Le Mans on a Shoestring

Harper J Sutton was born in North West London, and from an early age it was clear he had a natural talent for art, particularly portraiture. His interest in motorsport started at the age of 7, when he was taken on many visits to Crystal Palace by his father, in the days when it was a motor racing track run by London County Council. After taking a scholarship in advanced Art GCE, and a Diploma in Graphic Design and Typography, Harper joined the advertising business as an art director, working mainly on automotive accounts for the likes of Ford, Mercedes, Lotus and Jaguar. During this period of 30 years he both raced and built racing cars as a hobby, gaining an International Competitions Licence. He went to Le Mans at least ten times, sometimes for business, but mostly for pleasure. Unfortunately he never drove there, although he had the qualifications, but not the opportunity. The situations and experiences he encountered there helped in writing his novel, Le Mans on a Shoestring. On occasion, Harper J has been distracted away from his key subjects, having first set up a skiffle group in the mid 50's and later a rock and blues band, in which he was the lead singer, guitarist, and blues harp player. But that is another story ...