John Fitch (racing driver) facts for kids
| Born | August 4, 1917 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | October 31, 2012 (aged 95) near Lime Rock, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  American |
| Active years | 1953, 1955 |
| Teams | HWM-Alta, Stirling Moss Ltd. |
| Entries | 2 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1953 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1955 Italian Grand Prix |
John Cooper Fitch (born August 4, 1917, in Indianapolis, Indiana – died October 31, 2012) was an American racing driver and inventor. He was the first American to race cars successfully in Europe after World War II.
During his 18-year racing career, Fitch won many important sports car races. These included the 1953 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1955 Mille Miglia (for production cars), and the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy. He also won many SCCA National Sports Car Championship races. He worked with Briggs Cunningham on his Le Mans projects in the early 1950s. Later, he joined the Mercedes-Benz sports car team. He also competed in two major Formula One races.
After he stopped racing in 1964, Fitch managed the Lime Rock race track. He also led Chevrolet's Corvette racing team. His most important work was making motor sports and regular road cars safer. His ideas have helped save many lives. He worked on advanced safety systems for drivers. He also helped design race tracks and invented many car parts. Even when he was in his 90s, Fitch still worked as a consultant and attended car events.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
John Fitch was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1917. He was a descendant of John Fitch, who invented the steamboat. John's stepfather worked for the Stutz Motor Company. This introduced him to cars and racing at a young age. In the late 1930s, Fitch went to Kentucky Military Institute. Then he studied civil engineering at Lehigh University. In 1939, he visited Europe. He saw the last car race at Brooklands before World War II started. He returned to the United States. He sailed a 32-foot schooner around the Gulf of Mexico.
Flying in World War II
John's first love was airplanes, not cars. So, when war began in 1939, he volunteered to be a pilot while in England. In spring 1941, he joined the United States Army Air Corps. He served in North Africa, flying the A-20 Havoc. Then he moved to England. By 1944, Captain Fitch flew P-51 Mustang planes. He flew missions to protect bombers. He became one of the Americans to shoot down a German Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. Just two months before the war ended, he was shot down. He had made a risky third pass at an enemy train. He spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war.
Racing Adventures
When Fitch returned to the U.S., he was one of many young pilots who loved speed. Fitch opened an MG car dealership. He also started racing an MG-TC at tracks like Bridgehampton and Watkins Glen. Fitch was very good at racing. He caught the eye of Briggs Cunningham, a rich racing fan. Cunningham encouraged Fitch to race in Argentina in 1951.
In 1950, Fitch raced his Ford Flathead engined Fiat 1100. He changed it into the "Fitch Model B". He ended the year by driving a Jaguar XK120 in the Sebring Grand Prix of Endurance. In 1951, he also raced his Fitch-Whitmore. He became famous by winning the Gran Premio de Eva Duarte Perón – Sport in his Allard-Cadillac J2. Because of this win, Juan Perón made him a member of his political party. Eva Perón gave him the trophy and a kiss.
Cunningham's support helped Fitch race more. He drove a Cunningham C-2R for the Cunningham team. He won many races in the early 1950s. These included races at Elkhart Lake and Watkins Glen. He became the first SCCA National Sports Car Champion. In 1951, John raced an Effyh Formula Three car. He won at Bridgehampton and a class win at Giants Despair.
In 1952, Fitch kept racing the Fitch-Whitmore. He also raced a Chrysler-engined Cunningham C4-R for the Cunningham team. He raced a works Sunbeam at the Alpine Rally. Seven years after fighting Germans, he was racing their cars! He drove a Porsche 356 at the famous Nürburgring track. He also drove a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL prototype in the Carrera Panamericana. At Le Mans, Fitch almost made Cunningham's dream come true. He set the fastest lap in his C4-R. But he had to stop later in the race because of bad fuel.
During the race, Fitch was impressed by the new Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs. Mercedes' chief engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, was impressed by Fitch. He offered Fitch a chance to test the car at Nürburgring. Fitch drove as if his career depended on it. He wanted to join the Mercedes team. He persuaded Mercedes' team manager, Alfred Neubauer, to send 300 SLs to Mexico for the Carrera Panamericana. This was a race the German team wasn't planning to enter. Fitch's car had tire problems and was disqualified. But he earned Neubauer's respect.
In 1953, Fitch and co-driver Phil Walters beat the strong Aston Martin team. They won the 12 Hours of Sebring in a Chrysler-powered Cunningham C4R. The English team's manager, John Wyer, was very surprised. He thought his team would easily win. This was the first Sebring victory for American drivers in an American car. Fitch raced in many European races that year. Speed Age magazine named him "Sports Car Driver of the Year." He also raced a Cunningham C4R and Cunningham C5R. He competed in European rallies in a Sunbeam-Talbot. He raced a Porsche 356 at Nürburgring. He also raced in the Mille Miglia in a Nash-Healey. He made his first of two starts in a Formula One Grand Prix race. He did not finish the Gran Premio d'Italia in a HWM-Alta. While racing a Cunningham C5R, Fitch survived a scary 140-mph crash. His car flipped end-over-end during the 12 Heures internationales de Reims.
