Jim Clark Half A Century On...........

[chrisb]

so many evocative and wonderful but ultimately sad pictures of what is truly the greatest I have ever seen,  

all things being equal I am hoping to go to Duns tomorrow to pay my respects - after 2000miles on the bike in the last week I will be taking the car, and hope the Weissach technology gets me there and back, having had several sensors replaced whilst away-

Big John was not really known for his complimentary side but I remember listening to one interview in which he spoke of Jimmy with great affection and for John to say he was a 'good lad' was very respectful I felt, and as Jimmy was his best man at John's first wedding, i find that a huge compliment from another legend,

I know all about Innes's comments about Jimmy but did any other contemporary of Jimmy say anything less than complimentary about him?

interesting what you say about Ayrton, as he was one of the few legends that took the time out to visit the trophy room, maybe he felt that closeness, I know Niki used to always be asking questions about Jimmy and he was the only legend he was interested in, trying to analyse why he was just so good, 

[robmarsh]

In memory of Jim Clark, the greatest World Champion. Although I only learnt of Jim Clark's death the following day I have remembered the 7th April every year for the last 50 years and have always taken a quiet moment to remember a great man I had never met but who impressed me no end.
I can still remember the time and place on the day I learnt of his death. It was Monday 8 April, I was 12 years old and was sitting down to breakfast at Boarding school when a mate pointed to the master's newspaper. On the back page, in large black, bold type was written "Jim Clark killed at 120mph". I was stunned and didn't feel like talking, even though I hadn't been following racing that long Jim Clark was already my hero. Later on that morning I had a quiet chat with another friend who I knew loved motor racing and would feel the same way as me.

Rest in Peace Jim Clark a great man indeed.

[charleselan]

Last night I spent half an hour watching the Peter Windsor interview with JYS on Motorsport.tv, as always great listening Jackie and he was in fine form with some great questions from Peter.

One of the best bits concerned racing with Jochen; JYS said it was so safe racing with him as he was so clean, always giving racing room with no attempt at blocking. He then added that it was "the same with Jimmy", but then added with a little chuckle "that is if he wasn't off in the distance".

It was terribly sad at the end when PW asked Jackie how he managed to carry on racing in 1971 after the terrible events of 1970. Jackie began to explain but it was all too much for him, and for the first time I saw the great man break down in tears.

[René]

I was born in 1965, the year of Jim's second championship so you can imagine I only learned about him much later. When I became a race fan in the mid seventies and raved about Formula 1 and Niki Lauda or Jody Scheckter to my parents, I do remember them also mentioning the names of Jackie Stewart, Jacky Ickx and Jim Clark. I didn't know much about them, I had no books yet, only a few magazines and no internet of course. We did have this huge encyclopedia though and there was an arcticle dedicated to Grand Prix racing and it mentioned Jim Clark with a small black and white picture. The first time I was aware of the great man.

Later I started reading about all the years of Grand Prix racing before I became a fan of the sport and so also learned more about Clark and how incredible he must have been behind the wheel. And, as I mentioned in another thread, I have learned so much about Clark on this forum which is absolutely magnificent. Some of you have actually witnesssed Jim 'at work' and that must have been something! 

I have never been a fan of 'greatest of' lists so I am not going to do that here. But I have come to the conclusion that Jim Clark can never be anything else than number 1. Maybe there are a few that join him on that top step but Clark's genius is unquestionable.

Thank you Jim Clark.

[mikael]

Gentleman Jim - is the title of this painting.




Indianapolis 1965.

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The last race.

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Apr 7, 2018 8:52:44 GMT charleselan said:

One of the best bits concerned racing with Jochen; JYS said it was so safe racing with him as he was so clean, always giving racing room with no attempt at blocking. He then added that it was "the same with Jimmy", but then added with a little chuckle "that is if he wasn't off in the distance".

