CLASSIC AMERICAN PEOPLE William Edgar
It can be very difficult to follow in the footsteps of a famous father or mother. Do you try and emulate what they did in their chosen field or tread your own path? Or maybe a bit of both? William Edgar, or Will to his friends, had a considerably wealthy, high-profile father who was both influential and instrumental in 1950s American sportscar racing. John Edgar was a mover and shaker who lived and breathed motorsport and, thanks largely to his family inheritance and being a savvy investor, was able to indulge his passion. He bought the best sports cars that money could buy, mainly Ferraris, which in turn attracted the hottest up-and-coming driving talent of the day, including Carroll Shelby, Jack McAfee, Richie Ginther, Masten Gregory, Lance Reventlow and many more. There were no sponsors and very little in the way of prize money, so it was an enthusiast-led branch of motorsport.
Of course, John was not the only wealthy race-team owner. There were plenty of others to play with, and they raced throughout America and also in exotic places including Cuba, Hawaii, the Bahamas and the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. The top end of the sports car paddock was awash with money, and also champagne and hard liquor, as these team owners partied as seriously as their drivers raced. It was in this environment that Will was brought up and it hooked him deep. He modestly says he didn’t have the talent to race himself or the desire to run a race team, but most of
