Jim Clark Remembrance Weekend

[Rob P]

Just wondered if anyone was thinking of attending this event? Trying to decide if me and the lad are going to give the M100 a burst up to watch this on the Sunday

Being run by Club Lotus & Classic Team Lotus

LOTUS COMES TO SCOTLAND
TO REMEMBER JIM CLARK
18/19 MAY CLUB LOTUS NATIONAL EVENT - JIM CLARK REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND

To mark the 50th anniversary of Jim Clark’s first Formula 1 World Championship victory, Club Lotus and Classic Team Lotus have combined forces to stage an all-Lotus car display in the public road outside the Jim Clark Trophy Room in Jim’s home town of Duns in the Scottish Borders. Club Lotus is the major car Club dedicated to looking after the interests of all enthusiasts of Lotus road cars from the Seven of the fifties to the Evora of today. Classic Team Lotus is the specialist team who restore, maintain and race-prepare all the classic race cars from the golden era of Team Lotus Racing, designed by the founder of Lotus Cars, Colin Chapman.

On Friday the 17th, Club Lotus Chairman Alan Morgan and Brian “Elanman” Buckland will be retracing Jim’s route from the old Lotus factory in Cheshunt in London to the ex-Clark family farm at Edington Mains near Chirnside in Jim’s very first Elan, registered 997 NUR. Rumour has it that when Jim was stopped south of the Border for speeding on his way home from London in his Elan (fact), the constable who approached the vehicle remarked, “Just who do you think you are – Stirling Moss?” Jim’s reply - “No, I am Jim Clark, from Scotland. I am Formula 1 World Champion. My good friend Stirling never quite managed to claim that title.” The story is apocryphal, but as they say in MediaLand – when the legend is at odds with the truth, print the legend! History does not record whether or not Jim was cuffed and incarcerated for impersonation and impertinence. Alan and Brian, the English co-drivers of Jim’s pocket-rocket Elan, have been warned by rueful Scottish Club Lotus members that the remaining stretches of single carriageway of the A1 north from Newcastle are today littered with strategically-placed speed cameras and that they must resist the temptation to give the 50-year-old classic its head on the last lap to Scotland up the A1.

The centre piece of the display on Saturday and Sunday will be Jim’s 1963 race car, the legendary Lotus 25 Chassis R4, designed and manufactured by Colin Chapman, in which Jim raced to eight Formula 1 wins of the 12 races in 1963,. This priceless single-seater is now owned by John Bowers, who is coming over from Australia to join in on the action. Also on display will be Lotus 25 Chassis R5, the spare car used by Jim in many non-championship events in that year; Englishman Nick Fennell now owns R5 and will also be in Duns over the weekend. Also on display will be Andy Middlehurst’s Lotus Cortina which Jim raced to victory often on three wheels between Formula events. These cars, overseen by Bob Dance, Jim’s mechanic in the early years of his career, will be demonstrated in action, courtesy of Berwickshire Police, down the main street of the town,. All this will be under the nostalgic eye of local man, Ian Scott Watson (01578 740218), who was the first to spot Jim’s exceptional talent; in recognition of Jim’s ability, Ian handed over his own personal race vehicles (Porsche, Elite etc.) to allow Jim to race them instead.. A full range of examples of the road cars of the last 60 years will also be on display – from the Seven to all the E’s - Elite, Elan, Europa, Esprit, Excel, Elise, Exige and Evora. A specially-gathered collection of Jim Clark memorabilia will also be on display in the Library across from the Jim Clark Room courtesy of the Curator and fount of Jim Clark knowledge, Andrew Tulloch.

[hatters]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgVSLXobwy0

A great driving legend

[Rob P]

Excellent Video as well

[Scott J]

Did anyone go? I aborted at last minute.

[Jeemy]

I couldn't go but I saw a beautiful gold Esprit I've never seen around East Lothian so that was a treat, must have been en route home.

[Rob P]

I bailed out as well after finding out that the parking was allocated according to the Club Lotus paperwork, plus the weather forecast for the Sunday was not great so a 300 miles plus round trip seemed a little excessive
Ended up at a supercar meeting local to me, we were the only Lotus there so got a fair few people showing interest in the car........which was nice