Frank McClain - Texan Racer
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:15 am
Frank McClain, one of the most colourful and universally popular characters on the Morgan Racing scene in the early 1980s, sadly died peacefully on Saturday morning.
Frank, a native Texan, came over to Europe with his wife Linda courtesy of the US military. When he got to Germany he caught the train to England with a bundle of cash in his pocket and realised a lifelong dream – to buy a Plus 4. He wangled a posting to England and competition beckoned; we all listened in trepidation as Mary Lindsay recounted a letter from the American telling how he was coming to race the Morgan.
Gentle, quietly spoken, with a wicked sense of humour and a sparkle in his eye, he turned out to be very un-American apart from his boasts in the bar of his competition prowess. With his loyal supporter Linda at his side he set about abusing the Plus 4 in the best way possible. He was an early and constant member of Bob Northover’s ‘Hammer an Old Nail !’ crew Hillclimbing and Sprinting alongside his burgeoning circuit Racing career. He completely immersed himself in the English way of life living off-base, filling the house with antiques and proudly proclaiming that as the tenant of a Crown Property “the Queen is my landlady !”
Frank was friends with everybody he met and those of us fortunate enough to know him certainly never forgot him even though he returned to the USA in 1984 after just a few years in England.
Nicola and I were lucky enough to catch up with Frank and Linda a few times at their modest ranch (Frank called it Hardscrabble due to the two inches of topsoil before you hit solid rock) in Texas. We visited at Christmas just a few weeks ago and were shocked to find Frank ill and very weak fighting off a recently diagnosed very aggressive cancer. He lit up when we arrived asking about all the folks back home (you know who you are) and talking about getting back behind the wheel of his beloved Plus 4.
Sadly it was not to be and he slipped away at the weekend with Linda at his side. Our thoughts and feelings are with Linda and his children Jeff and Alison – if I have half as much fun as Frank had in his life I will feel very lucky indeed.
Please feel free to post any memories or pictures you have of dearest Frank McClain.
Andy
Frank with the +4 taking advice from Mary Lindsay (partly hidden) at Bentley Drivers in 1982
Frank, a native Texan, came over to Europe with his wife Linda courtesy of the US military. When he got to Germany he caught the train to England with a bundle of cash in his pocket and realised a lifelong dream – to buy a Plus 4. He wangled a posting to England and competition beckoned; we all listened in trepidation as Mary Lindsay recounted a letter from the American telling how he was coming to race the Morgan.
Gentle, quietly spoken, with a wicked sense of humour and a sparkle in his eye, he turned out to be very un-American apart from his boasts in the bar of his competition prowess. With his loyal supporter Linda at his side he set about abusing the Plus 4 in the best way possible. He was an early and constant member of Bob Northover’s ‘Hammer an Old Nail !’ crew Hillclimbing and Sprinting alongside his burgeoning circuit Racing career. He completely immersed himself in the English way of life living off-base, filling the house with antiques and proudly proclaiming that as the tenant of a Crown Property “the Queen is my landlady !”
Frank was friends with everybody he met and those of us fortunate enough to know him certainly never forgot him even though he returned to the USA in 1984 after just a few years in England.
Nicola and I were lucky enough to catch up with Frank and Linda a few times at their modest ranch (Frank called it Hardscrabble due to the two inches of topsoil before you hit solid rock) in Texas. We visited at Christmas just a few weeks ago and were shocked to find Frank ill and very weak fighting off a recently diagnosed very aggressive cancer. He lit up when we arrived asking about all the folks back home (you know who you are) and talking about getting back behind the wheel of his beloved Plus 4.
Sadly it was not to be and he slipped away at the weekend with Linda at his side. Our thoughts and feelings are with Linda and his children Jeff and Alison – if I have half as much fun as Frank had in his life I will feel very lucky indeed.
Please feel free to post any memories or pictures you have of dearest Frank McClain.
Andy
Frank with the +4 taking advice from Mary Lindsay (partly hidden) at Bentley Drivers in 1982
