and long hours that farmers
faced in Scotland in the 1940s. This
demanding upbringing was the origin
story for his tenacity, and it instilled
in young Tom a nononsense attitude and
an extraordinary work ethic that defined
his career. in our travels for the big
trip. We've driven through a lot of like
very rural like agricultural areas and
always has me thinking like that's a
tough life, you know, getting up working
in at the farm every morning. But I also
think about there's times you'd be
driving through somewhere and be like,
what was this like in the 50s, in the
40s when there were no or not no modern
conveniences, but like much less of them
at least.
>> Sure.
>> Different different kind of life
altogether,
>> you Well, I'm glad you're developing
empathy finally.
>> Yeah, finally. Finally there. Tom knew
early that there were no shortcuts and
that he couldn't expect favors and that
even in a family business, there was an
expectation to deliver on your promises.
This attitude permeated his passion for
racing. When he got a bit older, he
drove hundreds of miles from his
Scottish home to race circuits in
England on the weekends, pushing the
limits of his endurance, only to be back
on the farm, ready for work at first
light on Monday morning.
>> That's crazy. It's like training. Going
to the race is training for endurance
racing.
>> Interesting.
>> Yeah.
>> Walken Shaw began his racing journey in
1968, taking baby steps in an MG
into the racing world.
>> I almost wore my MG shirt today.
>> Oh, dang.
>> That would that would have been
something, but I didn't. I worked I
worked out in it. Oh,
>> so I had to Nice.
>> If you can picture that, I took it off.
>> It's interesting when you go down to
like San Diego and also Mexico and see a
bunch of little EV hatchbacks with the
MG logo on them.
>> Yeah. Uh, weird. Uh, it's weird, dude.
That's weird. So, it didn't take long
for Walking Shaw to jump to the more
competitive Lotus Formula Ford car. And
by 1969, Tom's innate talent was
undeniable. He secured the Scottish
FF1600 title at the wheel of a hawk. A
remarkably swift ascent that showcased
his raw speed and skill. It must have
been riding all the tractors on the
farm. During the early 1970s, Wakenshaw
was trying to make a name for himself in
the cutthroat world of singleseater
racing. He moved to the British Formula
3 Championship with Lotus and later
joined the March Works team. It was
during this period that he faced his
first tragedy, a crash at Brans Hatch
where he launched his March F3 car off
the track and into the paddic, breaking
his ankles and his fibula. This
significant injury couldn't keep the
stocky Scotsman at home, though. He
continued to drive in various classes,
including Formula 5000 and Formula 2,
demonstrating a gritty determination
that quickly became his trademark. Tom's
stocky build and aggressive driving
style had him looking more like Shrek on
a donkey than the typical finesse
possessed by other singleseat racers
like Sterling Moss. Maybe it was his
Scottish upbringing, but he ignored the
celebrity and fashionable aspects of
racing and focused on the actual racing.
It was during those early days of the
70s that Vakenshaw began to realize his
almost instinctual ability to perform
test and development work at the track.
It was a hard one skill he shrewly began
to market to privateeers, charging daily
fees to handle their racing saloons. So
he's basically like not a consultant,
but like his side his gig is is testing
cars.
>> Yeah.
>> For teams and making them better. This
marked a pivotal shift which laid the
foundation for his own future empire.
The 1973 fuel crisis essentially ended
his single seating racing ambitions
while inadvertently opening a new door
at Ford. Walkenshaw took a gig doing all
the sorting for Ford Escorts, which were
starting to make a name for themselves
on the rally circuit. In 1974, Ford had
gotten Wakenshaw under contract to race
their Capri on the British Touring Car
Championship circuit. And he did exactly
as everyone expected. He dominated the
class so hard that his only rational
choice from there was to launch his own
racing team.
Sometimes you got to do it. It's the
only logical choice. Bart,
>> I told you I could do it. I'm gonna go
do it.
