John Stuart Hindmarsh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnny Hindmarsh
Johnny Hindmarsh at the 1935 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Born	John Stuart Hindmarsh (1907-11-25)25 November 1907
Died	6 September 1938(1938-09-06) (aged 30) Near Brooklands, Surrey, England
Nationality	British
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	1930 – 1931, 1934 – 1935, 1937
Teams	Fox & Nicholl A.A. Rigby
Best finish	1st (1935)
Class wins	1 (1935)

John Stuart Hindmarsh (born November 25, 1907 – died September 6, 1938), often called Johnny, was a talented English racecar driver and aviator. He was known for his speed on the track and his skill in the air.

Johnny's Early Life and Training

Johnny Hindmarsh went to school at Sherborne in Dorset, England. After that, he attended the Royal Military College. This is where many British Army officers are trained.

In 1928, he joined the Royal Army Tank Corps. Two years later, in 1930, he learned to fly planes with the Royal Air Force. This showed his love for both machines and speed.

Racing Success and Le Mans Win

Besides his military and flying career, Johnny was a successful racecar driver. He competed in races driving cars from famous brands like Talbot and Lagonda.

His biggest win came in 1935 at the famous Le Mans 24-Hour Race. This is a very long and challenging endurance race. He won with his co-driver, Luis Fontés, in a powerful Lagonda M45R Rapide car. They completed 222 laps, covering over 3,000 kilometers!

A Tragic End for a Talented Pilot

Sadly, Johnny Hindmarsh's life ended too soon. He was just 30 years old. On September 6, 1938, he was test flying a Hawker Hurricane plane near Brooklands in England.

During the flight, it is believed he might have been affected by fumes in the cockpit. The plane then crashed, and Johnny passed away.

Johnny's Family Life

Johnny Hindmarsh married Violette Cordery on September 15, 1931. Violette was also a very famous and record-breaking racing driver.

They had two daughters together. One of their daughters later married another well-known racing driver, Roy Salvadori. After Johnny's death in 1938, Violette stopped her public racing career. She lived until December 30, 1983.

Johnny's Le Mans Race Results

Johnny Hindmarsh competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race several times. Here are his results:

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1930	Fox & Nicholl	Tim Rose-Richards	Talbot 90	3.0	160	4th	2nd
1931	Fox & Nicholl	Brian Lewis, Baron Essendon	Talbot AV105	3.0	132	DNF (Chassis)
1934	A.A. Rigby	Brian Lewis, Baron Essendon	Singer Le Mans 1½ Litre	1.5	195	7th	3rd
1935	Arthur W. Fox & Charles Nicholl	Luis Fontés	Lagonda M45R Rapide	5.0	222	1st	1st
1937	Arthur W. Fox	Charles Brackenbury	Lagonda LG45	5.0	30	DNF