Joe Fry facts for kids
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| Born | 26 October 1915 Winterbourne, Gloucestershire, England |
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| Died | 29 July 1950 (aged 34) Blandford Motor Racing Circuit, Blandford Forum, Dorset, England |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Active years | 1950 |
| Teams | non-works Maserati |
| Entries | 1 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1950 British Grand Prix |
Joseph Gibson Fry (born 26 October 1915 – died 29 July 1950) was a British racing driver. He was also a distant member of the famous Fry's Chocolate family.
Joe Fry was known for his skill in hill climb races. These are races where cars drive up a steep hill as fast as possible. He also competed in one Formula One Grand Prix race.
Contents
The Freikaiserwagen Racing Car
Joe Fry became the main driver for a very successful racing car. It was called the "Freikaiserwagen." His cousin, David Fry, and a friend, Hugh Dunsterville, built this special car. They had help from Dick Caesar.
Building the Car
The first Freikaiserwagen was built in Bristol in 1936. It first used an Anzani engine. In 1937, this was changed to a Blackburne engine.
Setting Hill Climb Records
Joe Fry set many hill climb records in the late 1930s. On 27 August 1938, he set an unofficial record at Prescott. He climbed the hill in just 47.62 seconds in the Freikaiserwagen.
Before World War II started, he held two records at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb. He completed the climb in 41.52 seconds and 42.58 seconds.
Success at Speed Trials
After the war, Joe Fry continued to race the Freikaiserwagen.
Brighton Speed Trials
In 1947, he finished second in his class at the Brighton Speed Trials. This event tests how fast cars can go over a short distance. The next year, he won his class at Brighton. He even set a faster time. In 1949, he won his class again at Brighton. He improved his time even more.
Blandford Hillclimb Victory
On 28 May 1949, Joe Fry won the Blandford hillclimb. He had the fastest time of the day, finishing in 31.13 seconds. He was driving the Freikaiserwagen, which was very light and powerful.
British Hill Climb Championship
Joe Fry also competed in the British Hill Climb Championship. On 21 July 1949, he raced at Bouley Bay Hill Climb in Jersey. He won his class there. He finished second overall, just behind Sydney Allard. At this point, Joe Fry was leading the championship!
In the final race at Prescott, he was only one point behind Sydney Allard. But Joe had mechanical problems with his car. He ended up finishing fourth overall in the championship. Dennis Poore and Stirling Moss also finished ahead of him.
Joe Fry's Final Race and Legacy
Joe Fry sadly died while racing the Freikaiserwagen. This happened at the 1950 Blandford hillclimb. This was less than two months after he drove a Maserati 4CL in his only Formula One Grand Prix race. That race took place at Silverstone.
Raymond Mays, another famous racing driver, spoke about Joe's death. He said it was a big loss for him and for British motor racing.
The Joe Fry Trophy
To remember Joe Fry, a special race was created. It was called the Joe Fry Trophy. This race was held between 1952 and 1954 at the Castle Combe Circuit.
Formula One World Championship Results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Joe Fry | Maserati 4CL | Maserati Straight-4 | GBR 10* |
MON | 500 | SUI | BEL | FRA | ITA | NC | 0 |
- * Indicates shared drive with Brian Shawe-Taylor