In 1954, Fitch drove for Cunningham in a Cunningham C4R. He also drove Ferraris and another Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. In 1955, Fitch raced for the Daimler-Benz AG sports-car team. His teammates included Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss. This team was one of the best ever. They won many races, from Formula One to diesel cars. That year, Fitch won his class in the Mille Miglia. He drove a regular Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. He finished fifth overall, behind his teammates Moss and Fangio. They were driving faster Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR race cars. Fitch said the car's suspension was so bad they had to tie down the axle with their belts. Yet, he was only beaten by special race cars. Fitch also helped Moss win. He designed a "scrolling map in a box" device. Moss's navigator, Denis Jenkinson, used it to guide their car. Later that season, Fitch and Moss won the RAC Tourist Trophy in Northern Ireland. Fitch thought the narrow track was too dangerous for racing. The Tourist Trophy race later moved to a safer track in England. He finished ninth in his last Formula One Grand Prix race at Monza. He drove a Maserati 250F.
Before the Tourist Trophy, Fitch was paired with Pierre Levegh in a 300 SLR at the Le Mans race. Levegh was driving when the worst accident in racing history happened. It killed 83 spectators. At first, Fitch's family in the United States was told he had crashed. Fitch was in the Mercedes trailer when he heard the explosion. He went to help injured people. When he returned, Madame Levegh knew her husband, Pierre, had died. This terrible event made Fitch interested in safety innovations for racing and roads.
When he returned from Europe in 1955, Ed Cole, Chevrolet's Chief Engineer, chose Fitch. He was to lead the new eight-driver Chevrolet Corvette racing team for two years. At first, many thought the Corvette looked good but wasn't a great race car. But under Fitch's leadership, the team set a speed record. They reached 145.543 mph at Daytona Beach. They also won two class wins and a team win at Sebring. Fitch continued to race successfully with the Cunningham team. They raced Jaguar D-Types around the United States. He was both team manager and driver for the Corvette SS at the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring. By late 1957, Fitch started racing Maseratis. He continued racing them in 1958. He mostly raced at the new Lime Rock Park. He helped promote this track and was its director.
In 1959, he drove a factory Porsche 718 RSK at the 12 Hours of Sebring. He shared the car with Edgar Barth. They finished second in their class and fifth overall. He kept racing with his friend Briggs Cunningham in his Jaguar D-Type and Lister Jaguar. He also drove the Stingray Racer for Chevrolet's Bill Mitchell. As director at Lime Rock, he organized a famous race. In this race, Rodger Ward surprised everyone. He beat expensive sports cars in a small midget car.
In 1960, Fitch rejoined the Briggs Cunningham team for Le Mans. The Cunningham Corvettes were tested and improved. They raced in the 12 Hours of Sebring. With Bob Grossman as co-driver, their Corvette finished first in its class. It was eighth overall at Le Mans. This was a Corvette record that lasted over 40 years.
After that, Fitch and Cunningham raced a two-liter Maserati. They competed in endurance races at Sebring and Road America until 1961. They also raced a Jaguar E-Type at Sebring in 1962 and 1963. Fitch raced a Genie BMC in 1963. Then he returned to Cunningham to drive a Porsche 904 at Sebring in 1965 and 1966. His last race was the 1966 Sebring event. Fitch, Cunningham, and Dave Jordan shared a Porsche. A part broke, and the car was out of the race. Fitch said they weren't trying to win anymore. They just loved to drive. This race marked the end of their racing careers.
Fitch continued to drive in vintage racing events. He raced at Lime Rock Park, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the Monterey Historic Automobile Races.
Fitch did return to official racing at 87 years old in 2003 and 2005. He teamed up with a 50-year-old Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. They tried to break the land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats. The attempts failed because of a fuel problem. But Fitch joked that he had driven those cars faster in the rain, at night, with 60 other cars! A film called A Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch tells this story. A few years earlier, Fitch set a speed record for driving backwards. He reached 60 mph at Lime Rock.
Engineering and Inventions
Car Design Ideas
Fitch designed five cars in total.
In 1950, Fitch built and raced a Fiat 1100. It had a small Ford Flathead engine. He later changed it into the "Fitch Model B" by adding a Crosley body. In 1951, he raced the Fitch-Whitmore. This was a Jaguar XK120 with a lightweight aluminium body. This made it 800 pounds lighter. John won a race in an Cadillac-powered Allard J2 that he rebuilt from a wreck.
