John Fitzpatrick (racing driver)
Encyclopedia
John Fitzpatrick is a former British racing driver, winning many titles throughout his career. He still works within motorsport as a consultant doing corporate events and driver management. He still does some historic races.
) in 1964 driving a works Mini Cooper, finishing the season in second place overall behind Jim Clark. In 1966 he won the Championship driving a Broadspeed Ford Anglia
.
In 1971 Fitzpatrick won the Jarama 4 Hours in a works Ford Escort RS2000 along with many other races in both the UK and Europe. In 1972 he won the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring for the renowned BMW Schnitzer Team along with Rolf Stommelen
. He won the European GT Championship and the coveted Porsche Cup in 1972 and 1974 driving for both Kremer and Georg Loos Teams.
In 1976 he won the Bathurst 1000
in an Australian Group C
Holden Torana touring car
with Bobby Morris driving for the Ron Hodgson Team. In a dramatic finish, Fitzpatrick nursed the Torana home trailing smoke over the last few laps. Initially thought to be an engine problem, it was an oil leak making the clutch slip badly that was slowing him. Fitzpatrick was a regular driver at Bathurst, first teaming with 1967
winner Fred Gibson
in a Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
in 1975
, winning with Morris in 1976 while again joining Morris in 1977
and 1978
in a Torana (both DNF). He teamed with four time winner Allan Moffat
in 1979
in a Ford XC Falcon
(DNF) before again joining forces with Bob Morris in 1981
(XD Falcon
- DNF). His last appearance as a driver in Australia
was to have been the 1982 James Hardie 1000
but after Morris qualified their Falcon
6th, Fitzpatrick had a front wheel break going through Forrest Elbow during the Saturday afternoon practice session causing the car to crash heavily into the wall. The damage was enough to prevent the Seiko
sponsored Falcon from starting Australia's Great Race.
He also won the Silverstone 1000 km in the Hermetite BMW driving with Tom Walkinshaw
, a race which he again won in 1978 drving a Porsche 935 for the Georg Loos Team. His next title came in 1980 with a Porsche 935 K3 in the IMSA Championship and Porsche Cup. More titles came in the 1980s driving Porsches for his own team. These included the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix in 1980, '81 and '83 at Riverside International Raceway and in 1983 The Brands Hatch 1000 km with Derek Warwick
and The Elkhart Lake Can-Am in his Porsche 956.
Fitzpatrick also started John Fitzpatrick Racing with success competing regularly in the World Sportscar Championship
. Both as a driver and team owner, Fitzpatrick enjoyed success using the Porsche 956
with drivers such as Formula One
drivers Thierry Boutsen
, Roberto Moreno
, Rupert Keegan
and racing journalist/commentator David Hobbs all driving JFR cars.
Racing career
He first entered the British Saloon Car Championship (now known as the British Touring Car ChampionshipBritish Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
) in 1964 driving a works Mini Cooper, finishing the season in second place overall behind Jim Clark. In 1966 he won the Championship driving a Broadspeed Ford Anglia
Ford Anglia
The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....
.
In 1971 Fitzpatrick won the Jarama 4 Hours in a works Ford Escort RS2000 along with many other races in both the UK and Europe. In 1972 he won the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring for the renowned BMW Schnitzer Team along with Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points...
. He won the European GT Championship and the coveted Porsche Cup in 1972 and 1974 driving for both Kremer and Georg Loos Teams.
In 1976 he won the Bathurst 1000
1976 Hardie-Ferodo 1000
The 1976 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 17th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 3 October 1976 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia...
in an Australian Group C
Group C (Australia)
In relation to Australian motorsport, Group C refers to either of two sets of regulations devised by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport for use in Australian touring car racing from 1965 to 1984...
