1961 - Jim Clark - Charterhall & Winfield motor racing near Duns

This page covering both racing at Charterhall and known vehicles driven by Jim in 1961 is not fully populated at present

1956 ASTON MARTIN DBR1/1 designed to win at Le Mans
Following Aston Martin's withdrawal from competition in August 1959, DBR1/1 was raced by Essex Racing Stables in the 1961 Nürburgring 1000 KM, with Jim Clark/Bruce McLaren retiring from 4th when a con-rod failed at 500 KM

1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato '2 VEV'

The Ex-Le Mans 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato sold on the 13th July 2018 for £ 10,081,500 inc. premium LINK

Driven by Jim in 1961 and 1962, 2 VEV was seriously damaged in 1962 during a crash at Spa and was replaced by a new car built at the factory to another specification, with the same registration number and incorporating many modifications. Another accident in 1993 except this time on the road returned the car to Works Service at the factory which returned it to 1962 specification.
Read this interesting article LINK containing photos of Jim posted in 2015. And another great read LINK by Doug Nye.

Fifty five years plus is a lengthy time when trying to piece together information and this "Lotus Anglia" is no exception. The starting point has to be Jim's book "Jim Clark At The Wheel" in which he tells us that in the winter of 1961 he found himself with Colin Chapman at the factory without a road car. Colin insisted Jim took this no ordinary Anglia back to Scotland so off he went and in true Jim Clark style caught up a Jaguar and passed him at well over 100 m.p.h. Other information suggests this car, with a very hush-hush experimental twin-cam Lotus cylinder head on a 1500 block, was a Belgium Embassy sourced left hand drive 106E. Similarly it has been suggested that Chassis 106Exxxxx2 was registered BKC 213, colour orange and an "old-timer" in Belgium first registered 28th March 1962. Jim could have just meant it was the '61 winter without being specific. Whatever the dates and numbers are there is no doubt that the car existed for at the 2015 Jim Clark weekend I stood alongside a stranger who at Edington Mains declined an offer from Jim to drive the fast Anglia. I wish I had the sense to ask his name and perhaps likewise he later wished he'd accepted. I can only hope that the car does still exist and can be restored back to its wolf in sheep's clothing spec even though the original twin-cam and it's unique development bits would be hard to include. The 1963 advert below suggests that this is the later 1558cc engine which followed on from the prototype and approx 100 b.h.p. 1498cc unit fitted to early road going Elans and various Lotus cars for racing. There is no indication that the advertised LHD Anglia was the only and very same car driven by Jim and others but it is nice to think so for the record. Miles Wilkins in his book "Lotus Twin-Cam Engine" pins it down to 18th January 1962 for the Anglia being prepared, LHD so that the master cylinder would not interfere with the rear Weber. There is a bit more information on the car if you wish to buy the book which confirms the registration number 335 AXY as seen below at the works.

works photograph
Copyright unknown

Once the world's largest grand prix collection, the Donington Museum closed on November 5th 2018. The history of the Donington Collection, where you will find the photograph below, can be read via this LINK to the Classic & Sports Car story by Lizzie Pope. The car is Jim's Lotus 21 (believed to be chassis #934) which was impounded for many years by the Italian authorities following the 1961 Italian GP in Monza on 10th September where Wolfgang von Trips was launched off the rear wheel of the Lotus and was killed, along with 15 spectators. Released it is said by the Italian authorities after seven years, Colin Chapman told Tom Wheatcroft of the Donington GP Collection that he could have it if he collected it from Italy. The full story of the car from the current owner John Delane can be read in this 24th October 2018 Motor Sport News LINK.

Lotus 21 chassis #933, which was driven by Jim at Modena one week before the Italian GP, was sold in 2003 at the Goodwood Revival for £155,500 inc. premium. The history of this 1961 Innes Ireland United States Grand Prix-winning car can be read here LINK. It is interesting that when Lotus sold the car it came into the hands of Charterhall racer Ray Fielding of Forres who competed with favorable results at many hill climbs including Bo'ness and Rest-and-be-Thankful.

