Remembering Jim Clark - One For The Oldies

[Fangi0]

Gone April 1968, a long time ago now but just look at the classy driving in this clip from Crystal Palace...

Priceless Chumley Warner commentary and 1960s lift music

[Mark (smokey mow)]

I'm too young to remember racing at crystal palace but I'm still looking forward to competing in the sprint at next months motorsport at the palace

Really enjoy these old clips

[KerryS]

It's one of those "I remember what I was doing when I heard..." when Jim Clark was killed. I was 17 and at a party of all things. Stunned didn't come near.

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

my Dads hero who died on the year I was born - hence my first and second names Clark James - would have much rather been called Jim but sorta got used to Clark now

love watching the old stuff too

[Fangi0]

What date is that?

I'm too young to remember racing at crystal palace but I'm still looking forward to competing in the sprint at next months motorsport at the palace

Really enjoy these old clips

[Mark (smokey mow)]

What date is that?

26&27th May details here

Should be at least a couple of us from the WSCC competing, I'll be there on the 27th

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

Is there now a complete circuit in place? The website seems to have no details of the layout. Amusing to read that no doags are allowed because the last time I went to a meeting there in the 60s, a stray dog got on to the track and caused a bit of trouble! The Ford Galaxies wouldn't have notice a mutt, but the Minis would...

[peterg]

I was born just 2 miles from Crystal Palace... My parents took me to a couple of race meetings there in about 1970 and I saw the like of Hill, Stewart and Rindt competing in F2 along with the saloon cars which were always my favourites - I'm friends with Mike Crabtree's son Mark which means some great chats about the old days when Mike was racing with Gerry Marshall, Frank Gardner et al

I would have liked to be at the sprint at the end of May but sadly I'll be visiting with Norman and Lynne en Francais that week

[stephenh]

The thing about Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart a bit later, and most of the great drivers really, which destinguished them from the middle and lower order drivers more than anything to my way of thinking (and I'm talking of international professional drivers here) was the smoothness and precision. If you stood and watched the field go round a particular corner lap after lap or if you watch a good quality film of a race, these really great drivers would follow the same line through the corner (ignoring overtaking manouvers) lap after lap, to within 3" or so. The rest of the field would be to within maybe 12 or 18" in contrast. Me, I'm just happy if I'm to within two or three yards! I recall watching a formular 2 race at Thruxton many years ago, when this really struck me. Sadly it was after Jim Clark had died, but Stewart and Rindt were the leading drivers. They were so much more consistant with their cornering lines than the rest of the field. Also, they were the only ones having a problem with a slight bump towards the exit of the particular corner, because they were going quicker than the rest, and maybe because they always crossed that bump lap after lap whereas the rest of the field sometimes crossed the bump and sometimes not. The bump must have been on the fastest line, because those 2 were leaving the rest of the field behind.

[AidanPlace]

Safety looks like it's moved on a bit...........men were men then

[davidgh]

Safety has indeed come on a bit -- nothing between the track and the trees apparently. At least at Crystal Palace the marshals stood atop a concrete wall over much of the circuit -- though it's still pretty scary if you catch François Cervert at speed directly beneath your feet

April 7th 1968 was the day I first took SWMBO (then girlfriend) to a motor race: the BOAC 500 at Brands. Clark and Hill were entered to co-drive the new Ford F3L prototype.

For whatever reason, they went to Germany instead . . . . . .

[Dibby]

One of my mates is doing the Jim Clark rally in June, keep an eye out for Chris Rice in a white Subaru

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

I know this has been posted before but it definitely bears repetition:

Fascinating how his style is SO relaxed.

[dstorey]

Good job the mini driver wasn't in the passenger seat he would have been ejected! Just a broken tooth and glasses