1965 SEBRING G4 and 'the' JIM CLARK tale
Discussion
Jim Clark and Sebring G4
1965 Sebring race Florida weekend.
Jack Walsh was boss of CCE (Competition Car Engineering - formerly known as Walsh's Foreign Cars) was the US importer of Ginettas, based in Haverhill, Mass., but that's another story.
For Sebring a new G4R was shipped from England and all was prepared for the Sebring weekend with 2 cars: a Mini Cooper for the 3 hour race, and the Ginetta G4R for the main 12 hour grand prix of endurance event. Problems for CCE entering the car were overcome when Bob Walklett was contacted and he made the car an official Ginetta Cars factory entry.
Drivers were Walsh himself, Gordon Brown(!) and Peter Keith.
All three put in some credible laps during practice on the 5.2 mile circuit until disaster: the Lotus twin-cam let go.
This is where Jim Clark intervened. Earlier in the 3 hour race Jack Walsh had raced the Mini Cooper. Clark was in his Lotus Cortina and as everyone knows, was the eventual winner of the race. Clark was about to lap Walsh as the pair diced in a corner both flat out and locked together. After the race Clark went to the Ginetta pit and thanked Walsh for not lifting off because by Clark's reckoning, if Walsh had, then both would have been off the track. The pit crew were busy trying to remove the G4 twin-cam and Clark enquired 'how is it going?' to which Walsh replied 'Badly!' He explained it looked like the G4 (car 52) would now be a non-starter for the 12 hour.
Clark really wanted to help. He said he would see if he could arrange for the Ginetta team to borrow the practice engine from his Lotus Cortina. Of course, this engine had been built for the 3 hour, not 12 hour, but at least the G4 would be back in the race.
Significantly, permission was granted (by Ford, not Lotus - one could not imagine Chapman giving permission!).
The engine was fitted, fired up and ready to race. Walsh was delighted. So much so, he went to Clark, thanked him, and suggested he (Clark) have a stint in the G4 at some point. Clark simply answered 'Let's wait and see how the car goes.'
It went well. Despite an engine not prepared for this long event, after the first hour it was in 34th - roughly halfway down the field. There was some powerful machinery in this race, like the Chapparal of Hall and Sharp (eventual winners), Ferrari 275P (although reports say it was a 330P - what do I know? - of Graham Hill and Pedro Rodriguez - loads of famous drivers and cars: Richie Ginther, Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren et al, GT40s, Lola T70 debut... yes, the G4 was not in a tiddly sports car race!
Since the story appeared in Trev's book I published, much has appeared on the internet - have a look (some links below). But no mention of the Clark/Ginetta saga!
Some have the G4 pictured, others don't, like the BARC pages (typical!). Yet it was a truly significant part.
Back to the race. The heavens opened... 5 or more inches of rain (imagine a G4 in that!). It was so bad the Hill/Rodriguez Ferrari took 11 minutes to do a lap (Rodriguez at the wheel) and flooded the engine. By contrast the G4 was still there. The rain eased and it was in 30th position, doing well still with 3 hours now gone.
The car consistently held this position over the next 3 hours and it was at this point, halfway through the race, that a con-rod let go. Officially given at 4.03pm running second in class to the Timo Makinen/Hopkirk Sebring Sprite.
So we never got to know if Jim Clark would have taken Walsh's offer of a stint at driving the G4.
It could be that Clark said what he said as a 'get out', but if that is the case surely he simply would have said thank you, but no.
Another story says that said Clark not only asked, but received permission from his bosses to drive.
Was that Ford or Lotus? We don't know. But we can guess which. Rather easily I think!
http://www.sportscardigest.com/1965-sebring-12-hou...
http://www.sportscardigest.com/1965-sebring-12-hou...
http://www.barcboys.com/1965Sebring.htm
(5 pages of pics, click on the Pg. links)
1965 Sebring race Florida weekend.
Jack Walsh was boss of CCE (Competition Car Engineering - formerly known as Walsh's Foreign Cars) was the US importer of Ginettas, based in Haverhill, Mass., but that's another story.
For Sebring a new G4R was shipped from England and all was prepared for the Sebring weekend with 2 cars: a Mini Cooper for the 3 hour race, and the Ginetta G4R for the main 12 hour grand prix of endurance event. Problems for CCE entering the car were overcome when Bob Walklett was contacted and he made the car an official Ginetta Cars factory entry.
Drivers were Walsh himself, Gordon Brown(!) and Peter Keith.
All three put in some credible laps during practice on the 5.2 mile circuit until disaster: the Lotus twin-cam let go.
This is where Jim Clark intervened. Earlier in the 3 hour race Jack Walsh had raced the Mini Cooper. Clark was in his Lotus Cortina and as everyone knows, was the eventual winner of the race. Clark was about to lap Walsh as the pair diced in a corner both flat out and locked together. After the race Clark went to the Ginetta pit and thanked Walsh for not lifting off because by Clark's reckoning, if Walsh had, then both would have been off the track. The pit crew were busy trying to remove the G4 twin-cam and Clark enquired 'how is it going?' to which Walsh replied 'Badly!' He explained it looked like the G4 (car 52) would now be a non-starter for the 12 hour.
