The Legacy of Jim Clark

Posted by Kevin Guthrie Apr 7, 2009

I never got to see Jim Clark race. I wasn't even born when he started his final event at Hockenheim on April 7th, 1968. Despite this I have long appreciated Clark's contribution to the sport I love. His name is revered, and not just by fans of Formula 1. He was a consummate all-rounder, competitive in any type of car.

There are a couple of reasons I particularly admire Clark. First of all, he is a fellow Scot and I am unashamedly proud that our small nation produced such a world class talent. Secondly, he was a genuinely humble human being. I usually drive down to Chirnside once a year to visit Clark's grave and it says a lot that the dedication on his headstone mentions that he was a farmer first and world champion racing driver second.

To have no enemies in life is rare. To have no enemies in such a fiercely contested sport as professional motor racing is remarkable. Clark was such a person. Many of his rivals admitted that he was better than them while they were still actively competing against him. His natural gift for driving cars was greater than any of his contemporaries, but there was nothing to dislike about Clark. He conducted himself in such a manner out of the cockpit that his fellow competitors couldn't help but take to him.

Today it is April 7th again. For many, if their feelings for the sport didn't cease altogether 41 years ago today, they certainly changed forever. After that miserable wet day at Hockenheim things would never be the same again. I'll be raising a glass tonight to Jim, one of my all time racing heroes.