Rod Nuckey

Rodney Nuckey was born June 1929 in Wood Green, London and lived near South Mimms, to the north of London. He ran the family engineering firm in Enfield, Nuckey, Scott & Co.

He started racing in Formula 3 with a Norton engined Cooper during in 1952 and continued through to 1954. Rod was one of the most travelled drivers, racing regularly in Finland, France Germany and Sweden. He won at at Falkenberg and Skarpnäck in Sweden, in both 52 and 53. He competed under the banner of Ecurie Puckey with Norman Pugh

For 1953, he purchased a Cooper-Bristol for the Formula 2 season. He won the  Coronation Trophy at Snetterton and at Tampere in Finland. Finished third in the Syracuse GP and fourth in the London Trophy at Crystal Palace. He continued to campaign the car in 1954 in Formula Libre events as well as driving the Ecurie Richmond Cooper Mk VIII.

In 1954 he won the Libre race in Helsinki and came second at Snetterton, literally loosing his shirt in the process. It caught in the wind and he crossed the line naked for the waist up. Though he was second he was actually three laps down on Peter Collins. After marrying sometime in 1955 he stopped racing and later moved to Australia in the early '60s then to the Philippines where he re-married.. Rodney Nuckey died in June 2000.

Skarpnäck, September 1953. Rodney gets some unwelcome attention from an Effyh. Incredibly, he went on to win.

Rod Nuckey's Formula 3 results, in various Coopers,  include:

1952

Falkenberg, 20th July 1952, 1st,

Skarpnäck, 24th September 1952, 1st,

Silverstone, 11th October 1952, 3rd,

Brands Hatch, 12th October 1952, 3rd in Heat and 4th in Senior Race Final.

 

1953

Brands Hatch, 7th April 1953, 3rd in the Easter 25, 1st in the Easter Handicap, 1st in Heat 1 for the Easter Open,

Avus, 12th July 1953, 2nd,

Snetterton, 27th June 1953, 2nd,

Falkenberg, 19th July 1953, 1st,

Skarpnäck, 12th September 1953, 1st,

Goodwood, 26th September 1953, 5th,

Brands Hatch, 4th October 1953, 2nd in Heat and 4th in the Open Challenge Final,

Silverstone, 10th October 1953, 1st.

1954

Goodwood, 19th April 1954, 6th in the Earl of March Trophy,

Helsinki, 9th May 1954, 2nd,

Vaxjo, 16th May 1954, 1st in Heat and 1st in Final,

Aintree, 29th May 1954, 4th,

Bressuire, 27th June 1954, 1st,

Montauban, 4th July 1954, 2nd,

Falkenberg, 11th July 1954, 1st,

Davidstow, 2nd August 1954, 1st,

Chieti, 29th August 1954, 2nd.

In the Cooper Bristol

Our thanks to Mervyn Scott for the wedding photo.