17 Jim Clark
Jim Clark was born 04:03:1936, into a Scots farming family, at an early age the family moved to Duns, Berwickshire in the Borders region.
Jim started entering local road rallies and hillclimbs in his sunbeam-Talbot his first competitive event was in 1956. By 1958 he was a member of the Borders Reivers team racing D type Jaguars and Porsche in national events, winning 18 races.
On Boxing Day 1958 he raced a Lotus Elite to second place behind Colin Chapman, the man who would later launch Jimmy to super stardom.
His first appearance in Formula Junior came one year later on Boxing Day 1959 behind the wheel of a Gemini-BMC of the Chequered Flag.
Jim Clark made his F1 Grand Prix debut, part-way through the season, at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on June 6, 1960. "Lotus had lost Surtees, as he had gone to the Isle of Man to do some serious motorcycle racing, so they had Ireland, Stacey and Clark, the last-named being an acceptable substitute." He retired on lap 49 with final drive failure.
His first Drivers' World Championship came driving the Lotus 25 in 1963, winning seven out of the ten races and Lotus its first Constructors' World Championship. That year he also competed in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time, and only the oil on the track from winner Parnelli Jones's car prevented him from winning, as he finished in second position and won Rookie of the Year honours. In 1964 Clark came within just a few laps of retaining his World Championship crown, but just as in 1962, an oil leak from the engine robbed him of the title, this time conceding to John Surtees. Tyre failure damaging the Lotus' suspension put paid to that year's attempt at the Indianapolis 500. He made amends and won the Championship again in 1965 and also the Indianapolis 500 in the Lotus 38 after foregoing a drive in the Monaco Grand Prix due to a clash of dates.
He also drove in the Tasman series in Australasia winning the title in 1965, 1967 and 1968
Lotus did not have a suitable car for the new 3 litre 1966 World Championships and resorted to using a 2 litre Coventry Climax powered Lotus 33. Clarks first points did not come until the British GP followed by a 3rd place in the Dutch GP. From the Italian G.P. they resorted to using the complex BRM H16 engine with which he won the US Grand Prix. He also finished 2nd at Indianapolis behind Graham Hill
During 1967 Lotus and Clark used three completely different cars and engines. The Lotus 43 performed poorly at the opening South African Grand Prix, so Clark used an old Lotus 33 at the following Monaco Grand Prix, retiring with suspension failure. Lotus then began its fruitful association with Ford-Cosworth. Their first car, the Lotus 49 featuring the most successful F1 engine in history, the Ford-Cosworth DFV, won its first race at the Dutch Grand Prix, driven by Clark. He won with it again at the British, United States and Mexican Grands Prix; and, in January 1968, at the South African Grand Prix.
On 7 April 1968, Clark died in a racing accident at the Hockenheimring, in Germany. He was originally slated to drive in the BOAC 1000 km sportscar race at Brands Hatch, but instead chose to drive in the Deutschland Trophäe, a Formula Two race, for Lotus at the Hockenheimring
Clark achieved 33 pole positions and won 25 races from his 72 Grands Prix starts in championship races. He is remembered for his ability to drive and win in all types of cars and series, including a Lotus-Cortina, with which he won the 1964 British Touring Car Championship; IndyCar; NASCAR, driving a Ford Galaxie for the Holman Moody team; Rallying, where he took part in the 1966 RAC Rally of Great Britain in a Lotus Cortina; and sports cars. He competed in the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 1959, 1960 and 1961.
Shot Mallory Park, April 2011 Ref 71-017
Please do not forget to visit the Flag Counter on my Profile page to record a visit from your country.
Thanks .
17 Jim Clark
Jim Clark was born 04:03:1936, into a Scots farming family, at an early age the family moved to Duns, Berwickshire in the Borders region.
Jim started entering local road rallies and hillclimbs in his sunbeam-Talbot his first competitive event was in 1956. By 1958 he was a member of the Borders Reivers team racing D type Jaguars and Porsche in national events, winning 18 races.
On Boxing Day 1958 he raced a Lotus Elite to second place behind Colin Chapman, the man who would later launch Jimmy to super stardom.
His first appearance in Formula Junior came one year later on Boxing Day 1959 behind the wheel of a Gemini-BMC of the Chequered Flag.
Jim Clark made his F1 Grand Prix debut, part-way through the season, at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on June 6, 1960. "Lotus had lost Surtees, as he had gone to the Isle of Man to do some serious motorcycle racing, so they had Ireland, Stacey and Clark, the last-named being an acceptable substitute." He retired on lap 49 with final drive failure.
His first Drivers' World Championship came driving the Lotus 25 in 1963, winning seven out of the ten races and Lotus its first Constructors' World Championship. That year he also competed in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time, and only the oil on the track from winner Parnelli Jones's car prevented him from winning, as he finished in second position and won Rookie of the Year honours. In 1964 Clark came within just a few laps of retaining his World Championship crown, but just as in 1962, an oil leak from the engine robbed him of the title, this time conceding to John Surtees. Tyre failure damaging the Lotus' suspension put paid to that year's attempt at the Indianapolis 500. He made amends and won the Championship again in 1965 and also the Indianapolis 500 in the Lotus 38 after foregoing a drive in the Monaco Grand Prix due to a clash of dates.
He also drove in the Tasman series in Australasia winning the title in 1965, 1967 and 1968
Lotus did not have a suitable car for the new 3 litre 1966 World Championships and resorted to using a 2 litre Coventry Climax powered Lotus 33. Clarks first points did not come until the British GP followed by a 3rd place in the Dutch GP. From the Italian G.P. they resorted to using the complex BRM H16 engine with which he won the US Grand Prix. He also finished 2nd at Indianapolis behind Graham Hill
During 1967 Lotus and Clark used three completely different cars and engines. The Lotus 43 performed poorly at the opening South African Grand Prix, so Clark used an old Lotus 33 at the following Monaco Grand Prix, retiring with suspension failure. Lotus then began its fruitful association with Ford-Cosworth. Their first car, the Lotus 49 featuring the most successful F1 engine in history, the Ford-Cosworth DFV, won its first race at the Dutch Grand Prix, driven by Clark. He won with it again at the British, United States and Mexican Grands Prix; and, in January 1968, at the South African Grand Prix.
On 7 April 1968, Clark died in a racing accident at the Hockenheimring, in Germany. He was originally slated to drive in the BOAC 1000 km sportscar race at Brands Hatch, but instead chose to drive in the Deutschland Trophäe, a Formula Two race, for Lotus at the Hockenheimring
Clark achieved 33 pole positions and won 25 races from his 72 Grands Prix starts in championship races. He is remembered for his ability to drive and win in all types of cars and series, including a Lotus-Cortina, with which he won the 1964 British Touring Car Championship; IndyCar; NASCAR, driving a Ford Galaxie for the Holman Moody team; Rallying, where he took part in the 1966 RAC Rally of Great Britain in a Lotus Cortina; and sports cars. He competed in the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 1959, 1960 and 1961.
Shot Mallory Park, April 2011 Ref 71-017
Please do not forget to visit the Flag Counter on my Profile page to record a visit from your country.
Thanks .