Fitch Sprint
Fitch was very interested in the Chevrolet Corvair for a fun road and track car. He liked its handling. His Fitch Sprint had small engine changes, making it 155 horsepower. But it had better shock absorbers and springs. It also had changes to the wheel alignment and quicker steering ratio. These changes made it very competitive with more expensive European sports cars.
Fitch Phoenix
Fitch also designed and built a prototype of the Fitch Phoenix. This was a Corvair-based two-seat sports car. It looked a bit like a smaller version of the Corvette. It weighed 1,950 pounds, even with a steel body. Its Corvair engine was changed to give 175 horsepower. The car was very fast for its price. Sadly, a new safety law in 1966 made it hard to build cars in small numbers. Also, Chevrolet stopped making the Corvair. This ended Fitch's plan for the Phoenix. He kept the prototype and sometimes showed it at car shows. It appears briefly in the film Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch.
The Fitch Phoenix played a big part in an episode of the Chasing Classic Cars TV show. It was restored a little and sold for $230,000 at auction.
Other Cars
Fitch's company, John Fitch & Co., Inc., also made the Fitch Firebird and Toronado Phantom. But these cars were not as well known as the Sprint.
Safety Inventions
After the Le Mans disaster of 1955, Fitch worked hard to make racing and driving safer. He started a company called Impact Attenuation Inc. His inventions were effective, practical, and affordable.
He was inspired by sand-filled fuel cans he used to protect his tent during the war. He created the Fitch Barrier system. These are the yellow barrels you often see on American highways. They are placed around fixed objects on racetracks and roads to absorb crashes. Fitch often tested the system himself. Since they were first used in the late 1960s, these barriers are thought to have saved about 17,000 lives.
Fitch also designed other impact-absorbing systems. The Fitch Compression Barrier is for oval tracks and high-speed areas. It uses strong, thick rubber cylinders between the guardrail and the wall. These gently absorb a car's energy without bouncing it back. The Fitch Displaceable Guardrail is for places with more room. It's a guardrail on skids that slides backward on impact. This reduces the force and guides the car safely.
For racing safety inside cars, Fitch designed the Fitch Driver Capsule. This is an easy-to-install seat. Its back pivots with the seatbelt to reduce the force on the driver in a crash. He later improved this with the Fitch Full Driver Capsule. This system anchors the helmet to the seatback. It helps prevent serious neck injuries, similar to the HANS device.
Other Inventions
Fitch also developed other car innovations. These included the Evans Waterless Engine Cooling System. This system uses a special liquid and doesn't need to be pressurized. The DeConti Brake is a liquid-cooled extra braking system for trucks and buses. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst helps improve gasoline and diesel fuel. He also invented self-leveling car suspension systems.
Outside of cars, he invented the Salisbury Thermo-Syphon Fireplace. This fireplace uses waste heat to warm a room. He also created the Fitch Cervical Spine Traction Therapy. This helps relieve neck pain while allowing movement in bed.
Fitch actively campaigned for more safety on racetracks and highways. He worked with doctors, engineers, and journalists. He advised many research and government groups on car handling and safety.
Companies and Work
During his life, Fitch started or held high positions in several companies. These included John Fitch & Co., Inc., Advanced Power Systems International, Race Safety, Inc., Impact Attenuation, Inc., Impact Dynamics, LLC., Roadway Safety Service Inc., DeConti Industries Inc., Consulier Industries, Inc., and Highway Safety Research Corp. He was also closely involved with Lime Rock Park.
Awards and Recognition
Fitch received many awards for his service in World War II. These included a Presidential Citation, Air Medals, a Purple Heart, and a POW Medal. For his work in racing and safety, he received the Stonex Roadside Safety Award in 1998. He was inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame in 2000 for his help with the early Corvette racing team.
Fitch was also inducted into the Sebring Hall of Fame in 2002. He joined the Sports Car Club of America Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2007, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. In 2009, Fitch became the first full-time sports car driver in the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame.
In 1998, Fitch received the Kenneth Stonex Award. This award was from the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. It honored his lifelong work in road safety. The award committee chairman said, "John Fitch's achievements in road safety... have saved many lives on the roads of the world."
Personal Life
Fitch enjoyed sailing as a hobby. He was married to his wife Elizabeth until she passed away in 2009. He lived in Connecticut, close to Lime Rock Park.
John and Elizabeth had three sons: John, Christopher (Kip), and Stephen.
John Fitch died on October 31, 2012. He passed away at his home in Connecticut from a type of skin cancer.
Images for kids
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The Cunningham-Chrysler C4-R car.
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A Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, similar to the one Fitch drove.
