Jim Clark 50 years on...
Discussion
Ah yes, 1970 the exceptionally wet one! But it must have rained a little at one of the previous ones. It was the first race meeting I went to. Mates mum worked for BOAC and got us a couple of free tickets. We ventured from Ealing to the track by public transport with little idea of how to get there; tube to Victoria, train to some country station in Kent and then a green line bus (as it happened) and the bus driver was very helpful. We took packed lunches and I remember eating my sandwiches huddled in a shelter but it didn't piss down all day, not like it appears to have done in 1970. We got home to Ealing Broadway station at about 10pm very tired! I think we were about 12 years old which is why I thought more like '69.
Escort3500 said:
Bebee said:
Escort3500 said:
Some lovely recollections and memories of Jim in this thread. As a car-mad kid he was my absolute hero. He had such a delicate touch behind the wheel and such an abundance of natural talent whether it was in a single seater, a Lotus Cortina or a massive Galaxie. I had a huge B&W poster of Jim on my bedroom wall of him in a four-wheel drift in a Cortina just a few feet from the camera. Wonderful.
For me, no driver since has been the measure of him. Rose-tinted spectacles? Perhaps, but he transcended his contemporaries and I’ve not had as much respect for a racing driver since then. I wrote to Colin Chapman after Jim’s death and got a reply from CC himself, on Lotus headed paper. Meant so much; still got it.
Can we see it? Please.For me, no driver since has been the measure of him. Rose-tinted spectacles? Perhaps, but he transcended his contemporaries and I’ve not had as much respect for a racing driver since then. I wrote to Colin Chapman after Jim’s death and got a reply from CC himself, on Lotus headed paper. Meant so much; still got it.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Too young to have been able to see Jim Clark when he was alive but thankfully with footage being posting on sites like YouTube it allows fans to see him in action.
I was very much focused on the racing of my era but over the last few years I have been trying to get more information and clips on the past drivers.
Jim Clark "from what I have read" was a Legend of F1. Any driver from these era's have my total respect but only a few will stand out.
Was it ever established what happened to Clark in that F2 race?
Mechanical issue or was it the weather.
It's all speculation, but the best theory is a deflating tyre (puncture, probably) coming off the rim on one of the long sweeping curves.I was very much focused on the racing of my era but over the last few years I have been trying to get more information and clips on the past drivers.
Jim Clark "from what I have read" was a Legend of F1. Any driver from these era's have my total respect but only a few will stand out.
Was it ever established what happened to Clark in that F2 race?
Mechanical issue or was it the weather.
Bumped into an old boy in our village this evening who’s got an Elan+2 he’s had for about 40 years (he’s just turned 80!) . Anyway, he was telling me that he and his lad had been up to Duns for the memorial to Jim. He told me the turnout was great - loads of Lotuses at the museum and a service in the local church was packed. Wish I’d have known, I’d have gone 
PS I’m still on the hunt for the letter Bebee
PS I’m still on the hunt for the letter Bebee
CanAm said:
lotus72 said:
I think the wet BOAC was either 70 or 71.
Indeed it was With Pedro Rodriguez absolutely flying in the Gulf 917 in the appalling conditions.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo42r2SCi0U
Eric Mc said:
Amazing piece of history. Continue to treasure it and keep it safe.
I certainly will! Longer term I might donate it to the JC museum as we’ve not got any kids to leave it to and I’d hate it to be binned when I go On a lighter note, my dad was a dentist and trained in Edinburgh in the early ‘50s. One of his close pals at dental college ended up practicing in the city after he qualified and dad always kept in contact with him. JC was one of his patients and the pal told dad that Jim always turned up for treatment in an interesting car - Elan, Lotus Cortina etc, as you’d probably expect.
One day he arrived at the surgery in a huge Yank motor. It was 1965 or 1966 and Jim had been lent (or probably given) the car for winning the Indy 500. He told dad’s mate that it was very fast and easy to slide around the local roads near Duns! I’m guessing it would have been a Galaxie or possibly a Falcon. Dad’s pal said JC was the one of the most unassuming and modest chaps you could ever meet, and away from racing was never more content than being on the family farm.
Stan the Bat said:
This is the way to drive a Lotus Cortina.
I was at Crystal Palace around 65 or so and there was a series of races, in particular a saloon car race with Clark driving a Lotus Cortina. He seemed lively all day and his enjoyment came over. On the 'cool down' lap of the saloon car race, Clark went through each corner hanging the back out and lifting the front even higher than in the race. He must have shredded the rear tyres. It was very enjoyable to watch and spectators were clapping. A bloke who was near us said that he did it for the photographers, so they got a good shot. He said that he would tell the photographers to keep their cameras ready before the race.
It seemed like such a generous gesture.
Derek Smith said:
Stan the Bat said:
This is the way to drive a Lotus Cortina.
I was at Crystal Palace around 65 or so and there was a series of races, in particular a saloon car race with Clark driving a Lotus Cortina. He seemed lively all day and his enjoyment came over. On the 'cool down' lap of the saloon car race, Clark went through each corner hanging the back out and lifting the front even higher than in the race. He must have shredded the rear tyres. It was very enjoyable to watch and spectators were clapping. A bloke who was near us said that he did it for the photographers, so they got a good shot. He said that he would tell the photographers to keep their cameras ready before the race.
It seemed like such a generous gesture.
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