>> By 1976, Wenshaw made a decisive pivot
in his career away from working under
the thumb of manufacturers. Recognizing
his greater potential beyond merely
being a driver, he built Tom Wenshaw
Racing on an industrial estate in
Kidlington near Oxford, England. But
this was no ordinary racing team. When I
went to London, I liked London, but how
charming everything is really got to me
really quickly. I don't know why.
>> As like an annoyance
>> as it kind of annoyed [laughter] me.
Yeah. Everything had a really cute name.
All the towns were very char It was just
like It's too much. It was too much.
>> Okay.
>> Maybe it was the neighborhood that I was
located in. It was like near this giant
park with a bunch of like I think like
Zenia had a house near there. Maybe it
was like
>> Okay.
>> You know, kind of uh upper crust, you
know? Got it. [sighs] So, Walkenshaw
Racing would be no ordinary racing team.
Walkenshaw launched it with a manifesto
to create a comprehensive group
dedicating to the quote manufacturer and
design of racing and road cars. This
strategic transition from driver to
entrepreneurial powerhouse leveraged his
growing engineering skills and his
competitive drive to build a completely
holistic motorsport and auto design
firm. Their first client was BMW who
delivered the BMW 3.0 CSL to the
Walkenshaw shop so that they could tweak
and modify it for racing teams. That's a
huge get for a new company. That car
>> that's like they call that like the
Batwing or something like that. Right.
Yeah. Very very cool car. Although he
transitioned to be the boss man,
Walkenshaw was still an intimidating
presence behind the wheel. He co-drove a
Hermatite sponsored BMW 3.5 CSL with
John Fitzpatrick to a dramatic victory
at the Silverstone 6 hours in 1976,
winning by a mere 1.3 seconds. This
early success immediately showcased
TWWR's capabilities and proved that
Walkenshaw could wear mechanics gloves
just as easily as he could strap on
racing gloves. The company's reputation
for meticulous preparation and sorting
race cars for teams continued to grow
and attract the eager eyeballs of major
manufacturers. Tom was known for being
quote very picky, demanding perfection
in every detail and the big wigs like
that a lot. Perfectionism often a trait
of someone having ADHD
>> I believe hyperfixation, right?
>> Sure.
>> Something I
>> I learned later on in life. Anyway, the
>> such a perfectionist, I never finish
anything.
>> Exact. Well, that's part of it.
>> I know.
>> Yeah.
>> This uncompromising approach to quality
and performance became a hallmark of
TWWR's operations, laying the groundwork
for its unique ability to develop,
build, and race cars for manufacturers.
This was hard to find, but sought out
extensively at this time. TWWR quickly
became a dominant force in touring car
racing and demonstrated its engineering
prowess and strategic skills. Mazda
recognized TWWR's abilities and got
Walken Shaw on the horn where they
signed a contract with his outfit to
head up its works program in the British
Touring Car Championship or BTCC. This
partnership led to back-to-back titles
for Win Percy in the TWWR developed RX7
in 1980 and 81. Walkenshaw himself added
a SPA 24-hour victory in 1981 with the
rotary powered coupe, proving its
endurance capabilities and TWWR's
ability to extract maximum performance
over long distances while keeping the
rotary motor spinning.
>> That's cool. Did you see this year at
the car week?
They ran a bunch of the RX7. So
>> that's cool. The success continued with
British land as TWWR prepared the Jaguar
XJS and Rover 3500 Vatess for both BTCC
and the European Touring Car
Championship. The 1983 British Saloon
Car Championships became a defining
moment for TWWR's reputation. The TWWR
prepped Rover 3500 Vatessas with Steve
Soaper, Jeff Alum, and Pete Lovevet at
the wheel were insanely dominant,
winning all 11 races in the season's
calendar. Good lord. So initially
clinched the title, appearing to secure
a clean sweep for the team. Yet the
victory was short-lived. Following a
protest by XTWR driver Frank Sitner, now
at BMW, a protracted legal battle ensued
and it kept Team Walkenshaw embroiled in
a legal battle for the rest of the 1983
season. That sucks.
