John Coombs Racing Organisation | |
---|---|
{{{image}}} | |
Team Information | |
Nationality | British |
First Season | 1959 |
Founder | John Coombs |
Driver(s) | Graham Hill Roy Salvadori |
Car | Jaguar Mk II |
Team Stats | |
Races Entered | 41 |
Total Number of Wins | 12 |
First Win | Brands Hatch 1960 |
The John Coombs Racing Organisation was a British Saloon Car Championship team, who built and raced modified Jaguar cars.[1] Better known simply as John Coombs, the team were in constant competition with Equipe Endeavour for race wins.
History[]
John Coombs was originally founded in the 1950s, after John Coombs ended his personal racing career.[2] John Coombs ran in sports cars primarily, although as an owner of a Jaguar Dealership, Coombs was asked to run cars in the BSCC.[2] Preparing a modified Jaguar 3.4 Litre, Coombs asked his friend Roy Salvadori to drive for him in the 1959 BSCC season.[3] After competing at three races, the car was required to compete in endurance events abroad, meaning the Salvadori did not get classified in the final standings.[3]
After appearing at one race in 1960 which Salvadori won, Coombs launched their modified Jaguar Mk II (available for both racing and road) for the 1961 season.[1] With Salvadori remaining as their only driver, the team's full efforts were focused on getting Salvadori to the top of the time sheets, a feat which he achieved three times.[4] Three retirements through accidents in races hampered Salvadori's title challenge, although he did finish as runner up in Class D, just seven points short of winner Mike Parkes.[4]
Salvadori continued with the team into 1962, with John Coombs signing one of the biggest names in motor racing, Graham Hill.[5] Due to the ultra competitiveness of the Jaguar Mk II, the year was virtually defined by the herd of Jags that led the field, with large squabbles involving numerous cars.[5] In the end, Hill took fourth overall and second in Class D, with Salvadori ninth and third.[5]
Salvadori left the team in 1963, with Hill taking over as the number one driver for the team, and Mike MacDowel brought in.[6] Hill took three victories that season, claiming third overall, and was granted the Class D title after Jack Sears was excluded from the class championships as he drove three different cars.[6] MacDowel only drove in one race, with the team leaving the championship after the emergence of the American Muscle cars, such as the Ford Galaxie.[6]
Honours[]
John Coombs were a major player in the BSCC in the championship's early years, although their drivers missed only just missed out on class honours on several occasions.
- 1961
- Class D Championship Runner-up (Roy Salvadori)
- 1962
- Class D Championship Runner-up (Graham Hill)
- 1963
- Class D Championship Champion (Graham Hill)
Driver List[]
Below is a list of all the drivers that have raced for John Coombs Racing Organisation.
John Coombs Racing Organisation Driver List | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Nationality | Name | No. | Rounds | Final Standings |
1959 | Roy Salvadori | 1-3 | bgcolor="Purple" style="color:white; border-radius:7px;"|NC | ||
1960 | 6 | bgcolor="Purple" style="color:white; border-radius:7px;"|NC | |||
1961 | All | 5th | |||
1962 | Graham Hill | 1-4, 7-8 | 4th | ||
Bob Jane | 6 | bgcolor="Purple" style="color:white; border-radius:7px;"|NC | |||
Roy Salvadori | 1-5, 7-8 | 9th | |||
1963 | Graham Hill | 1-6, 8, 10 | 3rd | ||
Mike MacDowel | 7 | bgcolor="Purple" style="color:white; border-radius:7px;"|NC |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.jaguarmk2.info/coombs-register.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Coombs
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1959%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1961%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1962%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1963%20BSCC.html