John Fitch (driver)
Encyclopedia
John Cooper Fitch is a racecar driver born in Indianapolis, Indiana
. He was the first American to race automobiles successfully in Europe in the postwar era. After obtaining an engineering degree from Lehigh University
, he began racing in Europe.
In the course of a driving career which spanned 18 years, Fitch won such notable sports car races as the 1951 Argentine Grand Prix, 1955 Mille Miglia
(production car class), Dunrod Tourist Trophy, and Sebring endurance race as well as numerous lesser races. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
six times, finishing as high as third. Fitch also served as the first manager for Chevrolet
's Corvette
racing team, and the first general manager of the Lime Rock Park
race track, where he organized (and drove in) a famous Formula Libre
race in 1959, where Rodger Ward
shocked the expensive and exotic sports car
s by beating them on the road course
in an Offenhauser
powered midget car, normally considered competitive for oval track
s only.
In addition, Fitch emulated his ancestor, John Fitch
who invented the steamship, by inventing many safety
innovations for the race track and the highway, as well as designing and building high performance cars, including modifying Corvair
s for resale.
Fitch has been active in crusading for increased safety on racetracks and highways, joining with medical experts such as Steve Olvey and Terry Trammel, engineers such as Bill Milliken
and Karl Ludvigsen
, and journalists such as Chris Economaki
and Brock Yates
, as well as many of his racing driver friends. He has served as consultant to numerous research and governmental organizations on the subject of vehicle handling and dynamics, as they relate to safety. He also served as technical consultant for the film The Racers
and design consultant for many racetracks, including Mosport
, St. Jovite, Quebec, and Watkins Glen International
, as well as Lime Rock Park
.
, which introduced him to cars and racing at an early age. In his youth, Fitch would build cars from junk and drive them. In 1939 he saw the last auto race at Brooklands
before the outbreak of World War II.
Fitch attended Kentucky Military Institute
, then studied civil engineering
at Lehigh University
. In 1941 he volunteered for the US Army Air Corps. His service took him to North Africa, where he flew the A-20 Havoc and then on to England. By 1944, Captain Fitch was a P-51 Mustang
pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, 335th Fighter Squadron, and is credited with shooting down a Messerschmitt Me 262
jet. Two months before the end of the war, he was shot down himself while making an ill-advised third strafing pass on an Axis train and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war.
, near Lime Rock Park
.
car dealership and also began racing MG-TCs at tracks like Bridgehampton, New York
, Watkins Glen, and Thompson, Connecticut
.
In 1950 Fitch raced his Ford Flathead engine
d Fiat 1100
, which he soon modified into the "Fitch Model B", and ended the year by driving a Jaguar XK120
in the first Sebring endurance race. In 1951 in addition to campaigning in his Fitch-Whitmore, he won the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in his Cadillac-Allard, drove a Cunningham C-2 for the Briggs Cunningham
team at several races including the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans
, and became the first Sports Car Club of America
national champion. In 1952, Fitch continued to race the Fitch-Whitmore as well as a Chrysler
-engined Cunningham C4R for the Cunningham team at several races (once again including Le Mans), a Sunbeam-Talbot
for the Sunbeam team at the Alpine Rally, a Porsche 356
at a Porsche race at Nürburgring
, and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL for in the Carrera Panamericana
.
In his most notable year, 1953, Fitch competed in many European races and was named "Sports Car Driver of the Year" by Speed Age
magazine. That year, in addition to again racing a Cunningham C4R and Cunningham C5R for the Cunningham team, competing in European rallies in a Sunbeam-Talbot for the Sunbeam team, and racing a Porsche 356 at Nürburgring, he also competed in the Mille Miglia in a Nash-Healey
for the factory team, the Aix-les-Bains
Grand Prix in a Cooper Monaco for the Cooper
team, the Dunrod Tourist Trophy race in a Frazer Nash
for the factory team, the Italian Grand Prix
in HWM-Alta
for the HWM team, and took his rookie test for the Indy 500 in a Kurtis-Kraft-Offy but did not qualify for the race. His win at Sebring with co-driver Phil Walters, defeating the powerful Aston Martin
team under John Wyer
, was the first win at that track for American drivers in an American car.
In 1954, Fitch drove for Cunningham in a Cunningham C4R, and also Ferrari
s and again a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. In 1955, in addition to driving a Maserati 250F
in the 1955 Italian Grand Prix
, Fitch raced for the Mercedes-Benz sports car team along with Juan Manuel Fangio
, Karl Kling
, and Stirling Moss
, arguably the most formidable racing team ever, dominating all levels of competition from Formula One
to diesel
-engined production cars. That year, Fitch won the production class at the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, coming in fifth overall behind his teammates Moss and Fangio in their Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
racers.
For the 1955 24 Heures du Mans, Fitch was paired with Pierre Levegh
in a 300 SLR; while it was Levegh driving at the time of the 1955 Le Mans disaster
, the initial confusion had his family in the United States notified he had crashed, when it was Levegh; Fitch was in the pits awaiting his turn. The incident sparked his lifelong interest in safety innovations for racing and highways.
