What was Jim Clark's "secret"?

[Gary,U.S. Fan]

Given that Jim Clark always got the most speed out of whatever he was driving his approach has always been of interest. The more I learn about his style the less I understand how it all added up to such marvelous success.

"Thoroughbred & Classic Cars", Dec. 1999, Alan McCall, Clark's mechanic:

"Take brake pads. We used to replace them after four or five races on his car because it ws embarrassing. Graham (Hill) might go through two sets per meeting...(Clark) had the ability to carry extra speed around the corners so easily, without molesting the machinery."

"...Jimmy at the wheel of his big Galaxie was absolutely magic. It was all at more than 100mph, drifting into roundabouts - you really appreciated his car control. No sliding or clipping kerbs, just whoosh, whoosh, whoosh and you'd be through...I used to try (it) but it never worked out for me."

"I've driven with many racing drivers over the years but I've never had the same feeling as when I was with Jimmy."

"The big difference was his commitment before a corner...whoosh,whoosh...didn't clip kerbs, actually ran in the middle of the road...most drivers would say (his car) understeered like a pig! Not that it understeered for him...that's why I don't think he was a good guy to set a car up."

In Eric Dymock's "Jim Clark", Clark is discussed as a master of the four wheel drift. Could it be that by drifting the car at a greater angle than others would or could, the inherent understeer would be canceled? Were tires so hard then that they could withstand such abuse? All this discussion about understeer brings to mind the resultant scrubbing off of speed, in lieu
of brakes? Also mentioned was that Clark didn't use all of the available road. With all due respect to Alan McCall, I wish I knew what "whoosh" means.

Would someone such as Peter Mallet, or anyone, be able to explain Jim Clark's secret?

[This message has been edited by Gary,U.S. Fan (edited 01 January 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Gary,U.S. Fan (edited 01 January 2000).]

[Peter Mallett]

I go along with Marcus. With people like Clark, Senna and Schumacher you can't quantify their ability so why try? We should really just delight in our opportunities to watch them race. sadly however some of them do spoil it by being overtly competitive!

[Graham]

Surely if someone else knew Jim Clark's secret, he or she would be able to become such a remarkable driver. There seems to be an absence of such people.

Therefore, I conclude that no-one has the secret and it's debatable whether there actually is one.

Most of the time, Jim Clark didn't seem aware of his talent so maybe it was a secret kept from him also.

[Gerard]

I think Graham is right in questioning whether there was a secret.
I wonder if maybe it has something to do with the fact he started his racing career as a rally driver, unlike many of his peers.
We are all aware that rally drivers have an exceptional car control.
I like to read some more reactions to this, because I'm a huge Clark fan.

Gerard.

[marcus]

he was fast...thats all there seems to be to it ..with all the great drivers it comes back to that one statement...The guy was fast

[Steven Roy]

Graham (Graeme ?) Gauld who was a friend of Clark's has written a book about him and came up with the same opinion as Jackie Stewart. Jim Clark didn't know why he was so quick and genuinely couldn't understand why everyone wasn't as quick as him. To use a much overused word he was a natural.

For those who don't know there is a museum in Duns, Scotland which contains all his trophies and other momentoes which is definitely worth a visit if you are anywhere near. I have only been once and was in a hurry so I was only there for an hour. Rumour has it that when Senna visited he signed the visitors book and gave his real address in Brazil. Unfortunately I didn't have time to check this.

[Gary,U.S. Fan]

Thanks for the tip about the museum. I expect I will get to Scotland, eventually.

I maintain there is something unusually unique, and interesting, about a driver who loses speed prior to entering corners (creates friction of some kind, somewhere) with precious little brake wear, non-catastrophic tire wear and lap times proving that excessive speed has not been scrubbed off.

Clark having started in rallying, and considering the car control required (as mentioned above), would seem to have possibly been a factor. Certainly he was a natural.

[This message has been edited by Gary,U.S. Fan (edited 06 January 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Gary,U.S. Fan (edited 06 January 2000).]

[Steven Roy]

When you visit the museum you can also visit his grave which is a few miles away in the church yard in Chirnside.