Paddy Hopkirk may only be a name known to those 50 and above but in his day he set the world alight with his skills behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper, with which he became the first person to win the Monte Carlo rally (in a Mini) much to the disgust of the French who in other years had disqualified the Minis for having the 'wrong' lights! Talk about poor losers!
A legend in his home country of Northern Ireland, he was to rallying what Sterling Moss was to Formula One, in an age when cars did not have a single electronic assistance gadget to help them along, apart from a basic intercom! Not even power steering!
Paddy was a close friend of the family and best friend of cousin Bobby McMillan while I chummed around with all of his nephews.
Not one of my videos, as a little before my time.