In 1956 Fitch returned from Europe and was chosen by Chevrolet Chief Engineer Ed Cole
to head the new eight driver Chevrolet Corvette
racing team for two years. Although the Corvette was at that point widely panned in the racing community as more style than substance, under Fitch's management the year began with setting a class land speed record
for production cars at Daytona Beach of 145.543 mph, followed by two class wins and a team win at Sebring. During this period, Fitch continued to race successfully with the Cunningham team
, which was now competing around the United States in Jaguar D-type
s. By the end of 1957, Fitch had begun racing in Maserati
s, which he continued to race in 1958, mostly at the new Lime Rock Park, where he had been instrumental in the promotion of the track and where he was circuit director. In 1959 he drove a RSK
for Porsche at Sebring, a Lister Jaguar for Cunningham, a Corvette for Chevrolet's Bill Mitchell, and a Cooper Monaco.
In 1960, Fitch and Briggs Cunningham
joined the Corvette team as drivers to race once again at Sebring and Le Mans. After that, they teamed to race a two liter Maserati at endurance events at Sebring and Road America
through 1962, and a Jaguar E-type
at Sebring in 1963. Fitch also raced a Genie BMC
in 1963, then returned with Cunningham to drive a Porsche 904
at Sebring in 1965 and 1966. By this time, both were no longer enthusiastic about competing to win; according to Fitch, "I think we were there because we just liked to drive. And at Sebring we could, for 12 hours! Besides, it was the best place to watch the race." http://www.racesafety.com/fitchbio.html So, when a valve broke on the car in 1966, it marked the end of their racing careers for both of them.
Fitch still drives in vintage racing events, particularly at Lime Rock Park, as well as at Goodwood Festival of Speed
and the Monterey Historic Automobile Races
.
Fitch did, however, return to official automotive competition at 87 years of age in 2003 http://www.racesafety.com/bonneville_record_2003.html and again in 2005 http://www.racesafety.com/bonneville_record_2005.html, when he was once again teamed up with a now 50 year old Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR owned by Bob Sirna, this time at Bonneville Salt Flats in an attempt to break the land speed record for the class, a novel venue for both car and driver. The attempts failed due to the fuel injection
pump which limited the top speed to only 150 mph, but the team vowed to return the next year. With characteristic self-deprecating humor, Fitch noted that he had driven those cars faster than that in the rain, at night, on a road with 60 other cars. The extraordinary event is documented in a film Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch, which is occasionally airing in HD on PBS http://szwedo.com/gullwing.htm.
In 1950 Fitch built and raced a Fiat 1100
with the small (60 horsepower) Ford Flathead engine
tuned for midget racing, which he soon modified into the "Fitch Model B" by adding a Crosley
body. In 1951, in addition to campaigning in the Fitch-Whitmore, a Jaguar XK120
to which he had fit a lightweight aluminum body, saving 800 pounds, he won the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in a Cadillac
powered Allard he had rebuilt from a wreck. In 1952, Fitch continued to race his Fitch-Whitmore in addition to other cars.
as the basis for a spirited road and track oriented car due to its handling, while others concentrated more on the Ford Falcon or Ford Mustang
with the potential for more power. His Fitch Sprint had only minor modifications to the engine, bringing it to 155 hp (116 kW), but upgrades to the shock absorber
s and spring
s, adjustments to the wheel alignment
, quicker steering ratio
, alloy wheels, metallic brake lining
s, the obligatory wood-rimmed steering wheel (leather available for an additional $9.95) and other such minor alterations made it extremely competitive with European sports cars costing much more. Body options such as spoiler
s were available, but the most visually remarkable option was the "Ventop", a fiberglass
overlay for the C-pillars and rear of the roof that gave the car a "flying buttress
" profile.
Fitch went on to design and build a prototype of the Fitch Phoenix, a Corvair-based two-seat sports car, superficially resembling a smaller version of the Mako Shark based Corvette. With a total weight of 1,950 pounds (885 kg), even with a steel body, and with the Corvair engine modified with Weber carburetor
s to deliver 175 hp (130 kW), the car delivered spirited performance for $8,760. Unfortunately, the Traffic Safety Act of 1966 placed restrictions on the ability to produce automobiles on a small scale; this was followed by Chevrolet's decision to terminate production of the Corvair, which confirmed the end of Fitch's plan. He still retains the prototype however, and occasionally exhibits it at car shows. It is briefly glimpsed in the film Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch, mentioned above.
Inspired by sand-filled fuel cans which he used to protect his tent from strafing
during the war, he devised the Fitch Barrier system, now ubiquitous on American highways, for installation around fixed objects on racetracks and highways to absorb impact. Typically, Fitch insisted on testing the system himself.
Other impact absorbing systems designed by Fitch are the Fitch Compression Barrier, suited for oval tracks and other such high speed situations with little runoff area, which comprises a set of strong, resilient hollow cylinders about a yard in diameter placed between the guardrail and the wall, gently absorbing the vehicle's energy without bouncing it back onto the track, and the Fitch Displaceable Guardrail where more room is available, a guardrail mounted on skids so that it can slide backwards on impact, gradually capturing the car.
As vehicular modifications for racing safety, Fitch also engineered the Fitch Driver Capsule, an easy to install seat incorporating a seatback which pivots integral with the seatbelt in order to reduce the inertial force experienced by the driver. He later extended the principle with the Fitch Full Driver Capsule, by anchoring the helmet to the seatback to prevent basilar skull fracture
and hyperextension of the neck, in a manner similar to the function of the HANS device
.