[Deleted]

Jim’s last evening told by Kurt Ahrens, found online:

After his appearance in the weekly “Aktuellen Sportstudio” sports program on ZDF German TV where he and Kurt Ahrens were guests, Jim Clark was asked if he wanted to have a beer in the pub next to the studio in Wiesbaden. Ahrens, who had to take Jimmy back to the hotel in Hockenheim, said that it was completely up to him, that he would respect Jimmy’s decision in case he wanted to return to the hotel straightaway. Clark said it was OK, that he could take a nap while Ahrens was driving. Clark had to sign the guestbook and he wrote: "Good luck to Germany’s fastest single seat driver Kurt Ahrens in the Deutschland Trophy tomorrow". He entrusted Ahrens with the fact that his Lotus had a bad road holding, that he had gearbox troubles and that he had water in his seat...

Jimmy’s last night was a short one. As said before, Ahrens acted as Jimmy’s chauffeur and returned to Hockenheim when his Mercedes suffered an oil pressure failure. An amused Clark said that he didn’t know that that could happen to a Mercedes. They had to stop at a service station where he bought some oil and a guide-rope (just in case things turned out bad). Ahrens didn’t have enough money on him to pay the bill so Jim emptied his pockets only to find some British Pounds which, after some negotiations, were accepted by the station holder. When they finally arrived at Clark’s hotel in Speyer, it was 2.00 am.

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Interesting to note that he is called a farmer, before all his accomplishments.



The grave beside should be his mother.

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Jim’s obituary written by Innes Ireland, published on Autocar.

JIM CLARK OBE

It all started as a subdued whisper – as if the whisperer was afraid to utter the words in case they were true: and even if they were, would be reluctant to believe them.

I was at Brands Hatch for the BOAC 500 race when I heard the rumour which finally contained such tragic truth – “Clark has had an accident at Hockenheim”. At first I thought it was just a motor racing incident: for even Clark has had those before: the possibility of anything more serious never entered my head. In the scramble for accurate information, the hope that it was all a mistake dwindled rapidly until only the stark, unreal and unbelievable fact was confirmed – Jim Clark was dead.

At first my mind refused to believe that this could be true. Drivers like Clark are indestructible, despite the fact that he may have had previous accidents. As confirmation piled upon confirmation, I reluctantly remembered having the same feelings about Alan Stacey, and slowly the finality of death impressed itself upon me. The inevitability of this realization shook, once more, the rules by which I have lived.

When the life of a young driver, so much in the public eye, is cut short at the height of a career, the man in the street begins to wonder “Why do they do it – what’s it all about – what are they thinking of?”

To begin with, all those who engage in the Sport, do so from the love of driving a fast car. This is something intangible, as is the feeling of conquering a mountain peak, or ski-ing down an Alpine slope over virgin snow, or jumping out of an aeroplane at 20000ft and pulling the ripcord at 1000ft, or sailing round the world singlehanded. It is a sensuous thing, and as such, is perhaps indefinable. The longer they do it, the more they realize the fact that there are risks involved, but without the risks there would be nothing. And so they adopt a fatalistic outlook on life, which is the only code by which one can live – or die.

I well remember a book which Peter Garnier wrote about the Monaco Grand Prix. In it he asked himself if a racing driver ever thought, as he closed his bedroom door on the morning of race day, “I wonder if I shall be alive to open it tonight?” Peter felt this was a question he could never, ever ask.

I can tell him the answer now: it is “Yes” – or certainly in my case. But it is a thought that lingers for but an instant, to be put aside with more important and realistic things, the belief in one’s own ability, the countless races that have gone before – the narrow squeaks, the accidents one has survived when all the indications were one shouldn’t have done, the raison d’etre as it were which brings us back to his fatalistic outlook.

I have known Jim Clark for perhaps longer than any of his contemporaries, for my father was a veterinary surgeon in the area of the Clark farms in Scotland – in fact I bought one of my first racing cars from his brother-in-law, another farmer nearby. We spent two good years together with Team Lotus in 1960 and 1961. But to my great regret, I did not know him as well as I might, for our early friendship was later clouded over by the circumstances surrounding my leaving Lotus.

