tinydog sez:
Forget about variations on paint color, we seem to have started variations on
the life and times of Jim Clark.
Jim Clark died on April 7th 1968 at Hockenheim. He entered this Formula 2 race
out of his love for racing. Like many drivers of that era he raced in many
different series and Formulae. Lotus cars at that time were green with the
exception of the Cortina which was white with a green accent.
Clark did not forgo an F1 race on that fateful day as there was no Formula One
race anywhere in April 1968, let alone England. The British Grand Prix was not
held until July of that year at Brand Hatch.
-------------- Original message from "B- Evans" <b-evans@earthlink.net>:
--------------
> Mike Rambour wrote "aren't there as many variations of Olde English White
> as there are British Racing Green ?"
>
>
>
> At least as many! However, I don't believe Americans became attached to
> BRG until long after they had discovered OEW. I have always thought it was
> related to the Indianapolis superstition about cars being painted green
> being bad luck. I wonder how many remember the hue and cry in 1965, when
> Jimmy Clark came to Indianapolis with his green Lotus-Ford? Some drivers
> threatened to boycott the race, and many snickered at Clark and Colin
> Chapman for having the engine mounted in the REAR of the car, of all places.
>
>
>
> The Flying Scot, of course, showed them all, not only with the BRG paint,
> but also becoming the first driver with a rear-engine car to win it all.
> BRG was suddenly the "in" color for sports cars.
>
>
>
> Clark quickly became an American hero, not simply to Yank sports car
> drivers, but to American race fans, as well. His irrepressible personality
> and wide, honest grin captured the affection of even his early detractors.
> If he was racing anywhere in this country, his legion of fans were
> prominently displaying their "Jimmy Clark for President" signs. Those
> signs were seen everywhere in the election year of 1968, but quickly
> disappeared when Clark was killed in April or May 1968 at Hockenheimring
> (Germany). Sadly, it was a race he never wanted to enter, for it was for
> Formula 2 cars, and he really wanted race a Formula 1 at Brands Hatch (or
> was it Goodwood?). Because of a contract obligation, Firestone made him
> race in Germany instead of England.
>
>
>
> Now for a little quiz on your historical knowledge: British Racing Green
> was on Clark's car because:
>
>
>
> 1. To him it represented the green, green hills of his home in the
> Borders.
>
> 2. The FIA dictated colors for each country.
>
> 3. It was the company color for Colin Chapman's Lotus Cars Ltd.
>
> 4. Clark's wife, Beatrice, picked it because it was her "lucky" color.
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