In 1998, Fitch received the Kenneth Stonex Award from the Transportation Research Board
of the National Academy of Sciences
for his lifelong contributions to road-traffic safety. "In all, John Fitch's achievements in road safety throughout the world have spanned four and one-half decades. His lifetime contributions have covered the full spectrum of highway safety - the roadside, the vehicle and the driver. All have resulted in significant reductions in injuries and fatalities on the motorways of the world," said Transportation Research Board committee chairman John F. Carney III on presenting the award.
based cooling system which does not require pressurization, the DeConti Brake, a liquid-cooled secondary braking system for light trucks, buses and similar vehicles http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_n2_v29/ai_13512015, the Fitch Fuel Catalyst, which reduces the proportion of light chain (C1 - C4) molecules in gasoline, and inhibits oxidation and microorganism growth in both gasoline and diesel fuel http://www.fitchfuelcatalyst.com/techinfo/ffcfaq.html, self-leveling automotive suspension systems, for which he has received several patents, the Salisbury Thermo-Syphon Fireplace which uses waste heat to provide convective heating, and the Fitch Cervical Spine Traction
Therapy, which allows freedom of movement in bed while continuing to provide tension that relieves disk pressure. http://www.courant.com/news/local/northeast/hc-fitchinvent0813.artaug13,0,625790.story
Impact Attenuation, Inc., Impact Dynamics, LLC., Roadway Safety Service Inc., DeConti Industries Inc., Consulier Industries, Inc., Highway Safety Research Corp., as well as Lime Rock Park
.
, Fitch wrote his autobiography (somewhat prematurely, in 1960), Adventure on Wheels, published by G.P. Putnam & Sons. In 1993 an authorized biography titled John Fitch: Racing Through Life, written by James Grinnell, was published. The book Racing Through Life by Carl Goodwin also documents Fitch's life. Fitch wrote of his years with the Mercedes-Benz racing team in his 2005 book, Racing with Mercedes Photo Data Research. In addition, a film documentary featuring Fitch attempting to break a speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, A Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch Chris Szwedo Productions was released on DVD and is being broadcast on the American Public Broadcasting System in 2006.
, and a POW Medal for his wartime service, Fitch was awarded the Stonex Roadside Safety Award in 1998 and was inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame (2000) and the Sebring Hall of Fame (2002). He is scheduled to be inducted in the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame
in 2009.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. He was the first American to race automobiles successfully in Europe in the postwar era. After obtaining an engineering degree from Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
, he began racing in Europe.
In the course of a driving career which spanned 18 years, Fitch won such notable sports car races as the 1951 Argentine Grand Prix, 1955 Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
(production car class), Dunrod Tourist Trophy, and Sebring endurance race as well as numerous lesser races. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
six times, finishing as high as third. Fitch also served as the first manager for Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
's Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
racing team, and the first general manager of the Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
race track, where he organized (and drove in) a famous Formula Libre
Formula Libre
Formula Libre is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the opportunity for some compelling driving performances against superior machinery...
race in 1959, where Rodger Ward
Rodger Ward
Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:...
shocked the expensive and exotic sports car
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
s by beating them on the road course
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
in an Offenhauser
Offenhauser
Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which...
powered midget car, normally considered competitive for oval track
Oval track
Oval track racing, also known as oval racing, is a form of closed-circuit automobile racing that is contested on an oval-shaped track. An oval track differs from a road course in that the layout resembles an oval with turns in only one direction, almost universally left...
s only.
In addition, Fitch emulated his ancestor, John Fitch
John Fitch (inventor)
John Fitch was an American inventor, clockmaker, and silversmith who, in 1787, built the first recorded steam-powered boat in the United States...
who invented the steamship, by inventing many safety
Car safety
Automobile safety is the study and practice of vehicle design, construction, and equipment to minimize the occurrence and consequences of automobile accidents. Automobile safety is the study and practice of vehicle design, construction, and equipment to minimize the occurrence and consequences of...
innovations for the race track and the highway, as well as designing and building high performance cars, including modifying Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
s for resale.
Fitch has been active in crusading for increased safety on racetracks and highways, joining with medical experts such as Steve Olvey and Terry Trammel, engineers such as Bill Milliken
William F. Milliken, Jr.
William F. Milliken, Jr. is a former aerospace engineer, automotive engineer and racecar driver. He was born in Old Town, Maine....
and Karl Ludvigsen
Karl Ludvigsen
Karl Ludvigsen . Cum Laude graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and attended both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studying engineering, and Pratt Institute where he matriculated in industrial design...
, and journalists such as Chris Economaki
Chris Economaki
Christopher "Chris" Constantine Economaki is an American motorsports commentator, pit road reporter, and journalist. Chris Economaki has been given the title "The Dean of American Motorsports." Microsoft chose Economaki to author the auto racing history portion of its Encarta...
and Brock Yates
Brock Yates
Brock Yates is an American journalist and author. He was longtime executive editor of Car and Driver, an American automotive magazine. He was a pit reporter for CBS' coverage of certain NASCAR Sprint Cup series races in the 1980s, including the Daytona 500...