>> That does suck. In July of 1984, Lord
Hartley Shaw Cross delivered a damning
verdict. He ruled that all of the Rover
SD1s were disqualified due to quote
bodywork irregularities and engine
installation issues, including
nonhomologation engine components and
quote inwardly widened rear arches to
accommodate wider tires. So, they're
erasing the rule book a little too hard,
it sounds like. And when that happens,
that means [snorts] you're cheating.
>> Here you go.
>> We'll be right back after these
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back to the show.
Controversy ensued and Andy Rouse was
handed the title by the courts. Rover,
insensed by what they perceived as
inconsistent scrutinering, withdrew from
the series as a works entity entirely.
The incident cast Wenshaw's aggressive
approach to rule interpretation in a
very harsh light. Tom was willing to
push the rules to the very edge of the
boundaries and a bit beyond using his
own aggressive ideas about what they
truly meant, even if that could result
in a giant DQ. This whole FKA gave some
manufacturers pause because they thought
his idea of what was what could put
their millions and millions of British
pound sterling straight into a wood
chipper if another ruling like Lord Shaw
Cross's name came down the pipeline.
Tom's willingness to win at any cost,
including bending the rules past the
breaking point, was a pattern that would
reoccur throughout his career. And while
that may work in the startup world,
where companies can play fast and loose
with investor money, car builders didn't
like the sound of money being flushed
down the toilet, especially in the
mid80s when the money wasn't there to
flush.
>> Move fast and break things.
>> Yeah, move fast, break things. Ignore
regulations.
[laughter]
destroy in uh industries.
>> Kill them all and let God sort them out.
[laughter]
>> Shoot first.
>> Shoot first and that's it.
>> That's it.
>> Do not ask any questions or you'll
regret it.
>> The string of successes with Rover and
Mazda coupled with Tom's notoriety
gained from the Rover controversy
solidified TWWR's reputation as
>> No such thing as bad publicity.
>> Yeah, it solidified TWWR's reputation as
a team that could quote, "Make slow cars
win races if you're willing to take
risks." This growing prestige caught the
discerning eye of one John Eaggan, the
ambitious chairman of Jaguar. After
Jaguar's privatization in 1984,
>> Jaguar Jaguar Jaguar Jag. After Jag's
privatization in 1984, Egan was
determined to put the storied mark back
on the map. Now that he no longer had
shareholders to answer to, Walkenshaw
was the perfect man to walk Team Jaguar
right over the finish line. The stage
was set for a strategic partnership that
would redefine both companies. TWWR's
relationship with Jaguar officially
began in 1982 with the successful entry
of the Jaguar XJS into the European
Touring Car Championship. 2 years later
in 1984, Watkins piloted the XJS to the
ETCC title. This initial collaboration
laid the groundwork for what would
become TWWR's most successful
partnership and iconic era, Jaguar's
return to global endurance racing. Yeah.
Wa. Interesting. Look at this thing.
That's cool.
>> Oh yeah.
>> I can't imagine that thing going around
a racetrack. Seems like a big old land
yacht. Team Walkenshaw's success in
touring cars demonstrated their
capability to deliver wins, which made
them the perfect partner for Jag's
ambitious group C plans, which at the
time was the pinnacle class in prototype
racing. This would be the biggest
challenge that TWWR had ever faced, and
it required a monumental leap in
engineering sophistication alongside a
strategic vision for global dominance.
The visionary Walkenshaw understood that
success at this level demanded the best
minds in the business. And he quickly
assembled a super band of engineering
badasses like Tony Southgate, who
designed the revolutionary XJR cars from
a blank sheet of paper and one Ross
Braun, an absolute Formula 1 legend. We
actually talked about Braun GP in an
episode a few years ago. That whole
thing, uh, they won a F1 championship
with Jensen Button.
