Lola bade a fond farewell to its current longest serving staff member this week when assembly manager John Church retired after 39 years unbroken service at the Huntingdon based race car constructor. Church, who was 65 earlier this year, began working for Lola Cars in 1970 just as the company had moved from Slough to new premesis on St Peters Hill, Huntingdon. After working for Connaught, Tyrrell and Surtees, Church went to work immediately as part of the assembly team on the Lola T165 Group 7 Can-Am car.

Throughout the next four decades, the quietly spoken Church went on to be a significant member of Eric Broadley’s successful team that produced all time classic designs like the T332 Formula 5000 car, the fearsome T333 and T530 Can-Am cars as well as whole range of race and title winning Indycar/CART cars.

“There were some heady days when we were building hundreds of cars a year,” said Church. “There were more typical structures to the year then. The build season was from early autumn to April, then the summer was fairly quiet but you earned that respite because we were flat out for every day of every week in winter. We even worked Christmas Day on the odd occasion!”

Church, a passionate racing fan was impatient for news of last weekends Petit Le Mans race, the final event of his remarkable tenure at Lola. Although he has many great memories of yesteryear, John was always one for the present and was proud to have seen modern classics such as the Lola MG LMP675 sports car, 2002-2006 Champ Car title winner and the present LMP Coupes passing through the workshops that he managed.

As for his favourites, John was pushed to choose just one!

“I was very fond of both Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt. I was lucky to work with both them and they were real pros. Very different characters but real racers and tremendously quick. Cars wise I loved the 80’s and 90’s Indycars, especially the T800 that won the title in 1984 with Mario and Newman Haas.”

Lola Executive Chairman, Martin Birrane had presented John with a specially signed Mario Andretti Lola T800 print while Lola Managing Director, Robin Brundle acknowledged his dedication and loyalty by remarking:

“Your hard work and professionalism have been truly outstanding and we wish you all the best in a happy and healthy retirement.”

Finally it was John’s long-time colleagues David Scotney and Andrew Lindsay who presented John with leaving gifts, including a specially numbered Peterborough United football shirt that reflected both his favourite team and the number of year’s service at Lola.

January 1970:
Prime Minister: Harold Wilson.
No 1 record: Edison Lighthouse - "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)".
England football manager: Sir Alf Ramsey.
Peterborough United are 12th in League Division 4.
First planning meetings take place for Thames Flood barrier.
Lola move in to new premesis on St Peter’s Hill, Huntingdon after previously being based in Slough.

All pictures Jakob Ebrey.


Left to Right: Vince Goodridge (Lola 1985-present), Bob Marston (1969-1980), Terry Hadley (1966-2003), Laurie Bray (1963-1998), Mike Blanchet (1976-1998), Martyn Pratt (1978-present), David Scotney (1978-present), Andrew Lindsay (1981-present), Greg Wrzesinski (Haas Autos (1979-present), John Church (1970-2009), Sam Burrows (1976-2006), Chris Pratt (1984-present), John Bedrikovs (1971-present).



John Church is congratuated by Sam Smith.