, as well as many of his racing driver friends. He has served as consultant to numerous research and governmental organizations on the subject of vehicle handling and dynamics, as they relate to safety. He also served as technical consultant for the film The Racers
The Racers
The Racers is a 1955 film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars Kirk Douglas and Bella Darvi. -Cast:*Kirk Douglas as Gino Borgesa*Bella Darvi as Nicole*Gilbert Roland as Dell'Orro*Cesar Romero as Carlos Chavez*Lee J. Cobb as Maglio...
and design consultant for many racetracks, including Mosport
Mosport
Mosport International Raceway is a multi-track facility located north of Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. The facility features a , 10-turn road course; a half-mile paved oval; a 2.4 km advance driver and race driver training facility with a quarter-mile skid pad Mosport International Raceway...
, St. Jovite, Quebec, and Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
, as well as Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
.
Early life
John Fitch's stepfather was an executive with the Stutz Motor CompanyStutz Motor Company
The Stutz Motor Company was a producer of luxury cars based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Production began in 1911 and continued through 1935. The marque reappeared in 1968 under the aegis of Stutz Motor Car of America, Inc., and with a newly defined modern retro-look. Although the company is...
, which introduced him to cars and racing at an early age. In his youth, Fitch would build cars from junk and drive them. In 1939 he saw the last auto race at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
before the outbreak of World War II.
Fitch attended Kentucky Military Institute
Kentucky Military Institute
The Kentucky Military Institute was a military preparatory school in Lyndon, Kentucky and Venice, Florida, in operation from 1845 to 1971....
, then studied civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
at Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
. In 1941 he volunteered for the US Army Air Corps. His service took him to North Africa, where he flew the A-20 Havoc and then on to England. By 1944, Captain Fitch was a P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, 335th Fighter Squadron, and is credited with shooting down a Messerschmitt Me 262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
jet. Two months before the end of the war, he was shot down himself while making an ill-advised third strafing pass on an Axis train and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war.
Personal life
Fitch is an amateur sailor. He is married to his wife Elizabeth. He currently resides in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, near Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
.
Racing career
After the war, Fitch opened an MGMG (car)
The MG Car Company is a former British sports car manufacturer founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés....
car dealership and also began racing MG-TCs at tracks like Bridgehampton, New York
Bridgehampton, New York
Bridgehampton is a hamlet in the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,381 at the 2000 census....
, Watkins Glen, and Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...
.
In 1950 Fitch raced his Ford Flathead engine
Ford Flathead engine
The Ford flathead V8 was a V8 engine of the flathead type, designed by the Ford Motor Company and built by Ford and various licensees...
d Fiat 1100
Fiat 1100
The Fiat 1100 is a compact automobile produced from 1937 to 1969, by the Italian car maker Fiat.- Fiat 508C Nuova Balilla 1100 :The Fiat 1100 was first introduced in 1937 as an updated version of the 508 "Balilla" with a look similar to the 1936 Fiat 500 "Topolino" and the larger 1500, with the...
, which he soon modified into the "Fitch Model B", and ended the year by driving a Jaguar XK120
Jaguar XK120
The Jaguar XK120 is a sports car which was manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954. It was Jaguar's first sports car since the SS 100, which ceased production in 1940.-History:...
in the first Sebring endurance race. In 1951 in addition to campaigning in his Fitch-Whitmore, he won the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in his Cadillac-Allard, drove a Cunningham C-2 for the Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Swift Cunningham II was an American entrepreneur and sportsman, who raced automobiles and yachts. Born into a wealthy family, he became a racing car constructor, driver, and team owner as well as a sports car manufacturer and automobile collector.He skippered the victorious yacht Columbia...
team at several races including the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans
1951 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 19th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 22 and 23 1951.This race saw the death of French driver Jean Larivière within the opening laps of the race.-Official results:-Did Not Finish:-Statistics:...
, and became the first Sports Car Club of America
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
national champion. In 1952, Fitch continued to race the Fitch-Whitmore as well as a Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
-engined Cunningham C4R for the Cunningham team at several races (once again including Le Mans), a Sunbeam-Talbot
Sunbeam-Talbot
-Background history:The Sunbeam Motorcar Company Ltd was formed in 1905 to separate the Sunbeam motorcycle and bicycle maker from the new car manufacturer....
for the Sunbeam team at the Alpine Rally, a Porsche 356
Porsche 356
The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2 door sports car available in hardtop coupe and open configurations. Design innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsports...
at a Porsche race at Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL for in the Carrera Panamericana
Carrera Panamericana
The Carrera Panamericana was a border-to-border sports car racing event on open roads in Mexico similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy. Running for five consecutive years from 1950 to 1954, it was widely held by contemporaries to be the most dangerous race of any type in the world...
.
In his most notable year, 1953, Fitch competed in many European races and was named "Sports Car Driver of the Year" by Speed Age
Speed Age
Speed Age is a former American automobile magazine....
magazine. That year, in addition to again racing a Cunningham C4R and Cunningham C5R for the Cunningham team, competing in European rallies in a Sunbeam-Talbot for the Sunbeam team, and racing a Porsche 356 at Nürburgring, he also competed in the Mille Miglia in a Nash-Healey
Nash-Healey
The Nash-Healey is a two-seat sports car that was produced for the American market between 1951 and 1954. Marketed by Nash-Kelvinator Corporation with a Nash Ambassador drivetrain and a European chassis and body, it served as a halo vehicle for the automaker to promote the sales of the other Nash...
for the factory team, the Aix-les-Bains
Aix les Bains Circuit du Lac
Aix-les-Bains, Savoie, France had a temporary race track, called Circuit du Lac, that hosted Formula 2, Formula Junior and Motorcycle Grand Prix races. It hosted events from 1949 to 1961.-Introduction:...