>> Mhm. [clears throat] Yeah. This infusion
of top tier talent and a commitment to
applying Formula 1 level technology to
sports car racing was a gamecher.
Wakenshaw's team made their Group C
debut in 1985 with a carbon fiber
chassis and a highly tuned V12 stuffed
into a vehicle known as the Jaguar XJR6.
This car showed immediate promise,
leading the opening laps of its first
race. A clear sign of the intense power
and aerodynamic efficiency that was to
come. Oh yeah, look at this thing.
Yep.
>> It's cool.
>> I think I
>> Yep.
>> You recognize it once you look. You're
like, "Oh, yeah. I've seen that. I
remember this car."
>> That's neat. Very green. Love that,
dude. It's so cool.
>> Yeah.
>> Five-spoke wheels in the front and
four-spoke in the back.
>> Hell yeah, brother.
>> Cool.
>> The immense investment and relentless
effort poured into the Group C program
paid off spectacularly. TWWR Jaguar cars
achieved outright victories in the World
Sports Car Championship in 1987,88
and 1991. The XJR8 secured the WSCC
Teams Championship in 1987, followed by
the iconic XJR9 in 1988, which also
clinched the prestigious 24 hours of
Lemon. Oh yeah. So, this is the purple
and yellow one. Purple, white, yellow
with a covered rear wheel.
>> Yep.
>> Yep. XJR9, baby. That thing's so cool.
This 1988 victory with the Yan Llmers,
Andy Wallace, and Johnny Dumpries crew
was monumental. We've talked about
Johnny Dumpries before. Oh, good old
Johnny Dumps.
[laughter]
Johnny Dum Dumpries. This was the first
Leal win for Jaguar since 1957, which
shamed Porsche when their 7-year winning
streak was shattered. Martin Brundle,
driving for TWWR Jaguar, also secured
the WSCC drivers championship in 1988,
further cementing the team's absolute
dominance. Two years later, the XJR12, a
derivative of the XJR9, returned to Lama
to claim victory again in 1990, securing
TWWR's place in endurance racing lore.
Beyond the hollowed grounds of Lama,
TWWR Jaguar also triumphed at the
Daytona 24 hours, both in 1988 and 1990.
It was win after win after win for team
Walkenshaw. Even after Jaguars's
official withdrawal from WSCC due to
rule changes, TWWR continued to win at
Lama in 1996 and 97 with the Porsche
powered WSC95. It's a open top Porsche
car. Cool. Pretty neat. This proved that
TWWR could cross the finish line first
in cars made by different folks.
>> We'll be right back after these
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>> The unparalleled success on the track
led to ambitious plans for the road.
TWWR and Jaguar formalized their
partnership in 1988, creating a 50/50
joint venture aptly named Jaguar Sport.
Initially, Jaguar Sport focused on
building tuned versions of Jaguar road
cars such as the XJRS Coupe and XJR
Saloon, benefiting directly from TWWR's
extensive racing experience in European
touring cars. This collaboration created
two exclusive sports cars from the
allnew facility in Buxom, the racerived
XJR-15 and the ultimate hypercar, one of
my favorites ever, the XJ220.
The XJR-15 developed in 1991 was a
500,000
uh British pound sterling fully roadleal
car based directly on the Leal winning
XJR9 chassis. It featured a slightly
smaller but highly tuned 6 L V12
producing a whopping 450 ponies which at
the time was a lot. At the time
>> it's a big
>> that's a that's a big
>> engine. Yeah. At the time, the big
three's best pony cars were cresting
just 200 horsepower, and the poster
worthy Ferrari Tessterosa was pushing
only 385. Okay, I think I've seen this
before.
This guy.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah, it's it's funny that it's not a
more [clears throat] known car. That
should be a poster car.
>> Yeah,
>> it really wasn't at that time.
>> I think it got overshadowed by the
eventual XJ220.
