Jack Sears

Jack Sears (16 February 1930 – 7 August 2016) was a British race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon.

Jack Sears
Sears' 1958 Championship-winning Austin Westminster
NationalityBritish
Born(1930-02-16)16 February 1930
Northampton, England
Died6 August 2016(2016-08-06) (aged 86)
Retired1965
Related toDavid Sears
British Saloon Car Championship
Years active6
Wins12
Best finish1st in 1958 and 1963
Championship titles
1958, 1963BSCC

Biography

Sears was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport.

He won the inaugural British Saloon Car Championship in 1958, driving an Austin Westminster. After finishing on joint maximum points with Tommy Sopwith, it was initially suggested the champion would be decided by the toss of a coin. The idea was very unpopular with both drivers and at the final meeting at Brands Hatch, with a draw being a likely possibility, two identical looking Marcus Chambers-owned Riley One-Point-Five works rally cars were brought along for a five lap shoot-out. To make the race fair, they raced five laps, switched cars, then raced five laps again with the driver who had the quickest combined time being crowned champion. In pouring rain, Sears became the first ever champion by 1.6 seconds.

He regained the title in 1963, driving a variety of cars including a Ford Cortina GT, a seven-litre Ford Galaxie and a Lotus Cortina, which was used for the final two races.[1] Sears also co-drove a Ferrari 330 LMB with Mike Salmon to a fifth place in the 1963 Le Mans 24 Hours, the best result in the abbreviated racing history of the LMB.[2] He died on 7 August 2016, aged 86.[3]

Racing record

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Pts Class
1958 Jack Sears Austin A105 C BRH
1†
BRH
4†
MAL
3†
BRH
3†
BRH
3†
CRY BRH
2
BRH
3
BRH
3
1st 48 1st
1959 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar 3.4 Litre D GOO AIN SIL GOO SNE
2
BRH BRH
1†
NC NC
1960 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar Mk II Over 1000cc BRH SNE MAL OUL SNE
1
BRH
2
BRH
1
BRH NC NC
1961 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar Mk II D SNE
Ret
GOO AIN
2
SIL CRY
Ret
SIL BRH
3
OUL SNE
12
NC NC
1962 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar Mk II D SNE
2
GOO
3
AIN
4
SIL
3
CRY
2
AIN
1
BRH
2
OUL
2
3rd 38 1st
1963 John Willment Automobiles Ford Cortina GT B SNE OUL
4
GOO
7
AIN
4
1st 71
Ford Galaxie D SIL
1
CRY
1†
SIL
1
BRH
Ret
Ford Lotus Cortina B BRH
3
OUL
3
SIL
4

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

References

  1. 1963 British Saloon Car Championship Archived 15 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 18 December 2006.
  2. Eaton, Godfrey (1980), Ferrari: The Sports/Racing and Road Cars, Skokie, IL: Publications International, p. 93, ISBN 0-517-381982
  3. First champion Jack Sears dies aged 86. Retrieved on 7 August 2016.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
none
British Saloon Car Champion
1958
Succeeded by
Jeff Uren
Preceded by
John Love
British Saloon Car Champion
1963
Succeeded by
Jim Clark


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