Interview: John Fenning

At the tender age of 15, John Fenning started his racing career competing in small, 500-cc racecars, like many postwar enthusiasts in the UK. Eventually, Fenning worked his way up to factory rides with Lola and Lotus before a devastating road accident topped the trajectory of his driving career. However, a chance encounter with airplane seatbelt pioneer Major “Dumbo” Willans in 1968, set the stage for Fenning and Willans to join forces to begin manufacturing custom-built safety harnesses for racing cars. Forty years later, our Mike Jiggle sat down with Fenning to retrace his fascinating career from racing driver to founding father of the racing harness.

I understand it was your father who first introduced you to motor racing?