>> Mhm. The XJ220 proved to be a bit more
controversial. Originally conceived as a
V12 all-wheel drive concept car at the
1988 British Motor Show, TWWR was tasked
with translating this bold vision into
reality. In the interest of performance,
weight savings, and financial viability,
TWWR made significant and frowned upon
changes, most notably switching to a
twin turbo 3 and 1/2 L V6 derived from
the MG Metro 6R4 group B rally car and
giving the car rearwheel drive. Well,
dude, that Metro 6R4 is not to be
trifled with. That thing is a badass.
>> Yeah, the Geometro 6R.
[laughter]
This decision, driven by emissions
regulations and packaging concerns, led
to buyer dissatisfaction and even some
ambitious lawsuits by super fans of the
brand, especially as the car launched
into a global recession. Despite the
controversy, as they say over there, the
XJ220 was briefly the fastest production
car in the world in 1992 when it hit 213
mph a few months before the Bugatti EB10
put the Jag back in the paddic, back to
pasture, maybe.
I don't know.
>> I mean, either one.
>> Either one.
>> Out to pasture.
>> Out to pasture.
>> Back in the paddic.
>> Either way, it's not racing.
>> Tom, you
>> carry this horse metaphor.
>> Yes. Tom Walkenshaw's long-held ambition
to conquer Formula 1 was palpable. In
1991, he made his move and acquired a
35% stake in the Bennington F1 squad and
joined as engineering director. This
controversial period proved to be a
pivotal chapter in his career.
Walkenshaw was instrumental in the
recruitment of a young German named
Michael Schumacher who had been quite
impressive during his sports car racing
days. Under Wakenshaw's engineering
leadership, Benitin went on to achieve
unprecedented success culminating in
Michael Schumacher winning the 1994
Formula 1 World Championship. Not bad.
Pretty cool.
>> Is that year one?
>> Uh in ' 91 he acquired it. 3 years later
they won 94.
>> 94. However, this period of triumph was
not without its problems. During the 94
season, the Benitin team faced intense
scrutiny for suspected technical
shenanigans, including the potential use
of banned electronic aids and
unauthorized modifications to refueling
apparatuses.
>> Is that old race in the rule book again?
>> Yeah. The racing overlords found illegal
software in the Benitans, but the FIA
had no evidence of its use during races,
so there was no punishment for
Walkmanshaw at the time. This incident
brought some sour reminders of the 1983
Rover controversy and led to a
subsequent falling out with Benitin team
principal Flavio Briator. But while the
Benitin door closed, Walkenshaw tore
open a new door he'd been staring at for
a long time labeled full F1 team
ownership. There you go.
>> Yep. Why don't you just open that? If
the door's there, it's labeled.
>> I would simply open the door. It wasn't
until 1996 that Walkenshaw finally
achieved his ambition of full F1 team
ownership, purchasing a majority stake
in the Arrows F1 team, which was then
known as footwork. To signal his serious
intent and prove that he quote meant
business, he pulled off a major coup for
the 1997 season. He signed reigning
world champion Damon Hill to his squad
and the season began with a bizarre and
controversial disqualification for both
Arrows cars at the Australian Grand Prix
after they stalled on the starting grid.
An ominous sign of the unreliability
that was about to plague the team.
Despite persistent engine struggles with
their Yamaha V10s, which were
notoriously unreliable, a moment of
tantalizing glory arrived at the 1997
Hungarian Grand Prix. Hill starting
third sensationally passed Wenshaw's old
friend Michael Schumacher and took the
lead holding it comfortably until just
two laps in the finish when a rubber
seal in the hydraulic system failed and
he barely clung to second place.
Walkenshaw's dream of F1 glory quickly
unraveled. Arrows continued to struggle
with attracting consistent sponsorship
and building a competitive reliable car.
Financial wos escalated leading to
significant operating losses reaching
5.8 8 million pounds. In 1998 alone, the
team attempted to build its own engines,
but its resources proved insufficient to
compete in modern F1. They should have
just thrown a small block Chevy in
there.
>> Sure.