His past performances need no recollection here – they are indelibly printed in the record book for posterity. He had a great love for his heritage, which was the basically simple, rustic life of farming and animal husbandry: but his dedication to motor racing was even greater, for he forced himself to leave all this behind to concentrate on his chosen profession. And it is in this light that we must regard him, for he died as he lived, giving his all in a racing car. I am sure that he would express no regrets at the violence of his passing, and surely this is answer enough for those of us who are left.

I know, from past experience of being with Colin Chapman during such a trial, how utterly futile life and effort must seem at this time. But to him, and to Jim’s parents, relatives and friends, I can only say to look at it as he would have done – otherwise his life has been in vain.

And to those who still question the wisdom of people who wish to risk their lives in racing carsI would say that motor racing, as a sport, is the most exacting, demanding, exhilarating and, above all, satisfying sport in which a man with red blood in his veins could indulge.

To Jim’s parents, his sisters and relatives, I, and the staff of Autocar, extend our most sincere condolences.

This is Ireland's report of Jim's funeral, published the following week on Autocar:

On Wednesday, 10 April, great numbers of people from all walks of life and many parts of the country, even from abroad, journeyed to the little village of Chirnside in Berwickshire to pay their last respects to a quiet Scottish farmer and racing driver, Jim Clark. The significant thing about the mourners was not the famous, who were many in number, but the ordinary countryfolk who had known Jim, the farmer, from his schoolboy days, whose numbers were legion.

The service was held at Chirnside Old Church which was packed to capacity with 600 people. There were many more than this number standing outside, and the sincere but simple service was relayed to them by loud speakers. As it was carried into the church, so the coffin was carried to its last resting place by six farmworkers from Jim’s farm, Edington Mains. It was reverently laid to rest by eight cord-bearers with Jim’s father at the head, other close relatives, and Colin Chapman.

After the service many close friends went back to Jim’s house to meet the womenfolk, as is the Scottish custom, filled with a sense that the hosts of flowers, the numbers in attendance from far and near and the service itself had been a fitting tribute to this gallant driver.

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Last grid. What a shame.

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Jim, and Jo Siffert, interviewed by Jo Bonnier in 1965, on the Swiss French television, the week after Enna's F1 race where Siffert famously beat Clark for the second year in a row. Very, very moving video.

www.rts.ch/archives/tv/information/carrefour/3470035-siffert-et-clark.html

www.rts.ch/archives/tv/information/carrefour/3470035-siffert-et-clark.html

Can't help notice their demeanour and attitude with respect to current 'customs', so to speak.

[charleselan]

As one would expect some wonderful tributes to Jim Clark, I am moved by them all.

Jim was, and still is, my inspiration; along with my parents and grand parents the most important figure in my life. No doubt that we had a similar background, in that we are both from a rural farming community their is a strong bond to begin with.

Rather than mention the events I first heard of his passing I will relay the first time I ever heard his name mentioned. One sunny weekend at about 10 years of age I was playing with my Dinky toys on the large Cotswold stone wall that surrounded my parents quite large country garden. I think it must have been a meeting from Goodwood and in the house the radio was tuned into the BBC Light Program which featured the Saturday afternoon sport. There was live commentary from the meeting and the commentator (either Ray Baxter or Robin Richards) were in full flow with Stirling Moss leading in Rob Walkers SWB 250GT Ferrari from Mike Parkes in a similar John Coombes car.

Jim was then mentioned several times as he hurled the John Ogier Essex racing Team Aston Martin DB4 Zagato around, it was outclassed by the Ferrari's but his name was already in my psyche, especially when he was referred to as the "young Scottish farmer". 

That was my first ever hearing of Jim Clark.

JC

[René]

[charleselan]

Great picture René of Jim after winning the 1963 Dutch Grand Prix. No yellow stripe on the Lotus 25 yet, but featuring the unique wind deflector screen.