Jack Sears (16 February 1930 – 6 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
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
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 active19581965
Wins12
Best finish1st in 1958 and 1963
Championship titles
1958, 1963
1958, 1965
1962
1963
British Saloon Car Championship
BSCC - Class C
BSCC - Class D
BSCC - Class B

Biography

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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.[1]

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.[2] 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.[3]

Death

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Sears died on 6 August 2016 from lung cancer.[4] He had previously survived a heart attack.

Racing record

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Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

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
3
BRH
2
BRH
2
1st 48 1st
1959 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar 3.4-Litre D GOO AIN SIL GOO SNE
2
BRH BRH
1†
NC 0 NC
1960 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar Mk II 3.8 BRH SNE MAL OUL SNE
1*
BRH
2*
BRH
1*
BRH NC* 0*
1961 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar Mk II 3.8 D SNE
Ret
GOO AIN
2
SIL CRY
Ret
SIL BRH
3
OUL SNE
?
16th 12 6th
1962 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar Mk II 3.8 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
BRH
3
1st 71 1st
Ford Cortina Lotus OUL
3
SNE
4
Ford Galaxie D SIL
1
CRY
1†
SIL
1
BRH
Ret
3rd
1964 John Willment Automobiles Ford Galaxie D SNE
Ret
GOO
1
OUL
Ret
AIN
3
SIL
1
CRY
Ret†
BRH
1
OUL
Ret
8th 22 3rd
1965 Team Lotus Ford Cortina Lotus C BRH
Ret
OUL
Ret
SNE
6
GOO
2
SIL
1
CRY
3†
BRH
3
OUL
2
4th 38 1st
Source:[5]

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

‡ Event with 3 races staged for the different classes.

  • Car over 1000cc - Not eligible for points.

24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1960   J.G. Sears   Peter Riley Austin-Healey 3000 GT3.0 89 DNF DNF
1963   Maranello Concessionaires Ltd.   Mike Salmon Ferrari 330 LMB P +3.0 314 5th 1st
1964   AC Cars Ltd.   Peter Bolton AC Cobra Coupé GT5.0 77 DNF DNF
1965   AC Cars Ltd.   Dick Thompson AC Cobra Daytona Coupé GT5.0 304 8th 1st

References

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  1. ^ "First-ever BTCC champion Jack Sears passes away". www.motorsport.com. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  2. ^ 1963 British Saloon Car Championship Archived 15 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 18 December 2006.
  3. ^ Eaton, Godfrey (1980), Ferrari: The Sports/Racing and Road Cars, Skokie, IL: Publications International, p. 93, ISBN 0-517-381982
  4. ^ Lawrence, Paul (8 August 2016). "Obituary: Jack Sears". motorsportmagazine.com. Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  5. ^ de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by
none
British Saloon Car Champion
1958
Succeeded by
Preceded by British Saloon Car Champion
1963
Succeeded by