1968

[jimclark]

Thirty-four years ago today, we lost one of, if not THE, best. Drizzly day at Hockenheim.....

[Sato san]

and it was in a F2 event as well wasnt it ?

[Number Juan]

yep and max mosely was driving in that same race.

[Schummy]

...but he was not guilty that time

[f1manoz]

Tragic day it was that rainy April day in 1968. The sport lost its greatest driver in what was an insignificant race.

[mariov]

Originally posted by jimclark
Thirty-four years ago today, we lost one of, if not THE, best. Drizzly day at Hockenheim.....

Yes it was....Did not have the pleasure of seing him race, but saw his exploites on film after...it was a somber day for racing.

[Neil C]

...and a true gentleman he was as well. Too bad he is no longer the role model for contemporary drivers.

[Miss Hardt]

Can anyone tell me about it because it happened many years before I was born...and,since it's that day I am sorry for my name and everything I speak reminds you of the circuit.

Poor Jim....

[AAReagles]

Originally posted by Miss Hardt
Can anyone tell me about it because it happened many years before I was born...and,since it's that day I am sorry for my name and everything I speak reminds you of the circuit.

No offense at all, as far as mentioning the circuit Hockenheim. It was a racing accident, and these things will continue to happen as they always did before.

Forgive me if I leave out any details, but this is the best that I can recollect of the accident from all that I read, most of it from the fabulous book, Jim Clark Remembered, by Graham Gauld:


Clark, along with teammate, Graham Hill, was set to race in this 2 heat F2 event. Ironically, Clark was originally scheduled to participate in the BOAC 500, in a Ford sports car proto-type for Alan Mann I believe, at Brands Hatch, however, due to Chapman's desire to keep the sponsors happy, he requested that Clark race with the Gold Leaf colors instead, at the 4 mile track in Germany. Clark of course obliged and fate, unfortunately as we all too well know by now, was set.


The race conditions were, as mentioned earlier by others, a miserable drizzle, keeping the track undesireably damp. All the cars got off well, but Clark seem to have some sort of problems of getting his car right. So within a few short laps, Clark found himself struggling some, in the middle of the pack somewhere.

While off by himself, with no one noticeably close enough behind, he was approaching with is infamously known now as Clark Kurve. He was on the fifth lap, when disaster struck. In that slight, gentle curve, leading up to the Ost Kurve, his car slid off the track and into an area barraged with small trees. Unfortunately his car slammed broadside into one of them, right on his left side. He was killed instantly by massive head and chest injuries.

If you ever seen photos of that car after the impact, you would understand why such injuries could have easily occured. The steering wheel was horrifically bent, the left side of the driver's compartment was crushed, and the violence from the accident was so devastating that the entire engine, center piece monoque (driver's compartment) and front portion of the chassis all seperated from each other upon impact.

Only a lone track marshal was a witness to the tragic event, and his report was that Clark's Lotus 48 twitched in one direction, in which Clark immediately corrected, then twitched in the opposite direction and directly off into the woodline on the side of the track, in which there was little hope of survival, as back then, Hockenheim, like most circuits of that era, was not provided with run-off areas like all the circuits are today.

Graham Hill had passed by the accident, not knowing Clark was involved, nevertheless Hill commented that he knew if anyone went off in that area with the speed that is usually associated with that track, it would be inconceiveable to believe anyone could survive. Once he pulled into the pits however, he saw the horrified look one of the mechanics who returned from the accident site. He then knew what had happened.

Finally, some short time later, the race was halted, and drivers curious as to what happened had finally been informed of the loss. Jean-Pierre Beltoise (Matra entrant) was have reported to have openly wepted once he heard the sad news. Some drivers, understandibly, didn't have the heart to continue on for the second heat of the event. Graham Hill, being experience of tragedy before, helped organize the team (Lotus) in closing up shop at the circuit and getting things underway for recoving what was left of Jim Clark's Lotus, while Colin Chapman had the terrible task of having to identify the body at a local hospital in Heidelberg, Germany.

The crowd at Hockenheimring had been totally unaware of what was going on. Only a short while later after the race was stopped, were they presented with the shocking news. Silence was almost immediate at Brands Hatch as well once the news reached the area, as disbelief set in. Also, some 40,000 strong at a racing event in Austria respectfully paid a moment of silence to the recently lost great.

