Fairman, Jack

Perhaps not the most famous of drivers but a big part of the 1950 / 1960 Sports car scene. Perhaps his most famous race was the 1959 Nurburgring 1000km as co driver to Moss. His job was to keep the car on the track whilst fast guy Moss rested.

Unfortunately, rain caused him to put the car in the ditch throwing away Moss's lead. With the car high and dry Moss started packing only to see Fairman arrive back in the pits. He had pushed the Aston out of the ditch on his own. Moss climbed back in and went onto win by 41 secs.

SL

Jack Fairman was born 15 March 1913, died 7 February 2002.

Moss had actually asked for Fairman to share the drive at that Nurburgring event as he wanted a safe and reliable driver to keep the car on the road whilst allowing Moss his break before taking the Aston back out into the fray against the Ferraris. Most accounts seem to suggest that Fairman was either baulked or put off his line by a backmarker that caused his off. It was certainly his immense physical strength that got the car back on track and enabled him to pass the car back to Moss for a fine victory.

As well as sports cars, Fairman did race in a few GPs during the 1950's, usually in Connaughts, and he had quite a good year in 1956, when he finished 4th at the British GP and 5th in the Italian. However, by the end of that decade he was back to concentrating on sports cars.

Is this the same Jack Fairman who took class S1.5 victory in 1949 Le Mans, 8th Overall in an HRG?