The Chequered is Flying – Book Review by Grant Ford

Prior to my rebellious teenage years, every Sunday I was loaded into the family Cortina and endured the trip from home in West London to my grandparents to the North, Finchley to be exact. Via Chiswick High Rd and passing The Chequered Flag sports car dealership with neon sign glowing outside, paint and chrome shining through the glass, it always lit up the journey. The garage was just one part of an amazing story in the book ‘A Chequered Life’, about Graham Warner, a man who really has lived life to the full. A blast as a passenger in a Type 59 Bugatti as a young man unlocked a passion for motorsport, whilst an early career in the RAF in the infancy of jet power allowed Graham to pilot the fastest war birds of the time. The book is easy to read, gently laid out and superbly written by Richard Heseltine; complimented by some very rare and fascinating images through the decades. Aside from his impressive racing career, Warner (eloquently described as a ‘seasoned multi-tasker’) was not just principle of his car dealerships but he also gave the world Gemini race cars. Many young talented drivers were given the opportunity to shine under the Chequered Flag banner and went on to become household names; Jim Clark and Geoff Duke in the early days onto Jackie Stewart and Jackie Ickx to name but a few. This book takes you on a motorsport rollercoaster from sprints and hill climbs to Formula 1 and international rallying, with informed detail from just about every event. Taking in the huge highs and the deep lows of his life, business and racing, this book is both detailed and sympathetic, you get the full story not just the glory. Finally, the man that has seen it all returned to his first love, aviation and put everything on the line to carry out the restoration of a Blenhiem bomber. For those of us with a life less interesting I recommend a large brandy and a comfortable chair when you start this book, you may find you are going to be there a while, unable to put it down. A Chequered Life; Graham Warner and the Chequered Flag by Richard Heseltine. Highly recommended a fascinating read. Veloce Publishing - www.velocebooks.comTags:Classic Car Book