Other Racing Events Involving Radio London

King of Stocks
Brands Hatch, Sept 25th 1966

In December 2020, Tony Blackburn posted the photo on the left on Facebook featuring himself with TW and Kenny Everett. Tony was unsure of the date and venue.

Alan Field believes that it is most likely to have been taken at the King of Stocks racing event at Brands Hatch on 25th September 1966. Brian Long's book 'The London Sound' lists Tony B, Tony Windsor and Kenny as three of the DJs in attendance on that occasion.

Mike Barraclough subsequently found an advert that appeared in the King of Stocks programme. The advert's 'Radio London "Pop" Programme listing names no DJs appearing in the 'Top of the Pops Disc Jockey Parade', but Richard Swainson confirms below that Kenny Everett was there, as he was obliged to take Kenny's place in the 'Pop Star Raleigh Bicycle Race'. Participants included members of Manfred Mann and the Fortunes.

Sadly, the NME did not report who won the cycle race and didn't name the competitor between Mike d'Abo and Andy Brown, but Jon Myer of the Pirate Radio Hall of Fame spotted a familiar face and asked, "Is that Richard Swainson? Richard confirmed that it was him - and he didn't win.

"As you say, not quite the right clothes for a bike race. It was meant to have been Kenny (in the race), but he ducked out, so it was left to me to fill the gap. It does look a little strange, but that was Big L for you!"

Bands on the bill were the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Episode Six and the Symbols. Quite what a circus aerial act had in common with a Radio London pop event, we don't know, apart from the word 'aerial'!

(Clipping from Mark Roman's archive.)

'Stars Race'
Spedeworth Stock Car Meeting
Foxhall Stadium, Ipswich July 16th 1967

By July 16th 1967, Tony Blackburn had officially left Radio London, but like many other former Big L DJs, he continued to make personal onshore appearances on behalf of the station. He competed with Marshall Mike Lennox, Cardboard Shoes and Stewpot, in a 'Stars Race' at the Ipswich Stadium Spedeworth Stock Car meeting. Stewpot's race ended badly, as shown by the photos above. 'Star' competition was provided by Jeff Beck, John Walker and other celebs of the day, but Tony was the winner!

Newspaper clippings from the Ipswich Star, June 26 2007, courtesy of Brian Nichols of the Felixstowe and Offshore Radio Facebook Page