Grand Prix in a Cooper Monaco for the Cooper
Cooper Car Company
The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
team, the Dunrod Tourist Trophy race in a Frazer Nash
Frazer Nash
Frazer Nash was a British sports car manufacturer and engineering company founded by Archibald Frazer-Nash in 1922. It produced sports cars incorporating a unique multi-chain transmission before World War II and also imported BMW cars to the UK. After the war it continued producing sports cars with...
for the factory team, the Italian Grand Prix
1953 Italian Grand Prix
The 1953 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on September 13, 1953 at Monza. It was the ninth and final round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used...
in HWM-Alta
Hersham and Walton Motors
Hersham and Walton Motors is the world's longest established Aston Martin business and is well known as a racing car constructor. As a constructor, it is best known for its involvement in Formula Two from 1950 to 1953 and Formula One in 1954...
for the HWM team, and took his rookie test for the Indy 500 in a Kurtis-Kraft-Offy but did not qualify for the race. His win at Sebring with co-driver Phil Walters, defeating the powerful Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
team under John Wyer
John Wyer
John Wyer was an English automobile racing engineer and team manager. He is mainly associated with cars running in the lightblue and orange livery of his longtime sponsorship partner Gulf Oil.As team manager and team owner, Wyer won the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times...
, was the first win at that track for American drivers in an American car.
In 1954, Fitch drove for Cunningham in a Cunningham C4R, and also Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
s and again a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. In 1955, in addition to driving a Maserati 250F
Maserati 250F
The Maserati 250F was a racing car made by Maserati of Italy used in '2.5 litre' Formula One racing between January 1954 and November 1960. Twenty-six examples were made.-Mechanical details:...
in the 1955 Italian Grand Prix
1955 Italian Grand Prix
The 1955 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 11 September 1955. It was the seventh and final round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 2:46.5...
, Fitch raced for the Mercedes-Benz sports car team along with Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing...
, Karl Kling
Karl Kling
Karl Kling was a motor racing driver and manager from Germany. He participated in 11 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 4 July 1954. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 17 championship points.It is said, that he was born too late and too early...
, and Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
, arguably the most formidable racing team ever, dominating all levels of competition from Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
to diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
-engined production cars. That year, Fitch won the production class at the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, coming in fifth overall behind his teammates Moss and Fangio in their Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR was a sportscar racing car for the 1955 World Sportscar Championship season, which it won.-Technical highlights:...
racers.
For the 1955 24 Heures du Mans, Fitch was paired with Pierre Levegh
Pierre Levegh
Pierre Eugène Alfred Bouillin was a French sportsman and racing driver. He took the racing name Pierre Levegh in memory of his uncle, a pioneering driver who died in 1904...
in a 300 SLR; while it was Levegh driving at the time of the 1955 Le Mans disaster
1955 Le Mans disaster
The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race, when a crash caused large parts of racing car debris to fly into the crowd. The driver was killed, as were 83 spectators. A further 120 people were injured...
, the initial confusion had his family in the United States notified he had crashed, when it was Levegh; Fitch was in the pits awaiting his turn. The incident sparked his lifelong interest in safety innovations for racing and highways.
In 1956 Fitch returned from Europe and was chosen by Chevrolet Chief Engineer Ed Cole
Ed Cole
Edward Nicholas Cole was an American automotive executive for General Motors.- Career :Cole was the son of a dairy farmer. In his youth, he designed, built, and sold homemade radio sets, and as a teenager became a field representative for a tractor manufacturer...
to head the new eight driver Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
racing team for two years. Although the Corvette was at that point widely panned in the racing community as more style than substance, under Fitch's management the year began with setting a class land speed record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
for production cars at Daytona Beach of 145.543 mph, followed by two class wins and a team win at Sebring. During this period, Fitch continued to race successfully with the Cunningham team
Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Swift Cunningham II was an American entrepreneur and sportsman, who raced automobiles and yachts. Born into a wealthy family, he became a racing car constructor, driver, and team owner as well as a sports car manufacturer and automobile collector.He skippered the victorious yacht Columbia...
, which was now competing around the United States in Jaguar D-type
Jaguar D-type
The Jaguar D-Type, like its predecessor the C-Type, was a factory-built race car. Although it shared the basic straight-6 XK engine design with the C-Type, the majority of the car was radically different...
s. By the end of 1957, Fitch had begun racing in Maserati
Maserati in motorsport
Throughout its history the Italian auto manufacturer Maserati has participated in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, sportscar racing and touring car racing, both as a works team and through private entrants.-Beginnings:...
s, which he continued to race in 1958, mostly at the new Lime Rock Park, where he had been instrumental in the promotion of the track and where he was circuit director. In 1959 he drove a RSK
Porsche 718
The Porsche 718 is an open-cockpit racing car build by Porsche between 1957 and 1962.The 718 was a development of the already successful 550A with improvements being made to the body work and suspension. The new front frame resembled the letter K if viewed from the front and this led to the car...
for Porsche at Sebring, a Lister Jaguar for Cunningham, a Corvette for Chevrolet's Bill Mitchell, and a Cooper Monaco.
