This Week in Racing History (December 31-January 6)

This Week in Racing History
Michael J. Stucker

December 31
Craig Pollack replaced as president of BAR Holdings by Don Brown (1999).

January 1
Jim Clark drives a Lotus 49 to its first Grand Prix win, at Kyalami, South Africa. Jackie Stewart debuts the Matra MS9-Ford in the same race (1968).

January 2
Walter Sobraske, machinist for Miller, Schofield, Offenhauser, and Meyer & Drake (later shop forman), born in West Virginia, USA (1901).

January 3
Sprintcar builder and Indy 500 crew chief Wally Meskowski dies at the age of 64 (1980).

January 4
44 year old Donald Campbell, holder of land and water speed records, dies in a crash of his hydroplane boat Bluebird K7 while attempting to set a new water speed record on Coniston Water in England (1944).

January 5
Trevers Walkett, one of four brothers who formed Ginetta Cars, dies at age 76 (2000).

January 6
Sam Schmidt is paralyzed after breaking his neck in a crash while testing his Treadway Racing G-Force IRL racer at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Florida, USA (2000).