The very first Formula Ford race ran at Brands Hatch on Sunday July 12, 1967. Only 13 cars started the race, won by Ray Allen in a Lotus 51. Just eight months later cars from twelve different manufacturers joined the grid for the Formula Ford race supporting the March 1968 F1 Race of Champions.

Interest in the formula grew explosively. It offered fast, competitive, and above all, low cost racing unmatched by any other class. During the seventies and eighties it is estimated that over 150 firms between them built more than 8,000 cars. Over 30,000 people around the world have competed in them.

The 'invention' of the formula is attributed to two people, Geoff Clarke, the boss of the Brands Hatch based 'Motor Racing Stables' racing school, and John Webb, then the Managing Director of Brands Hatch and other racing circuits. Clarke had been using Formula 3 cars in his school and found them uneconomic. Expensive, highly stressed racing engines kept blowing up and racing tyres were expensive.

He hit upon the idea of putting a standard Ford Cortina engine in to a Formula 3 chassis and fitting it with steel wheels and road tyres. The car was very quick, reliable and cheap to run.

Together Clarke and Webb realised that, rather than just being a school car, this could be the basis for a cheap 'working man's' formula. Their ambition was to limit the price of these cars to £1,000.

Clarke pursued the idea and persuaded Henry Taylor, Ford's Competition Manager, to provide a good deal on Cortina engines. Clarke contracted Lotus to build him a chassis. His racing school competitor at Snetterton, Jim Russell did a deal with Alexis. Interest in the formula grew rapidly. With financial and moral assistance from Ford Public Affairs Director Walter Hayes, journalist and racing driver Nick Brittan created the 'Formula Ford Register'. This popularised the formula, co-ordinated race dates, established full rules and regulations and helped car builders and drivers.

Through a registration system, there was even a hire purchase scheme to make cars even more affordable. Cars were advertised for the mouth-watering price of £995. The number of races and the size of race entries boomed.

Brittan soon found that demand for such a formula existed in other countries. With an 'International Register' he took British competitors in to Europe. Growth was as rapid as in the UK. By 1972 there were national championships in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Brazil, Canada, Australia and the USA. Already three future world champions had cut their teeth in Formula Ford.