John Brian Naylor (24 March 1923 – 8 August 1989) was a British racing driver from England. He was born in Salford and died in Marbella, Spain.
He participated in 7 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 3 August 1958. He scored no championship points. Info from Wiki
Info by Hans Hulsebos
Brian Naylor served with distinction in the Merchant Navy during WW II before becoming a motor dealer in Stockport, Cheshire. Early in his career he enjoyed some success at local level with a sports car built by his mechanic Fred Wilkinson and dubbed the JBW. In 1957 he decided to try his hand with a F2 Cooper and in 1959 Wilkinson built a Maserati-engined F1 car, based on the Cooper. The JBW-Maserati failed to qualify for the Oulton Park Gold Cup in September 1959 but reappeared at the start of the 1960 season. Naylor raced this in the International Trophy and then travelled down to Monaco although he failed to qualify the car for the GP.
He was not seen again until the British GP in July but then became a regular part of the F1 scene and even turned up for the United States GP in Riverside, California. It was never very competitive. In 1961 Naylor raced in occasional F1 and Intercontinental Formula races but then decided in the mid-season that they needed to switch from Maserati to Coventry Climax power. The result was a more competitive package and Naylor finished ninth in the Gold Cup, his best result in a Formula 1 race.
At the end of the year he retired from the sport and went back to the car business. Later he retired to Marbella and ran a café for some time before dying in a boating accident in 1989.
Another often mentioned fact on Naylor is that he was the first European driver to compete in NASCAR (Daytona 500 1961). Haven’t checked on that, maybe someone who is more into NASCAR as I am can have a look at that fact?
PENN PORTRAITS of PERSONALITIES – Autosport V13 N25 21st December 1956 P813 Penn Portrait of Brian Naylor
No. 3-BRIAN NAYLOR
Born in 1923, Brian Naylor did not start his motor sporting career until 1954, long after the second world war, during which he served as a chief radio officer in the Merchant Navy, being torpedoed
on four occasions and waning the American Silver Star for gallantry.
For his first season’s racing, Brian choose a 500cc Cooper-Norton, in which took firsts at Brands Hatch and Silverstone club meetings, and a second at a National 100-mile event. Other cars he drove during 1954 were an M.G. TD, which took handicap firsts at Snetterton and Silverstone, and a Cooper-M.G., which gained seven firsts at club events.
For 1955, the Naylor stable consisted of a Lotus-M.G., the ex-Coombs Lotus-Connaught and a Porsche 1500 Super. With these, Brian had some 13 firsts and three seconds on British circuits.
Having gained some first-rate experience by racing every week-end, Naylor decided that he was fit for something a little faster, and bought a 150S sports-racing Maserati. Although this car took four firsts at Charterhall and Silverstone, it was obviously unsuitable. Firstly, it was far too heavy (14 cwts.), and its roadholding left a lot to be desired. On the credit side was a superb engine, and a beautiful gearbox, made by Maserati under Porsche license.
The answer seemed to be a compromise. A Lotus Mk. XI chassis was purchased, and after extensive modification,
Brian and his untiring racing mechanic, Fred Wilkinson, managed io insert the Maserati engine and gearbox. Following a period of oil pump trouble, and the constant breaking of half-shafts due to too much torque, the car was taken to Oulton Park for testing. Finally, it lapped in under two minutes—a very satisfactory result.
Since then the Lotus-Maserati has had no real trouble, except for the brakes, which are just not up to the power developed—reputedly 140 b.h.p. at 7,500 r.p.m., with a total weight of 10-1/4 cwts.
In 1956, the combination of Brian Naylor and the Lotus-Maserati took 27 firsts on British circuits and a class win in the Leinster Trophy. At Imola, he was up with Castellotti, Musso and the rest of them for 36 laps, when the brakes departed, and he finished the season with a class second to Musso, and an overall fourth in the Rome Grand Prix.
Brian’s most amusing incident was at the Curragh in the 1954 Wakefield Trophy. When leaving the village, his car suddenly went as though jet propelled. The road being narrow, Duncan Hamilton, in a hurry, was giving him a push unlil he could find a place to pass! On the other hand, his most disappointing moment was at Oulton Park where, having made fastest lap in practice and gaining the pole position against Chapman, Moss, Hawthorn and Salvadori, he made a bad start and broke a half-shaft at Esso Bend on the first lap.
Brian Naylor is married, with a daughter of seven, and is managing director of some six companies, all connected with the motor trade. His hobbies are skiing and flying, and at one time he owned a Miles Gemini for private air transport. For ground transport, a Porsche and an XK 140 hardtop are favoured. His favorite circuit is Oulton Park, and for 1957 an F2 Cooper is on order. Also being debated is a 2-litre engine and gearbox for the Lotus, while a custom and import license for a Maserati engine and gearbox has been obtained.
Brian’s future plans include a great deal more Continental racing, mainly because of the great spirit of comradeship found among the English contingent.
His ambition is to get as far as possible in the racing world, and eventually to drive a Grand Prix car, but only when he himself thinks he is ready for it.
Francis Penn.
