Bib Stillwell
Bib Stillwell (born Bermar Sellars Stillwell[1]; 31 July 1927 in Melbourne, Australia) was a racing driver who was active in Australian motor racing from 1947 to 1965. He won the Australian Drivers' Championship in each of the four years from 1962 to 1965.
| Bib Stillwell | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 31 July 1927 [1] Melbourne, Australia [1] |
| Died | 12 June 1999 [1] |
| Retired | 1965 |
| Australian Drivers' Championship | |
| Years active | 1957 to 1965 |
| Best finish | 1st in 1962 Australian Drivers' Championship 1963 Australian Drivers' Championship 1964 Australian Drivers' Championship 1965 Australian Drivers' Championship |
| Previous series | |
| 1964-1965 | Tasman Series |
| Championship titles | |
| 1962 1963 1964 1965 1961 1962 1965 | Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Tourist Trophy Australian Tourist Trophy Australian One and a Half Litre Championship |
Racing career
Stillwell competed in his first race in 1947 at the Ballarat Airstrip circuit, driving an MG TC.[2] He won the Victorian Trials Championship with the MG in the following year and competed in his first Australian Grand Prix in 1953 at the wheel of an Austin-Healey 100.[2] Stillwell imported a new Jaguar D-Type for 1956 [3] and won the Argus Cup, the SA Trophy and the News South Wales Sports Car Championship in that year.[3] He also placed fifth in the 1956 Australian Tourist Trophy against international opposition.[4] He subsequently raced Maserati, Aston Martin, Cooper and Repco Brabham cars.[2] Stillwell drove an Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato in the 1961 Le Mans 24 Hour Race with fellow Australian Lex Davison but the car did not finish.[5]
Stillwell won the 1962 Australian Drivers' Championship with a Cooper and the 1963, 1964 and 1965 Australian Drivers' Championships driving Repco Brabhams. He was also victorious in the Australian Tourist Trophy in 1961 and 1962 in a Cooper Monaco and the 1965 Australian One and a Half Litre Championship with a Repco Brabham.
Although he never won an Australian Grand Prix, he placed second in 1961 and 1964 driving a Cooper and a Repco-Brabham respectively, and third in 1960 and 1962 in Coopers.
Stillwell retired from motor racing at the end of the 1965 season.[6] He later participated in historic races in Australia and the United States.[7]
Results
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Business and private life
Stillwell opened an automotive dealership selling MGs in 1949 and subsequently obtained a Jaguar franchise.[1] A Holden dealership followed, and was to become one of the largest in the Australia.[1] A switch from Holden to Ford in 1966 was followed by the establishment of Stillwell Aviation in 1967 with distribution rights for Beechcraft and later Learjet aircraft.[1] Stillwell moved to the United States in 1979 to take on the role of vice-president of the Gates Learjet Corporation and went on to become president of the company.[1] He later established luxury car dealerships including a BMW franchise and a Jaguar franchise at Doncaster.[1]
Stillwell was married with five children.[1] His son Michael followed Bib into motorsport, becoming a class front runner in the Australian Touring Car Championship in the 1970s.
Stillwell was awarded an Order of Australia Medal posthumously, in January 2001.[8] The award was bestowed for services to the motor industry, to the aviation industry, to motor sport and to the community.[8]
References
- Michael Lynch, OBITUARY - (Bib) Bermar S. Stillwell - Racing driver, businessman, newsstore.fairfax.com.au Retrieved on 22 October 2013
- Bib Stillwell, Australian Motor Manual, May 1964, page 37
- Historic Racing cars in Australia, page 177
- Moss in Walkover Win, Behra Second, Wheels (magazine), January 1957, pages 60-61
- 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans Results and Competitors, www.experiencelemans.com Retrieved on 22 October 2013
- Max Stahl, Stillwell’s Swansong, Racing Car News, January 1966, page 24
- About us, bibstillwell.com.au Archived 25 October 2013 at Archive.today Retrieved on 22 October 2013
- Bermar Sellars (Bib) Stillwell OAM, CAMS Magazine, Autumn 2/2001, page 29
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Patterson |
Winner of the Australian Drivers' Championship 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965 |
Succeeded by Spencer Martin |