The Man in the Lavender Suit | FerrariChat

The Man in the Lavender Suit

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Gary GT, Feb 27, 2011.

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  1. Gary GT

    Gary GT Karting

    Jan 13, 2007
    217
    Reidsville, NC
    Full Name:
    Gary
    #1 Gary GT, Feb 27, 2011
    Through my wife I have recently been introduced to Stacey Hopkins, daughter of the late Tex Hopkins. As many of you on this site will know, Tex Hopkins was for many years the official starter of the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, wearing his trademark lavender colored suit for the event. He was also one of the founding members of the famed "Lavender Hill Mob" that started the Marlboro Motor Raceway in Maryland. My wife and I recently attended a small get together at Stacey's apartment and I was stunned by the multitude of photographs on the walls showing moments from her father's historic career. Photos of Tex with Phil Hill, Mark Donahue, Roger Penske and Sir Jack Brabham! Images of Tex performing his famous leap-in-the-air flag starts at the Glen. Great stuff!! During the evening's conversation concerning her father's involvement in racing I was very surprised to learn that during his life Tex hardly ever spoke to Stacey about his experiences in the sport. Over the years what information and anecdotes about her father's days in racing she has been able to collect have come from the memories shared by other people, gathered mostly during her time as an SCCA corner worker and driver. And that brings me to the reason of my starting this thread. I told Stacey that Ferrarichat was the one place I could think of where there was a chance of gathering stories first hand from people who attended Watkins Glen in it's heyday (and other events) and could post their memories of her father. So, how about it fellow Fchaters? What stories can you tell Stacey about the legendary Tex Hopkins?

    Gary
     
  2. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 BigTex, Mar 1, 2011
    Very nice thought...maybe cross post into F1 for response???

    Lots of Watkins Glen F1 posters surfacing these days on eBay, and on here also!!
     
  3. jj2728

    jj2728 Karting

    Jan 19, 2004
    194
    Ontario
    #3 jj2728, Mar 1, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  4. m.h.

    m.h. Karting

    Mar 14, 2005
    106
    #4 m.h., Mar 2, 2011
    Wasn’t this the suit one of the Fab Four wore on the cover of the Sgt. Pepper album?

    Regards, m. h.
     
  5. Ed_Long

    Ed_Long Formula Junior

    Nov 11, 2003
    686
    Salem, Oregon USA
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    Ed Long
    #5 Ed_Long, Mar 2, 2011
    I drove a tiny Fiat Abarth 1000 at Marlboro in 1968-69. Tex waved me off the standing start grid more than once I believe. It was difficult to see him because my little car was in the slowest class on the grid, so I generally let the clutch out when the drivers in front of me began to move. I remember seeing him with his distinctive lavender jacket. Everybody in DC Region of SCCA had a great deal of respect for him and admired him working the races at the Glen.
    Ed Long
     
  6. Gary GT

    Gary GT Karting

    Jan 13, 2007
    217
    Reidsville, NC
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    Gary
    #6 Gary GT, Mar 4, 2011
    Good idea, I'll cross post to the F1 area. Great photo from the '67 USGP, thanks for sharing! And thanks for your posting Ed! I'm hoping to get permission from Stacey Hopkins to scan some of the photos she has and share them with Ferrarichat. I'm also going to ask her to register here so she can share some of the stories she has about Tex Hopkins.

    Gary
     
  7. lavenderlegacy

    lavenderlegacy Rookie

    Mar 4, 2011
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    Stacey Hopkins
    #7 lavenderlegacy, Mar 4, 2011
    And one I don't have! And in color! Thanks for the nice words, Gary. It's always exciting to hear stories and see photos from Dad's career. I hope there will be more posts on this thread.

    Stacey Hopkins
     
  8. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #8 BigTex, Mar 4, 2011
    Welcome!

    This area of our site is a worldwide Brain Trust of valuable info.....and arcane trivia, as well!

    ...and you GOTTA love a guy named Tex, right????
     
  9. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 BigTex, Mar 4, 2011
    Can you comment on the question above, on the suits origins????
     
  10. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #10 BigTex, Mar 4, 2011
    Add the track name to the Thread Title, maybe......
     
  11. lavenderlegacy

    lavenderlegacy Rookie

    Mar 4, 2011
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    Stacey Hopkins
    #11 lavenderlegacy, Mar 4, 2011
    Well, technically, the Lavender Hill Mob came before the suit. As I've heard it told, Dad and his cronies saw the 1951 Alec Guinness movie "The Lavender Hill Mob" and decided that they had a lot in common with the thieves in the movie. Alec Guinness plays a gold-buillon transporter who decides one day after 20 years on the job that he's going to steal a truckload of it. He melts it down into souvenir Eiffel Tower statues to get the gold out of the country. The DC Region's "Mob" fancied themselves as gold thieves, too--they'd sweep into town with their sportscars, steal all the "gold" (i.e., win all the trophies), and leave with it all right under the noses of the officials. That's where their group's name came from. And from there, shoot...you gotta wear lavender, right? Very early on, Dad wasn't the only one wearing lavender, but as time wore on, he was the last member sporting the color at race events. I donated his last one (there were many) to the International Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen. If you ever find yourself up there, stop in and ask to see it.
     
  12. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
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    #12 BigTex, Mar 4, 2011
    Will do!!!!
     

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