In the roaring spirit of bygone eras of motorsport, we are delighted to kick-start our new blog starting with our very own Les Leston and the charming tale of him and his trusty Riley One-Point-Five – UXD 266.

Rumours circulating about the car's imminent release led Les to acquire a pre-production model Riley One-Point-Five, after retiring from single-seater racing to focus on his flourishing venture, Les Leston Products Ltd. Les’ Riley One-Point-Five was destined for greatness - a saloon car champion, a contender in the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally, as well as being used as a daily runabout, a far cry from the cutting-edge racing machines of today!

Initial struggle into the perfect partnership

Venturing onto the track for the first time in his new Riley, Les faced a challenging transition from nimble sports cars and single-seaters to a saloon car. As he pushed his Riley to its apparent limits, a fellow competitor in an identical Riley glided past him, seemingly like Les was standing still. Les approached the rival, seeking the secret behind such incredible speed and in a show of true sportsmanship the fellow driver revealed that the Riley held far more potential than Les had given it credit for, and with that newfound knowledge, Les soared to instant success, unlocking the true qualities of the Riley!

The Riley debut victory

The historic debut of the Riley One-Point-Five (not just Les') graced Brands Hatch in the second round of the 1958 British Saloon Car Championship, with Harold Grace securing an impressive second in class. The following round witnessed Les Leston himself claim victory at Mallory Park, and further triumphs were to follow at the season's final two rounds.

BSCC Champion

In 1959, Les Leston once more displayed the pairings prowess, capturing the Class B championship with four class wins and a third place, and narrowly missing out on the overall championship victory but for a DNF in the final race when running in position to win.

Over two illustrious years, Les embarked on two Monte Carlo rallies in the same car, once co-driven by a young Paddy Hopkirk, proving the Riley's unwavering durability, even making quick trips to the local shops. A testament to its versatility, the little Riley doubled as a test bed for Les' automotive store's go-faster gadgets, which certainly proved their worth!

Riley One-Point-Five today

With a nostalgic glance at the captivating photos of this Riley in action, one cannot ignore the mesmerizing lean it takes on the curves, paired with those slender tires, which were clearly inflated near to the point of bursting. In the spirit of 1950s motorsport, we celebrate the timeless saga of Les Leston and the Riley One-Point-Five, a saga of triumph, camaraderie, and the essence of a bygone racing era. More to come on this…

Today we have raised a glass to this car by campaigning our own One-Point-Five in the HRDC as we bid to keep history alive!

Written by Ollie and Nick Leston. Thank you for reading.