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).