It is believed that a tire may have been the cause of the accident. For some years there was disagreement on this, but I suppose that was mostly from PR standpoint, sadly enough. In Graham's book (forgive me, as I no longer have it in my possession to quote from) there is mentioning of one driver, while following Clark, noticed that a tire seemed to be out of shape. But nothing was ever certain on this observation I believe.

What is certain, is that the world lost a great driver, as well as a great sportsman. He had the qualities in character that most drivers appear to lack today in my opinion.

Appropriately enough, when he left this earth, Clark was bearing the number that so many in the sport regarded him as up unto that fateful day at Hockenheim. His car was wearing #1.




I was only 4 when he passed on, but I enjoyed reading about him as well as seeing some film on him, particularly the 1967 season, when he drove the timeless Lotus 49.

I came across a quote he made while being interviewed by Life Magazine. Clark was asked why he participated in such a dangerous sport, even after witnessing the tragedies at SPA in 1960, when Chris Bristow and Clark's then teammate, Alan Stacey were killed. Clark's reply to the question of acceptance of such dangers was short and simple.

"Racing is like smoking (cigarettes), it gets into your blood."

[Miss Hardt]

Gosh...that's a terrible story.I won't add any closer comments,because it would be morbid...poor Jim again.

Thanks for this.Now I know why my father didn't want me to know the story.

[jimclark]

AAR - I've got 10 years on you (I was nearly 14 that day) and remember it all too well. jimmy was lying in a lowly 7th position when he went off....

[f1manoz]

It was just too tragic

The sports greatest driver taken in such an insignificant race. I don't think Beltoise was the only driver who broke down and cried on that day.

A famous Chris Amon quote:

'If it could happen to him, what chance did the rest of us have? I think we all felt that. It seemed like we'd lost our leader.'

[Schummy]

Somehow my more respected drivers in and out the track are Fangio and Clark. I didn't see them racing but we know theirs achievements and circunstances.

Good reminder, AAReagles, although sad, thanks.

[strad]

Good read...thanks

[AAReagles]

Originally posted by jimclark
AAR - I've got 10 years on you (I was nearly 14 that day) and remember it all too well. jimmy was lying in a lowly 7th position when he went off....

Thanks, as I couldn't remember where he was in regards to his position during the race.

I was 17 when G. Villeneuve was killed, and like your sad reflections of that event with Clark, I am reminded of a dark day myself, everytime it appears on the calendar, even after all these years: 8 May 1982.

Originally posted by f1manoz
I don't think Beltoise was the only driver who broke down and cried on that day.

Thanks for the Chris Amon quote, as I wasn't able to remember it word for word.

After having slept on it, I believe that I am in error of having mentioned Beltoise being the driver who reportedly wept (as noted in Gauld's book), as I now think it was Piers Courage. Forgive me, as I haven't been in possession of that book for over 15 years now.

Originally posted by Miss Hardt
... I won't add any closer comments,because it would be morbid...

It's quite alright Miss Hardt, us fellow enthusiasts here understand and welcome your interests in our beloved sport. Any comments provided would be well recieved. However, I don't wish to sound calous, but death sometimes is part of the nature of the sport. Though modern technology today, has minimized the risks, or so it seems.

I was upset and mad when Gilles was killed, but I always knew such possibilities did exist, after having seen Ronnie Peterson and Patrick DePailler (also killed at Hockenheim, during practice in 1980) as the first drivers to pass on when I first started following the sport, since 1978. With Gilles style of racing, I suppose it was bound to happen.



Additional note about Hockenheim: there is a marker placed at the spot where Jim Clark was killed. It is a stone cross, not very tall (little more than 2 ft. in height), set just between two fir trees. It is located approximately 50-75 meters (east) from where the chicane is at Clark Kurve. On the marker, it simply reads "Jim Clark, 7-4-1968" It really is quite a peaceful spot when no event is taking place.

Though that part of the track won't be used for the time, in GP racing at least, I imagine the area will be kept up since folks such as myself, will continue to visit the site, and pay some token of respect.

[AAReagles]

Here is the Jim Clark website. Please be patient if at times it is hard to get into or imagines won't download, as sometimes the server goes down and it is managed by just one fellow, who's done a tremendous job with the site. Just keep checking back later, as he fixes the problem(s) eventually, though it may take weeks.

http://www2.eis.net.au/~bramwell/jim.htm




Here is a photo of the Lotus 48, after the crash :

http://www2.eis.net.au/~bramwell/hockenheimcrash.htm