In 1960, Fitch and Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Swift Cunningham II was an American entrepreneur and sportsman, who raced automobiles and yachts. Born into a wealthy family, he became a racing car constructor, driver, and team owner as well as a sports car manufacturer and automobile collector.He skippered the victorious yacht Columbia...
joined the Corvette team as drivers to race once again at Sebring and Le Mans. After that, they teamed to race a two liter Maserati at endurance events at Sebring and Road America
Road America
Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
through 1962, and a Jaguar E-type
Jaguar E-type
The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1975. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing established the marque as an icon of 1960s motoring...
at Sebring in 1963. Fitch also raced a Genie BMC
Gilbern
Gilbern cars were made in Llantwit Fardre, Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales between 1959 and 1973.Gilbern Sports Cars Ltd was founded by Giles Smith, a butcher, and Bernard Friese, a German engineer with experience in glass fibre mouldings, and was one of the few cars to be made in Wales...
in 1963, then returned with Cunningham to drive a Porsche 904
Porsche 904
The Porsche 904 is an automobile which was produced by Porsche in Germany in 1964 and 1965. It was officially called Porsche Carrera GTS due to the same naming rights problem that required renaming the Porsche 901 to Porsche 911.- History :...
at Sebring in 1965 and 1966. By this time, both were no longer enthusiastic about competing to win; according to Fitch, "I think we were there because we just liked to drive. And at Sebring we could, for 12 hours! Besides, it was the best place to watch the race." http://www.racesafety.com/fitchbio.html So, when a valve broke on the car in 1966, it marked the end of their racing careers for both of them.
Fitch still drives in vintage racing events, particularly at Lime Rock Park, as well as at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Goodwood Festival of Speed
The Goodwood Festival of Speed, commonly abbreviated as FoS and referred within the United Kingdom as simply the Festival of Speed, is an annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England.Typically held in late June or...
and the Monterey Historic Automobile Races
Monterey Historic Automobile Races
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is an annual event held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. Its purpose is to provide an event for historic race cars to compete in. It takes place over the course of one weekend every mid-August. It was first established by Steve Earle in...
.
Fitch did, however, return to official automotive competition at 87 years of age in 2003 http://www.racesafety.com/bonneville_record_2003.html and again in 2005 http://www.racesafety.com/bonneville_record_2005.html, when he was once again teamed up with a now 50 year old Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR owned by Bob Sirna, this time at Bonneville Salt Flats in an attempt to break the land speed record for the class, a novel venue for both car and driver. The attempts failed due to the fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
pump which limited the top speed to only 150 mph, but the team vowed to return the next year. With characteristic self-deprecating humor, Fitch noted that he had driven those cars faster than that in the rain, at night, on a road with 60 other cars. The extraordinary event is documented in a film Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch, which is occasionally airing in HD on PBS http://szwedo.com/gullwing.htm.
Racing specials
Fitch designed a total of five cars.In 1950 Fitch built and raced a Fiat 1100
Fiat 1100
The Fiat 1100 is a compact automobile produced from 1937 to 1969, by the Italian car maker Fiat.- Fiat 508C Nuova Balilla 1100 :The Fiat 1100 was first introduced in 1937 as an updated version of the 508 "Balilla" with a look similar to the 1936 Fiat 500 "Topolino" and the larger 1500, with the...
with the small (60 horsepower) Ford Flathead engine
Ford Flathead engine
The Ford flathead V8 was a V8 engine of the flathead type, designed by the Ford Motor Company and built by Ford and various licensees...
tuned for midget racing, which he soon modified into the "Fitch Model B" by adding a Crosley
Crosley
The Crosley was an automobile manufactured by the Crosley Corporation and later by Crosley Motors Incorporated in the United States from 1939 to 1952.-History:...
body. In 1951, in addition to campaigning in the Fitch-Whitmore, a Jaguar XK120
Jaguar XK120
The Jaguar XK120 is a sports car which was manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954. It was Jaguar's first sports car since the SS 100, which ceased production in 1940.-History:...
to which he had fit a lightweight aluminum body, saving 800 pounds, he won the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in a Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
powered Allard he had rebuilt from a wreck. In 1952, Fitch continued to race his Fitch-Whitmore in addition to other cars.
Fitch Sprint and Phoenix
As a roadracer, Fitch was particularly interested in the Chevrolet CorvairChevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
as the basis for a spirited road and track oriented car due to its handling, while others concentrated more on the Ford Falcon or Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
with the potential for more power. His Fitch Sprint had only minor modifications to the engine, bringing it to 155 hp (116 kW), but upgrades to the shock absorber
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
s and spring
Spring (device)
A spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...
s, adjustments to the wheel alignment
Wheel alignment
Wheel alignment sometimes referred to as tracking, is part of standard automobile maintenance that consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are set to the car maker's specification. The purpose of these adjustments is to reduce tire wear, and to ensure that vehicle travel is...
, quicker steering ratio
Steering ratio
Steering ratio refers to the ratio between the turn of the steering wheel or handlebars and the turn of the wheels .The steering ratio, is the amount of degrees you have to turn the steering wheel, for the wheels to turn an amount of degrees.In motorcycles and bicycles, the steering ratio is...
