Steve McQueen: Actor or Racer? Brands Hatch

Intro Steve's first car Steve's Husky and several trophies Click on the event to get the juice... Events 1. Santa Barbara (1959) 2. Del Mar (1959) 3. Willow Springs (1959) 4. Laguna Seca (1959) 5. Brands Hatch (1962) 6. Cotati (1962) 7. Four Aces Moose Run (1962) 8. Sebring (1962) 9. Del Mar (1962) 10. Santa Barbara (1962) 11. Greenhorn Enduro (1963) 12. Hi Vista (1964) 13. International Six Day Trials (1964) 14. Stardust 7-11 (1968) 15. Ascot (1969) 16. Baja 1000 (1969) 17. Holtville (1970) 18. Phoenix (1970) 19. Lake Elsinore (1970) 20. Sebring (1970)	Brands Hatch - 1962
	While in England filming The War Lover, Steve met up with his friend, motor car racing legend Stirling Moss. Steve had very few heroes, and Stirling was one of them. During their time together in England that year Sterling taught Steve some advanced skills in motor car racing, and also encouraged Steve to compete at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent (15 miles from London).
	Vic Elford, John Whitmore, Christabel Carlisle and Steve on the podium at Brands Hatch raceway - Steve took 3rd. Photo courtesy of Christophe Morin	In one race, driving the same Mini Cooper that Sir John Whitmore has just won the British Saloon car championship in, he took a respectable third place behind Christabel Carlisle and Vic Elford. In another event, again driving a Mini Cooper, Steve did not fare so well. It was a wet track, and the Cooper's brakes locked coming out of a fast turn, throwing the car sideways off the track. A sporting writer described the incident:
	As he hurtled downhill, off the road, McQueen did a superb job of propelling the Cooper between a series of poles and metal signs that could have demolished it. He controlled his slide until the final instant, looped, and slammed the car at an angle into a dirt embankment. The Cooper snapped around like a top, whirling and bouncing, but miraculously did not turn over.