Lotus 21 Chassis #937 built for the 1961 season was taken to victory with Jim Clark by winning at Kyalami (Rand GP), Westmead (Natal GP), and East London (South Africa GP). On January 2nd 1962 Jim came second in the 5th Cape Grand Prix at Killarney and then this car was sold to Ernest Pieterse (4 July 1938 – 1 November 2017) who raced it up to 1964. The car is for sale at Hall & Hall.

Sports Cars (10 laps/20 miles)
Over 1500cc
1st 27 Ron Flockhart 14 mins. 19.8 secs., 83.74 mph
2nd 26 S.J. Diggory
3rd 28 Jack Wober

Under 1500cc
1st 41 J. Mackay
2nd 42 N.G. Ferrier
3rd 45 Phil Barak
Fastest Lap: Ron Flockhart 86 mph
Note: #27 Ron Flockhart dominated in the Border Reivers Aston Martin DBR1 fresh from Le Mans the previous weekend
Note: Finishing order as listed above i.e. 27 26 28 41 42 45

Grand Touring Cars (15 laps/30 miles)
1st 61 Bill Allen Lotus Elite 23 mins. 29.4 secs., 76.63 mph
2nd 54 Gordon Jones
3rd 51 W.A. Thompson
Fastest Lap: Bill Allen 79.82 mph

Under 1000cc
1st 68 G. Palmer
2nd 74 J. M. Anderson
3rd 66 G.L. Crozier

Over 2000cc
1st 38 P.G. Walton
2nd 39 J. Murphy
3rd 31 R. Hamilton
Note: #33 Ron Flockhart's drive, an * Ecurie Ecosse or Border Reivers entered E-Type Jaguar did not appear ( * report and Prog conflict)
Note: #36 & #37 decided to run in Event 3

Touring Cars (10 laps/20 miles)
1st 37 D. Taylor 16 mins. 7.2 secs., 74.44 mph
2nd 38 Phil Walton
3rd 36 A. Powell
Fastest Lap: D. Taylor 76.6 mph

Up to 1000cc
1st 93 Harry Ratcliffe
2nd 91 John Whitmore
3rd 96 I. Grant
Note: #91 John Whitmore black flagged on Lap 2 had to pit with a loose bonnet
Note: #92 R.D. McCuthcheon black flagged on Lap 3 with something loose under the bonnet
Note: #95 Valerie Pirie entered by Border Reivers was once secretary to Stirling Moss (see below from May 1963)

1000 - 2000cc
1st 83 G.A. Percival
2nd 88 A.R. Barnes
3rd 84 David Ross
4th 85 H.D. McLeod

Formula Junior Usher Silver Tankard Trophy Race (25 laps/50 miles)
Starting grid positions: #1, Jimmy Blumer, #22, #15, #12. #11, #5
1st 12 Peter Proctor 35 mins. 2.4 secs., 85.62 mph
2nd 5 Tony Maggs
3rd 8 R. Attwood
4th Jimmy Blumer Cooper-Austin
5th 23 J. Cotterill
Fastest Lap: Trevor Taylor 87.32 mph in "works" Lotus 20 but retired with crown wheel derangement
Note: 25 starters
Note: #14 A.R. Wylie retired with no brakes
Note: #3 J. Hine retired on Lap 4

References
1. Official Programme June 17th 1961
2. Autosport June 23rd 1961 report by Bill Henderson
3. B.M.R.C. Bulletin August 1961 report

PHOTOGRAPHS

REF 2 - Autosport June 23rd 1961
51 W.A. Thompson Lotus Elite Reg 711 HJH
61 Bill Allen Lotus Elite
54 Gordon Jones Marcos GT

REF 3 - B.M.R.C. Bulletin August 1961
54 Gordon Jones Marcos GT
61 Bill Allen Lotus Elite
66 Gordon Crozier TVR Grantura