Brian Naylor, centre, and friends in the pit lane for the 1954 RAC TT Race at Dundrod. (Photo Gauld)

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

OK, let’s start with a question. Who was the first British driver to come over and race in the Daytona 500?

Do I hear you say Innes Ireland? Nope, it was not him but a much lesser known but equally characterful driver from Salford, near Manchester, named Brian Naylor. I first met Brian back in 1954 at the RAC Tourist Trophy Race at Dundrod in Ireland. I had managed to get two days leave from the Royal Air Force so took the bus from my base at Dundonald to Dundrod up in the hills behind Belfast. In the pit lane I found this cheerful character chatting up three of the local Belfast girls and so a friendship began; and ended with a telephone call some twenty-seven years later in Bill France’s office at Daytona.