Who was Jim Clarke?
World Champion Motor racing driver.
Date and Place of Birth:
14th March 1936, Kilmany, Fife, Scotland.
Family Background:
Only son in a family of four daughters of a Scottish
farming family.
Education:
Loretto School, Musselburgh, Scotland.
Chronology/Biography of Jim Clark:
Originally took part in local races and rallies
and later joined a team run by Jock McBain known as the Border Reivers.
He drove a Lotus Elite in one of the Reivers races against Colin
Chapman who was later to become his influential team manager. He
was asked to drive for Aston Martin (By Reg Parnell the factory
Manager) who were keen to enter the world of Formula One motor racing.
He also signed a contract with Chapman to race in Formula Two with
the Lotus Team. The Aston Martin Formula One car was a disaster
and so Clark signed for Formula One with Lotus as well.
1956: Won his first
motor race.
1958: Became Scottish
Speed champion.
1959: Became Scottish
Speed Champion once more.
1960: His first
F1 race was the Dutch Grand Prix in where he raced in place of John
Surtees. He retired with a seized gearbox. Later in the season he
finished fifth at the testing course of Spa in Belgium.
1961: Involved in
a collision at the Italian Grand Prix with Wolfgang von Trips in
a Ferrari. Trips and several spectators were killed.
1962: He won his
first Grand Prix, at Spa in Belgium (A race which he would win four
years running and one which most commentators agreed was the toughest
track in the season). Clark eventually lost the World Championship
to Graham Hill when his car broke down whilst leading the final
race.
1963: He finally
became World Champion winning seven out of ten races. He also finished
second at Indianapolis.
1964: He missed
out on the championship to Surtees in a Ferrari again when his car
broke down on the last lap.
1965: Was to be
his best year. He won the World Championship and Indianapolis, which
he led for 190 out of the 200 laps.
1966: Was a poor
year due to engine problems.
1967: Was slightly
better when he came third in the World Championship.
1968: He notched
up more Grands Prix winds than the legendary Juan-Manuel Fangio
after his win in the South African Grand Prix. His career was cut
tragically short as his car ran off the road in the forest at Hochenheim
during a minor Formula Two race he had been committed to run for
Lotus. Many people hailed Clark as the greatest Racing driver of
all time and there is still a strong case for this.
Marriage:
Never married as he vowed never to marry whilst
he was still racing.
Places of Interest:
BERWICKSHIRE, SCOTLAND:
The Jim Clark Room, Duns.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE:
Silverstone Racetrack.
Date and Place of Death:
7th April 1968, Died in motor racing accident
at Hochenheim, Germany.
Age at Death:
32.
Site of Grave:
Funeral at Chirnside Church, Scotland.