Clark really wanted to help. He said he would see if he could arrange for the Ginetta team to borrow the practice engine from his Lotus Cortina. Of course, this engine had been built for the 3 hour, not 12 hour, but at least the G4 would be back in the race.
Significantly, permission was granted (by Ford, not Lotus - one could not imagine Chapman giving permission!).
The engine was fitted, fired up and ready to race. Walsh was delighted. So much so, he went to Clark, thanked him, and suggested he (Clark) have a stint in the G4 at some point. Clark simply answered 'Let's wait and see how the car goes.'
It went well. Despite an engine not prepared for this long event, after the first hour it was in 34th - roughly halfway down the field. There was some powerful machinery in this race, like the Chapparal of Hall and Sharp (eventual winners), Ferrari 275P (although reports say it was a 330P - what do I know? - of Graham Hill and Pedro Rodriguez - loads of famous drivers and cars: Richie Ginther, Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren et al, GT40s, Lola T70 debut... yes, the G4 was not in a tiddly sports car race!
Since the story appeared in Trev's book I published, much has appeared on the internet - have a look (some links below). But no mention of the Clark/Ginetta saga!
Some have the G4 pictured, others don't, like the BARC pages (typical!). Yet it was a truly significant part.
Back to the race. The heavens opened... 5 or more inches of rain (imagine a G4 in that!). It was so bad the Hill/Rodriguez Ferrari took 11 minutes to do a lap (Rodriguez at the wheel) and flooded the engine. By contrast the G4 was still there. The rain eased and it was in 30th position, doing well still with 3 hours now gone.
The car consistently held this position over the next 3 hours and it was at this point, halfway through the race, that a con-rod let go. Officially given at 4.03pm running second in class to the Timo Makinen/Hopkirk Sebring Sprite.
So we never got to know if Jim Clark would have taken Walsh's offer of a stint at driving the G4.
It could be that Clark said what he said as a 'get out', but if that is the case surely he simply would have said thank you, but no.
Another story says that said Clark not only asked, but received permission from his bosses to drive.
Was that Ford or Lotus? We don't know. But we can guess which. Rather easily I think!
http://www.sportscardigest.com/1965-sebring-12-hou...
http://www.sportscardigest.com/1965-sebring-12-hou...
http://www.barcboys.com/1965Sebring.htm
(5 pages of pics, click on the Pg. links)
Edited by dandarez on Tuesday 9th October 23:35
as a consequence of your tale, the market price is grown :-)
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&i...
and, no, I'm not the seller.
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&i...
and, no, I'm not the seller.
I came across this thread because I was looking for info on Jack Walsh. I met him back in the late 60's/early 70's when he lived down the street from my dad in Merrimac, Massachusetts, we went to the races at Lee Raceway with him a few times, and he gave me a Porsche slot car.
I remember visiting his dealership in Haverhill MA, and him talking to my dad about Mark Donohue. I had always wondered about his racing history, I knew he'd raced at Sebring but that was about all.
I remember visiting his dealership in Haverhill MA, and him talking to my dad about Mark Donohue. I had always wondered about his racing history, I knew he'd raced at Sebring but that was about all.
BardahlSpl said:
I came across this thread because I was looking for info on Jack Walsh. I met him back in the late 60's/early 70's when he lived down the street from my dad in Merrimac, Massachusetts, we went to the races at Lee Raceway with him a few times, and he gave me a Porsche slot car.
I remember visiting his dealership in Haverhill MA, and him talking to my dad about Mark Donohue. I had always wondered about his racing history, I knew he'd raced at Sebring but that was about all.
Glad that has helped you.I remember visiting his dealership in Haverhill MA, and him talking to my dad about Mark Donohue. I had always wondered about his racing history, I knew he'd raced at Sebring but that was about all.
A significant part to that story is the man who gave it the go ahead. MD of Ginetta, Bob Walklett.
I have not seen anything to date in the motoring press, nothing whatsoever, not even in brief news, that Bob died on 19th April. He was 91.
His funeral is this Thursday.
A man of stature imo, a true gentleman in the old term, who headed Ginetta Cars Ltd not for five minutes but 31 years! He is truly deserving of mention.
jpf said:
I have the book Ginetta the Inside Story written by Bob Walklett.
Really seemed like a fine gentleman. I am surprised that Motorsport has not mentioned his passing.
Obituary is in the July issue of Motor Sport. Better late than never.Really seemed like a fine gentleman. I am surprised that Motorsport has not mentioned his passing.
Had many hours (sometimes the wee small hours at Witham factory in the 80s) chatting to Bob and his brothers over the years.
Only Ivor left now. But he's still very much on the ball, Ginetta and otherwise, in his 80s.
Bob could chat the hind leg of a donkey if you just mentioned his beloved Ginetta marque.
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