, alloy wheels, metallic brake lining
Brake lining
Brake linings are the consumable surfaces in brake systems, such as drum brakes and disc brakes used in transport vehicles.-History:Brake linings were invented by Bertha Benz during her historic first long distance car trip in the world in August 1888.-Structure and function:Brake linings are...
s, the obligatory wood-rimmed steering wheel (leather available for an additional $9.95) and other such minor alterations made it extremely competitive with European sports cars costing much more. Body options such as spoiler
Spoiler (automotive)
A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...
s were available, but the most visually remarkable option was the "Ventop", a fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
overlay for the C-pillars and rear of the roof that gave the car a "flying buttress
Flying buttress
A flying buttress is a specific form of buttressing most strongly associated with Gothic church architecture. The purpose of any buttress is to resist the lateral forces pushing a wall outwards by redirecting them to the ground...
" profile.
Fitch went on to design and build a prototype of the Fitch Phoenix, a Corvair-based two-seat sports car, superficially resembling a smaller version of the Mako Shark based Corvette. With a total weight of 1,950 pounds (885 kg), even with a steel body, and with the Corvair engine modified with Weber carburetor
Weber carburetor
Weber is an Italian company producing carburetors, currently owned by Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A., in turn part of the Fiat Group.The company was established as...
s to deliver 175 hp (130 kW), the car delivered spirited performance for $8,760. Unfortunately, the Traffic Safety Act of 1966 placed restrictions on the ability to produce automobiles on a small scale; this was followed by Chevrolet's decision to terminate production of the Corvair, which confirmed the end of Fitch's plan. He still retains the prototype however, and occasionally exhibits it at car shows. It is briefly glimpsed in the film Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch, mentioned above.
Other cars
Fitch's company, John Fitch & Co., Inc., went on to manufacture and market the Fitch Firebird and Toronado Phantom, but garnered less attention than the Sprint.Safety inventions
In the aftermath of the Le Mans disaster of 1955, Fitch has devoted a great deal of effort to the task of increasing the safety of motorsports and driving in general, resulting in his company, Impact Attenuation Inc.. His innovations are characterized not only by their effectiveness, but also by their real-world practicality, as affordable and easily installed and maintained solutions.Inspired by sand-filled fuel cans which he used to protect his tent from strafing
Strafing
Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. This means, that although ground attack using automatic weapons fire is very often accompanied with bombing or rocket fire, the term "strafing" does not specifically include the...
during the war, he devised the Fitch Barrier system, now ubiquitous on American highways, for installation around fixed objects on racetracks and highways to absorb impact. Typically, Fitch insisted on testing the system himself.
Other impact absorbing systems designed by Fitch are the Fitch Compression Barrier, suited for oval tracks and other such high speed situations with little runoff area, which comprises a set of strong, resilient hollow cylinders about a yard in diameter placed between the guardrail and the wall, gently absorbing the vehicle's energy without bouncing it back onto the track, and the Fitch Displaceable Guardrail where more room is available, a guardrail mounted on skids so that it can slide backwards on impact, gradually capturing the car.
As vehicular modifications for racing safety, Fitch also engineered the Fitch Driver Capsule, an easy to install seat incorporating a seatback which pivots integral with the seatbelt in order to reduce the inertial force experienced by the driver. He later extended the principle with the Fitch Full Driver Capsule, by anchoring the helmet to the seatback to prevent basilar skull fracture
Basilar skull fracture
A basilar skull fracture is a fracture of the base of the skull, typically involving the temporal bone, occipital bone, sphenoid bone, and/or ethmoid bone....
and hyperextension of the neck, in a manner similar to the function of the HANS device
HANS device
The HANS device is a safety item compulsory in many car racing sports...
.
In 1998, Fitch received the Kenneth Stonex Award from the Transportation Research Board
Transportation Research Board
The Transportation Research Board is a division of the National Research Council, which serves as an independent adviser to the President, the Congress and federal agencies on scientific and technical questions of national importance...
of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
for his lifelong contributions to road-traffic safety. "In all, John Fitch's achievements in road safety throughout the world have spanned four and one-half decades. His lifetime contributions have covered the full spectrum of highway safety - the roadside, the vehicle and the driver. All have resulted in significant reductions in injuries and fatalities on the motorways of the world," said Transportation Research Board committee chairman John F. Carney III on presenting the award.
Other inventions
Fitch has also developed other automotive innovations, including the Evans Waterless Engine Cooling System, a propylene glycolPropylene glycol
Propylene glycol, also called 1,2-propanediol or propane-1,2-diol, is an organic compound with formula C3H8O2 or HO-CH2-CHOH-CH3...
based cooling system which does not require pressurization, the DeConti Brake, a liquid-cooled secondary braking system for light trucks, buses and similar vehicles http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_n2_v29/ai_13512015, the Fitch Fuel Catalyst, which reduces the proportion of light chain (C1 - C4) molecules in gasoline, and inhibits oxidation and microorganism growth in both gasoline and diesel fuel http://www.fitchfuelcatalyst.com/techinfo/ffcfaq.html, self-leveling automotive suspension systems, for which he has received several patents, the Salisbury Thermo-Syphon Fireplace which uses waste heat to provide convective heating, and the Fitch Cervical Spine Traction
Traction (orthopedics)
In orthopedic medicine, traction refers to the set of mechanisms for straightening broken bones or relieving pressure on the spine and skeletal system.There are two types of traction: skin traction and skeletal traction....