The situation was compounded
>> fixed F1.
>> Yeah. [laughter]
The situation was compounded by the
bizarre and ultimately disastrous
involvement of Prince Malik Adu Ibrahim,
who was a quote colorful Nigerian
prince.
>> Oh, I got an email from him. who bought
a 25% share in 1999. The prince promised
substantial funding through his quote
Tminus brand which adorned the car for
most of the year. However, he failed to
deliver on his promises and the Tminus
brand generated quote absolutely no
money with Arrow's employees stating it
was quote simply a dream in the prince's
head. Morgan Grenfell, another investor,
had to cover the losses with long-term
loans to keep the team afloat. The cars
became increasingly slow and unreliable,
battling with traditional back marketers
like Minardi. By 2002, the financial
strain proved too much. The Arrows team
ran out of money and was forced into
liquidation. As TWWR was the major
shareholder of Arrows, the immense costs
resulting from the F1 team's failure
triggered the demise of Wakenshaw's
entire racing group, which was placed
into bankruptcy.
>> Dang, dude. I can't really imagine what
it's like to go through this whole
process. So in less than 10 years or
around 10 years
>> like buying a share in a team it you
know you guys win but like under
questionable circumstances that's
already putting you on some shaky
ground. Then buying a team
>> sounds like firing a lot of people.
>> Then getting a very mysterious investor
who turns out to be a fraud.
>> Yeah.
>> Stuff is not going well at the track.
Like got to be super offkilter during
all this man. That's
>> the second time you said kilt. I'm
sorry. [snorts] It's on my mind. Uh,
man, that's tough.
>> Yeah.
>> While Tom's [clears throat] global
empire crumbled under the weight of F1
ambitions, Wenshaw's influence on
Australian motorsport remained
remarkably resilient, a testament to his
long-term vision and deep ties to the
market. His involvement began in 1984
with an early trip to Baurst, bringing
mobilebacked rovers to compete in group
A racing. He returned in 1985 with three
V12 Jaguar XJS race cars, securing an
outright victory at Mount Panorama with
John Goss and Army Han. This early
success laid the groundwork for a much
deeper and enduring relationship. The
enduring partnership with Holden, which
began back in 1987, led to the
establishment of Holden Special Vehicles
or HSV as a joint venture, effectively
replacing the controversial Holden
dealer team. HSV specialized in
modifying and producing sportier
versions of Holden's cars for domestic
and export sales. Okay, this is
>> Yeah, I think we This is why I know
Venshaw's name because we talked a lot
about him in I think
>> uh some Aussie racing stuff, but also I
think the GTR episode we mentioned him.
Yeah, we've Okay, the first car
developed by HSV, the VL Commodore SS
Group A SV. Long guys, we got to stop
with these names. designed for group A
touring car racing homologation went on
to win the 1990 Baist 1000. From this
foundation, the iconic Holden Racing
Team or HRT was born in 1990, becoming
Holden's factory-backed outfit and the
most prestigious and successful team in
Australian touring car history. HRT
amassed an incredible seven Baths 1000
victories and six driver championship
wins. Even after TWWR's collapse in the
UK in 2002, the Australian arm of the
business was sold to Holden. Walkenshaw
maintained a complicated relationship
with HRT, eventually reacquiring full
control of the team in 2008. His
relentless desire for success continued
with the supercar team eventually
reemerging as Walkenshaw and Dread
United, continuing the powerful legacy
Walkshaw Racing had built in Australia.
This enduring success in Australia
proved a crucial lifeline and positive
reminder that demonstrated Wenshaw's
ability to build lasting impactful
ventures even amidst global setbacks.
