Sir Jack Brabham = Absolute Gentleman And Australian Icon.

Sir Jack Brabham. (C)

    The world has lost a true gentleman and the finest race car driver Australia has ever produced with the passing of Sir Jack Brabham. Admired by contemporaries, revered by fans worldwide, a true legend of motorsport.
    In terms of motorsport, Sir Jack Brabham achieved all there is to achieve. Growing up in the Sydney suburb of Penshurst, the son of a greengrocer was an accomplished mechanic and engineer at a young age. Despite his desire to become a pilot, his mechanical prowess meant he was commissioned as an aircraft mechanic during WWII. After the war, Sir Jack successfully raced midgets that he constructed on dirt ovals from 1948. As his need to quench his motor racing thirst grew, a meeting with John Cooper saw Sir Jack embark to the UK which resulted in a Formula One debut in 1955. His maiden GP victory came at the season opening race at none other than Monaco in 1959. At that season's finale at Sebring, he famously pushed his out of fuel Cooper over the line to clinch 4th place and the first of his three F1 World Championships. 1960 saw Sir Jack garner his second championship driving for Cooper and is widely credited with being the catalyst for the revolutionary placement and subsequent development of the rear-engined race car. By the early 60's every F1 car was rear-engined.
    Perhaps Sir Jack is remembered most as the only F1 driver to win a championship in a car of his own design. Imagine that happening today? By preparing earlier and adapting better than the opposition to the new 3.0 litre formula, Sir Jack achieved his third championship in 1966 in the stunning Brabham BT-19.
    Who could ever forget after growing weary of media jibes regarding his age after turning 40, "Black Jack" hobbling to the grid at the Dutch GP in a false beard brandishing a cane resembling Old Father Time, then after laughing opponents jokingly help him into his pole position Brabham, proceeds to win the race?
    Sir Jack Brabham retired from F1 racing at the end of the 1970 season. That's a career that raced against such eponymous F1 names like Fangio, Moss, Clark, Hill, Stewart and Rindt. In 126 starts Sir Jack acquired 14 wins, 13 pole positions and won 3 F1 World Championships. Not only that, he was F2 champ in 1966, 4 time European F2 champ, British Saloon Car champ in 1965, competed at the Indy 500 and excelled in sportscars, in between coming back home to win the Australian Grand Prix a number of times. Sir Jack was awarded Australian Of The Year in 1966, an OBE in 1967, the first to be knighted for his services to motorsport in 1979, and in recent years, declared a National Treasure. Amazing!
    There is no doubt Sir Jack Brabham will be missed, but a life as remarkable as this and the influence he's had will be celebrated. His legacy lives on. Sons Gary, Geoff and David all have lengthy careers in motorsport. Now Sir Jack's grandsons Matthew and Sam are forging their own careers through Indy Lights and British Formula Ford. You only have to attend any historic open wheel event to see in all their resplendent glory any one of the 500+ Brabham race cars churned out in the 60's by the Brabham team. Sir Jack would of had a hand in all of them.
    
    Vale Sir Jack Brabham. 2/4/1926 - 19/5/2014. Forever remembered.
    

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