Therapy, which allows freedom of movement in bed while continuing to provide tension that relieves disk pressure. http://www.courant.com/news/local/northeast/hc-fitchinvent0813.artaug13,0,625790.story
Companies
During his life, Fitch has founded or been associated at a high level with several companies, including John Fitch & Co., Inc., Advanced Power Systems International, Race Safety, Inc.,Impact Attenuation, Inc., Impact Dynamics, LLC., Roadway Safety Service Inc., DeConti Industries Inc., Consulier Industries, Inc., Highway Safety Research Corp., as well as Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
.
Writer
In addition to numerous articles in magazines as well as the Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
, Fitch wrote his autobiography (somewhat prematurely, in 1960), Adventure on Wheels, published by G.P. Putnam & Sons. In 1993 an authorized biography titled John Fitch: Racing Through Life, written by James Grinnell, was published. The book Racing Through Life by Carl Goodwin also documents Fitch's life. Fitch wrote of his years with the Mercedes-Benz racing team in his 2005 book, Racing with Mercedes Photo Data Research. In addition, a film documentary featuring Fitch attempting to break a speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, A Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch Chris Szwedo Productions was released on DVD and is being broadcast on the American Public Broadcasting System in 2006.
Career awards
In addition to receiving a Presidential Citation, Theater Awards, Air Medals, a Purple HeartPurple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, and a POW Medal for his wartime service, Fitch was awarded the Stonex Roadside Safety Award in 1998 and was inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame (2000) and the Sebring Hall of Fame (2002). He is scheduled to be inducted in the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame
New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame
The New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for racing-related people in the New England region of the United States. NEAR was established in 1981. The New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame was established in 1998 by the New England Antique Racers.-New England Antique Racers:The...
in 2009.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 1953 Formula One season As in , the 1953 Formula One season consisted of a small number of Formula One races, following the FIA's decision to once again run the World Drivers' Championship to Formula Two regulations rather than Formula One.... |
HW Motors Ltd Hersham and Walton Motors Hersham and Walton Motors is the world's longest established Aston Martin business and is well known as a racing car constructor. As a constructor, it is best known for its involvement in Formula Two from 1950 to 1953 and Formula One in 1954... |
HWM Hersham and Walton Motors Hersham and Walton Motors is the world's longest established Aston Martin business and is well known as a racing car constructor. As a constructor, it is best known for its involvement in Formula Two from 1950 to 1953 and Formula One in 1954... |
Alta Straight-4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
ARG 1953 Argentine Grand Prix The 1953 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on January 18, 1953 at the Autódromo Juan y Óscar Gálvez, Buenos Aires. It was the first round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally... |
500 1953 Indianapolis 500 The 1953 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Saturday, May 30, 1953 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship.-Race:... |
NED 1953 Dutch Grand Prix The 1953 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on June 7, 1953 at the Circuit Zandvoort. It was the third round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :The Ferraris... |
BEL 1953 Belgian Grand Prix The 1953 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on June 21, 1953 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It was the fourth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :A... |
FRA 1953 French Grand Prix The 1953 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 5, 1953 at Reims-Gueux. It was the fifth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.... |
GBR 1953 British Grand Prix The 1953 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 18 July 1953 at Silverstone Circuit. It was the sixth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Classification :- Drivers'... |
GER 1953 German Grand Prix The 1953 German Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 2, 1953 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It was the seventh round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Classification :-... |
SUI 1953 Swiss Grand Prix The 1953 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 23, 1953 at Bremgarten Circuit. It was the eighth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.It marked the brief return of... |
ITA 1953 Italian Grand Prix The 1953 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on September 13, 1953 at Monza. It was the ninth and final round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used... Ret |
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| 1955 1955 Formula One season The 1955 Formula One season was the sixth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1955 World Championship of Drivers, which commenced on January 16, 1955 and ended on September 11 after seven races... |
Stirling Moss Stirling Moss Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England... |
Maserati Maserati in motorsport Throughout its history the Italian auto manufacturer Maserati has participated in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, sportscar racing and touring car racing, both as a works team and through private entrants.-Beginnings:... 250F Maserati 250F The Maserati 250F was a racing car made by Maserati of Italy used in '2.5 litre' Formula One racing between January 1954 and November 1960. Twenty-six examples were made.-Mechanical details:... |
Maserati Maserati in motorsport Throughout its history the Italian auto manufacturer Maserati has participated in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, sportscar racing and touring car racing, both as a works team and through private entrants.-Beginnings:... Straight-6 Straight-6 The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase... |
ARG 1955 Argentine Grand Prix The 1955 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Buenos Aires on January 16, 1955. It was the first round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: José Froilán González - 1:43.1... |
MON 1955 Monaco Grand Prix The 1955 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 22, 1955. It was the second round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship and was given an honorary name, Grand Prix d'Europe.- Race report :... |
500 1955 Indianapolis 500 The 1955 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Monday, May 30, 1955 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the third round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship... |
BEL 1955 Belgian Grand Prix The 1955 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 5, 1955. It was the fourth round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship.- Race report :... |
NED 1955 Dutch Grand Prix The 1955 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zandvoort on June 19, 1955. It was the fifth round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship.- Race report :... |
GBR 1955 British Grand Prix The 1955 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Aintree on 16 July 1955. It was the sixth round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :* Lap Leaders:** Juan Manuel Fangio 10 laps... |
ITA 1955 Italian Grand Prix The 1955 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 11 September 1955. It was the seventh and final round of the 1955 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 2:46.5... 9 |
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