It is with a sad heart that I'm writing, to tell you all of the passing of
Maurice "Topper" Chasse' today.
Some of you may have never met the man, some only by reputation, some may have
known him only in passing, and to others he may have been as dear a friend as
he was to me.
Topper was one of my driving instructor's when I first joined Porsche Owners
Club way back in 1965. WOW.... over forty years ago now. At age 17 he was like
a 'father figure' to me. He was very competitive; a 'hard charger', and at the
same time not only a friend but someone who would stop whatever he was doing,
regardless of its importance and help you or offer advice. He was gracious
enough to offer constructive criticism even if doing so corrected a fault that
made you faster than he was. That was Topper: in every imagineable way the
true definition of a Sportsman.
In 1967 circumstances saw me enlisting in the Army and I was away from racing
for three years. After the military committment was completed other
'challenges' that we all encounter took me away from racing until another dear
friend (thank you Dean Watts) gave Lynne and I pit passes to the 1999 Wine
Country Classic at Sears Point. Once again the competitive 'flame' was ignited
and I returned to racing; not in a Porsche but a Sunbeam Alpine.
Advance the clock to October, 2001, and the HSR-West "Fall Formula Festival"
at Willow Springs. I had raced with HSR-West a few times before this but
Willow being my "alma mater" racetrack Lynne and I pulled the Alpine down
there to 'see if it had changed any in thirty seven years!'. It was Sunday
afternoon and I'm walking around the pits, and who do I run into(??) TOPPER!
Our 'visit' was cut short because I needed to suit up for the small bore
production race, but it was sure great to encounter one of my "mentor's" from
the early days.
I was later to learn of some of Topper's feats in racing; to learn that he had
driven virtually everything with "the engine in back and cooled by air", and
not only as an amateur driver but professionally.
While we never competed against one another again (he Still drove Porsches and
I moved from the Alpine into a Lotus 61 formula Ford in 2002) he drove the
pace car and started me "innumerable times". I'll never forget how Topper
would come down the pre-grid and tell us that he was giving us a FAST warmup,
but when he made the "form on me" sign he wanted a "TIGHT PACK"!! And Topper
would do that, too! His 'warmup laps' were faster than some folks' race laps!
However, when you saw the green flag not only your tires but your brakes were
as close to operating temperature as he/you could make them.
I was further blessed to co-instruct the last three HSR-West driving schools
with Topper. Even being an instructor I listened to every word he had to say:
the man was a Meistro. The last school we taught was at Thunder Hill earlier
this year. Topper was looking forward to this school because he had never
driven there. He and I went out for a few 'familiarization' laps: he in his
Mini and I in the Lotus. It wasn't long before I was "hard pressed" to keep up
with him: he was that good!
Now Topper is amongst the greatest: and if I know him, he's already fitting
himself for a new helmet and driving suit.
While not a "Gurney", or "Clark", or "Schumacher", the racing world will
indeed miss Topper. Speed being a perception rather than a reality, I must
rate Topper as one of the best. And to the "Chief Steward" upstairs I have but
one piece of advise..... watch out for him..... he'll get ya in the apex just
when your not watching!!
God's Speed, Topper........
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