Tom Walkenshaw was a man of stark
contrasts, a towering figure who
inspired both fierce loyalty and sharp
criticism throughout his illustrious yet
often tumultuous career. Those who
worked closely with him often described
him as a tough nut or a ruthless man who
quote pushed boundaries and ruffled
feathers. He was notorious for his
aggressive negotiating style, often
getting precisely what he wanted and
possessing the uncanny knack of
convincing others that his desires were
in fact their own. Yet this demanding
exterior masked a profound ability to
inspire others. He was widely lauded as
a motivator and an inspiring leader. His
relentless drive to win. His innate
racers instinct was infectious,
inspiring those around him to achieve
milestones that seemed impossible to
others. Tom Walkenshaw passed in 2010 at
the age of 64, leaving behind a complex,
indelible mark on motorsport and the
broader automotive world. He was a
trailblazer, a lateral thinker, and
above all, a winner whose influence
continues to resonate through the sport
he loved. a testament to a life lived at
full throttle. And that is the story of
Tom Watenshaw. Cool. Yeah. So, it's the
Australian uh thread.
>> Mhm. It [clears throat] it was pretty
cool that all of that was still going
on. So, by the time everything collapsed
in F1, he was like, you know what?
>> Yeah. [snorts]
I'm just going to go chill.
>> Yeah.
>> Chill with the Aussies.
>> Wow. Yeah. I mean, I again, I didn't
really I wasn't familiar with all the
>> like British touring car stuff,
>> right?
>> That's why I thought he was Australian
this whole when you started reading he's
Scottish. Oh crap.
>> Um
probably didn't pay attention to those
earlier episodes. Probably could have
picked up on that.
>> Maybe maybe we just didn't say it. Maybe
we just mentioned his name and what he
developed.
>> Yeah, I just assumed.
>> All right. Uh thank you guys so much for
listening. Big thanks to our crew,
Audrey, Mark, and Edgar behind the
camera and our writer this week, Jacob
Dejarlay. You can follow Bart at
Bidsbartto on social media. You can
follow me at NolanJS Sykes. We also have
an Instagram page and YouTube channel
for this show. You can watch our faces
tell the story instead of just listening
to it if you're just listening. You can
find our podcast on every podcast app
out there. Listen at work. Listen on
your drive. Listen while you're doing
the dishes like I do. Uh, okay. So, we
will see you next week. Joe's gonna be
back and he's gonna [music] be even more
fatherlike than ever, I assume.
>> All right.
>> Be more tired than before.
>> Yeah. More tired than ever. Or maybe
this will be maybe his second one's an
easier one,
>> you know? I don't know. We'll see.
>> You never know till you know.
>> Yeah. [music]
>> The thing when you have the second kid,
you you definitely have a number of
moments where it's like, "Ah, How
did I forget about this?
>> This part that sucks." [laughter]
>> Well, can't wait to hear about that.
We'll see you next week. Bye
>> bye.
[music]
[music]
[music]
About this episode
Tom Walkinshaw's journey from a Scottish farmer to a motorsport legend is explored in detail, highlighting his controversial yet impactful career. Known for bending the rules, Walkinshaw led his teams to significant victories, including the iconic Jaguar XJR9's win at Le Mans in 1988, ending Porsche's dominance. The episode dives into his engineering prowess, partnerships with major manufacturers, and the tumultuous rise and fall of his F1 ambitions. Featuring tales of triumph and controversy, this episode paints a vivid picture of a man who left an indelible mark on racing.
Original notes
Thanks to Allstate for sponsoring today’s episode! Click here [https://bit.ly/3VhqAH3] to check Allstate first and see how much you could save on car insurance.
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This episode is also sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PASTGAS and get on your way to being your best self.
This week on Past Gas, we’re diving into the unbelievable life of Tom Walkinshaw — the Scottish farmer-turned-racing powerhouse who built one of motorsport’s greatest empires. Before he became the mastermind behind Jaguar’s return to Le Mans and Holden’s dominance at Bathurst, Walkinshaw was just a tough kid from Midlothian hustling his way up the racing ladder. From controversial disqualifications in the British Touring Car Championship to pushing homologation boundaries with Holden, Walkinshaw earned a reputation as the guy who’d do anything to go faster.
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