Jim Clark 50th BTCC celebrationposted in BTCC23 | 11 | 2013
SCOTLAND'S MOST ICONIC RACER, double Formula One world champ Jim Clark, will be marked in a special weekend at Knockhill race circuit next year. The event, in partnership with the newly-formed Jim Clark Trust, will mark the 50th anniversary of Clark's remarkable British Touring Car Championship victory in 1964.
Clark — born in Kilmany, Fife, but who then moved with his family to Duns — will always be remembered for his ability to drive and win in all types of cars and series
His BTCC victory, in his famous Lotus-Cortina, was sandwiched by his two F1 world titles in 1963 and '65. He was only denied the F1 title in '64 by an oil leak in the engine of his Lotus 25.
The Jim Clark Trust — which has the endorsement of triple F1 world champ Sir Jackie Stewart, and three-times Indy500 winner and four-times IndyCar champ, Dario Franchitti — will have a display of Clark's cars, memorabilia and trophies at the BTCC weekend on August 23/24.
Related: Dario Franchitti's Jim Clark dream
"We are thrilled and honoured the Jim Clark Trust has chosen the 2014 BTCC event at Knockhill to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Clark's BTCC title win," Stuart Gray, Knockhill event director, said.
"It’s a natural fit in many ways, as Jim was born in Fife, and we hope to have a huge crowd at our 2014 event as Knockhill is also celebrating it’s the 40th anniversary.
"We're planning a whole host of events to ensure it's a fitting event to celebrate the birthday of Scotland’s National Motor Sport Centre and Clark's 1964 title, coming as it did when he was the reigning Formula One champion."
Clark was the first of three Scot's — he was followed by Galashiels' John Cleland in 1989 and '95, and Dalgety Bay's Gordon Shedden in 2012 — to win the BTCC crown.
Related: Jim Clark's Indy500 — The Ford story
The announcement marking the celebration of Clark's achievement comes as the Jim Clark Trust is putting together plans to establish a new museum dedicated to the achievements of the racer.
The Jim Clark Room, which is currently set up in the Berwickshire town of Duns close to where Clark spent most of his life, houses a selection of memorabilia from the late driver’s career, but it is small and becoming overcrowded.
Now the Jim Clark Trust is putting together a bid to build a new, expanded museum to house more of the cars Clark drove, trophies he won and other memorabilia from his racing career under one roof.
Scottish Borders Council is also playing its part by providing more than £500,000 of capital funding for the new museum, with the 'Room' having attracted more than 300,000 visitors from across the world since it opened 40 years ago.
Related: Definitive Jim Clark book now digital
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/scotcars
Jim McGill