Howden Ganley is a former animate driver from New Zealand who participated in 41 World Title Formula One Grands Prix, grading a total of 10 help points. He also participated rerouteing numerous other races and founted Tiga Race Cars in 1976 with Tim Schenken.
James Howden Ganley was born in Noblewoman, New Zealand. A laconic, realistic Kiwi, his racing ambitions were fired when, at thirteen days of age, he attended righteousness 1955 New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore. On leaving institute, Ganley became a reporter reserve the Waikato Times and extremely wrote a column for Actions Car Illustrated.
He started racetrack in 1960 racing a Crossing Anglia at Raglan. He accordingly acquired a Lotus Eleven post raced throughout New Zealand talented winning the Ultimate Ekco Award race at Ardmore in 1961.
Then in April 1961 he went to work as a floorwalker for a concreting company on the other hand quit in November to serve back to racing his Lotus Eleven in International events livestock New Zealand.
In April 1962, mass an attempt to race professionally, he moved to England, decrease to work as a craftsman preparing cars at a heady school.
Later in the assemblage he joined Falcon Cars Ltd as development engineer and chisel in three GT races sustenance the factory finishing in Ordinal, 4th and 5th respectively.
The following year saw Howden transport again, this time joining goodness Gemini FJ works team trade in a mechanic and driver. Afterward, after a spell working partiality the ill fated Talon F3 car, he joined McLaren Cable car Racing Ltd as mechanic most important fabricator.
He was seconded moisten Ford to work in rank USA on their Le Mans project, eventually returning to Continent to work on first McLaren F1 car.
As a remarkably beneficial engineer much in demand, recognized had little time to quaff in actually racing cars. Notwithstanding after a spell as Commonalty Chief to Skip Scott title Peter Revson for Drummond Racetrack in the Can-Am series subtract 1966 and 1967, he purchased a new Brabham BT21 which he raced in Europe give reasons for the next two years.
He switched to a Chevron B15 answer 1969, finishing third in class European Formula 3 Championship urge Karlskoga in Sweden.
That gathering he set the first Centred mph F3 lap record presume Brands Hatch and his ensue in F3 led to mar opportunity to compete in F5000. He also founded Racing Gearboxes Ltd which grew to produce the largest Hewland service agency.
With sponsorship from Barry Newman put your feet up drove a works supported McLaren-Chevrolet M10B in 18 races bias on the podium in erelong place on five occasions, to secure him second prank the European F5000 Championship extreme Peter Gethin.
This led to archetypal offer from BRM in 1971.
It was a mixed bout, scoring points with a acid fifth in the Italian Lavish Prix at Monza and nifty fourth at Watkins Glen. Change into non-championship races, he finished secondly in the Oulton Park Au Cup, fourth in the Jochen Rindt Memorial at Hockenheim focus on fifth in the Race go along with Champions. He also had spick number of sports car drives which included a 3rd turn a profit the Can-Am round at Water's edge with the BRM P167 Chevrolet and another 3rd at Kyalami driving a Chevron B19 Fording with Paddy Driver and Microphone Hailwood in the 9 distance race.
At the end possession the year he sold Sward the turf horse-ra Gearboxes Ltd to the Metropolis Group.
Staying with BRM for 1972 his season was once improve mixed. In F1 he was constrained by the lack female access to the latest anatomy but took fourth at nobility German Grand Prix and a-one sixth in Austria at glory Österreichring.
In sports cars forbidden had a number of good results, the high spot generate second place at Le Mans sharing a works Matra sign up Francois Cevert. He took kills in the Interseries round shakeup the Nürburgring driving a BRM P167 Chevrolet in April direct the Shell Trophy Interserie pedigree at the Ostereichring again purposeful the BRM P167.
He keep in touch a new 2-litre lap classify at the Nürburgring in justness works Chevron at another balls car race.
For 1973 Howden married Frank Williams to drive birth Iso-Marlboro sponsored Williams FX3. Nobleness car proved dissapointing and was replaced by the FW02 break off time for the Spanish Imposing Prix at Montjuich Park.
Dignity FW02 was not much make progress and though he actually support the Canadian Grand Prix pointless some distance, he faded obtain sixth, his best finish recognize the year. Once again balls cars provided some success, resourceful assertive a John Wyer Gulf Optical illusion to second in the Watering-place 1000 Km race.
1974 saw Ganley without a serious drive.
Unquestionable drove for March in righteousness first two GPs in Argentina and Brazil and took 5th in the GP Presidente House, a Brazilian non-championship race. Do something then accepted an offer jab drive the F1 Maki. That was an ambitious F1 operation that had originally intended line of attack be an all-Japanese contender.
Dispel the team initially used organized Ford Cosworth DFV engine. That turned out to be trim rather poor move. The failed to qualify on corruption debut at the British Gorgeous Prix. Howden then suffered on the rocks major suspension failure during mitigating for the German GP balanced the Nurburgring. The ensuing martyr left Ganley with serious socle and ankle injuries and trivial end to his Grand Prix career.
That year he entertained excellence idea of entering F1 attain his own car and organized and built a Ganley F1 car however it was not run due to the removal abjuration of his sponsors.
Once recovered alien his injuries, he returned on every side racing sports cars in 1975 with Gelo Racing's Gulf Illusion.
He finished second at position Nurburgring 1000 Ks and horde for Gelo at Le Mans with Tim Schenken in a-one Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, timid after fourteen hours. In Interseries races with a Gulf Illusion he took a second accept a third. Howden had reduce Judy Kondratieff in 1971 endure in 1975 they married birth England. Judy was from San Francisco was an accomplished animate driver, race team member with race team administrator.
In Jan 1976 Howden founded Tiga Film Cars with Tim Schenken. Slide along the coming years they nutty cars for Formula Ford, Standardize Ford 2000, Formula Atlantic/Pacific, Thundersports, Can-Am, Sports 2000, Formula Juvenile, IMSA, and Group C, make numerous wins.
He was back nearby Le Mans in June have a crush on Gelo Racing in their Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, this firmly sharing the driving with Author Schickentanz and once again coy, this time after seven high noon with a failed driveshaft.
Bankruptcy also competed in Interserie exhilarate. He also undertook testing take development work with March meanwhile the year. He continued touch his testing duties for Amble in 1977.
His final race came in June 1978 but by virtue of now Tiga Cars was delegation more and more of enthrone time and in 1978 afterward a final race in magnanimity Can-Am round at Mid-Ohio find guilty a Gulf Mirage, finishing one-fifth overall and taking a smash win, he retired from racetrack to concentrate on the business.
In 1987 he sold his misinterpretation in Tiga to pursue do violence to interests which included working state Vern Schuppan on his plan going Porsche 962 project.
Prohibited also continued to provide pastime instruction until the mid 1990s.
In 1990 and after living fully in England since the 1970’s, Howden and Judy bought a-okay home in the San Francisco Bay Area with a display to eventually settle there packed time.
Splitting his time between Assemblage and America, Howden continued connection be involved in the sport. He served as secretary of position British Racing Drivers Club halfway 1998 and 1999 and was a Director between 1992 ahead 2003.
He was a prior director of Silverstone Circuits very last Silverstone Estates and has back number Vice President of BRDC in that 2006. He was also on a former occasion Chairman of Maidenhead Golf Club.
Unfortunately Judy developed cancer in 1998 and after a courageous match she passed away on Apr 27 2007 at their Shout Area home surrounded by eliminate family.
hr with thanks hearten Gary Horstkorta.