Holden Torana touring car
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
with Bobby Morris driving for the Ron Hodgson Team. In a dramatic finish, Fitzpatrick nursed the Torana home trailing smoke over the last few laps. Initially thought to be an engine problem, it was an oil leak making the clutch slip badly that was slowing him. Fitzpatrick was a regular driver at Bathurst, first teaming with 1967
1967 Gallaher 500
The 1967 Gallaher 500 was the eighth running of the Bathurst 500 production car race. It was held on 1 October 1967 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. Cars competed in five classes based on purchase price of the vehicle.In a seminal moment for the race, the first Australian built...
winner Fred Gibson
Fred Gibson
Fred Gibson is a former wide receiver and former NBA D-League guard.-College career:Gibson attended University of Georgia and majored in Speech Communications....
in a Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
Alfa Romeo 1750
The Alfa Romeo 1750/2000 is a medium-priced range of cars presented in 1967 by Alfa Romeo.The 1750 Berlina sedan was introduced in 1967, together with the 1750 GTV coupe and 2000 Spider. The 1750 models replaced the earlier 2600 Berlina, Sprint and Spider at the top of the Alfa Romeo range...
in 1975
1975 Hardie Ferodo 1000
The 1975 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 16th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was an endurance race for Touring Cars complying with CAMS Group C regulations. The event was held at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales on 5 October 1975 over a distance of...
, winning with Morris in 1976 while again joining Morris in 1977
1977 Hardie-Ferodo 1000
The 1977 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 18th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 2 October 1977 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
and 1978
1978 Hardie-Ferodo 1000
The 1978 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 19th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on October 1, 1978 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
in a Torana (both DNF). He teamed with four time winner Allan Moffat
Allan Moffat
Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000...
in 1979
1979 Hardie-Ferodo 1000
The 1979 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 20th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on September 30, 1979 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
in a Ford XC Falcon
Ford XC Falcon
The Ford XC Falcon is a car which was produced by Ford Australia between 1976 and 1979. It was a facelift of the XB Falcon, itself an upgrade of the XA Falcon which had entered production in 1972...
(DNF) before again joining forces with Bob Morris in 1981
1981 James Hardie 1000
The 1981 James Hardie 1000 was the 22nd running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 4 October 1981 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
(XD Falcon
Ford XD Falcon
The Ford XD Falcon is a car that was produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1979 and 1982.The XD series was introduced on 28 March 1979 and was initially offered in five models:* Falcon GL * Fairmont...
- DNF). His last appearance as a driver in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
was to have been the 1982 James Hardie 1000
1982 James Hardie 1000
The 1982 James Hardie 1000 was the 23rd running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 3 October 1982 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia...
but after Morris qualified their Falcon
Ford XE Falcon
The Ford XE Falcon is a car which was produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1982 and 1984. Introduced on 11 March 1982, the XE was a revised version of the XD Falcon, which it replaced...
6th, Fitzpatrick had a front wheel break going through Forrest Elbow during the Saturday afternoon practice session causing the car to crash heavily into the wall. The damage was enough to prevent the Seiko
Seiko
, more commonly known simply as Seiko , is a Japanese watch company.-History and ongoing developments:The company was founded in 1881, when Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clocks under the...
sponsored Falcon from starting Australia's Great Race.
He also won the Silverstone 1000 km in the Hermetite BMW driving with Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw was a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing...
, a race which he again won in 1978 drving a Porsche 935 for the Georg Loos Team. His next title came in 1980 with a Porsche 935 K3 in the IMSA Championship and Porsche Cup. More titles came in the 1980s driving Porsches for his own team. These included the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix in 1980, '81 and '83 at Riverside International Raceway and in 1983 The Brands Hatch 1000 km with Derek Warwick
Derek Warwick
Derek Stanley Arthur Warwick is a British former racing driver from England. He raced for many years in Formula One, but never won a Grand Prix. During the early 1980s he was thought more likely to achieve World Championship success than his contemporary Nigel Mansell, but a series of wrong...
and The Elkhart Lake Can-Am in his Porsche 956.
Fitzpatrick also started John Fitzpatrick Racing with success competing regularly in the World Sportscar Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
. Both as a driver and team owner, Fitzpatrick enjoyed success using the Porsche 956
Porsche 956
The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship...
with drivers such as 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...
drivers Thierry Boutsen
Thierry Boutsen
Thierry Marc Boutsen is a former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One.-Career:thumb|left|Boutsen driving for [[Arrows]] at the [[1984 Dallas Grand Prix]]....
, Roberto Moreno
Roberto Moreno
Roberto Pupo Moreno , usually known as Roberto Moreno and also as Pupo Moreno, is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 15 championship points. He raced in CART in 1986, and was Formula 3000 champion before joining...
, Rupert Keegan
Rupert Keegan
Rupert Keegan is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 37 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 8 May 1977. He scored no championship points....
and racing journalist/commentator David Hobbs all driving JFR cars.