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Jack Sears

Jack Sears
1958 Jack Sears.JPG
Jack Sears' 1958 Championship-winning Austin Westminster.
Nationality British
Born (1930-02-16)16 February 1930
Northampton, England
Died 6 August 2016(2016-08-06) (aged 86)
Retired 1965
Related to David Sears
British Saloon Car Championship
Years active 6
Wins 12
Best finish 1st in 1958 and 1963
Championship titles
1958, 1963 BSCC

Jack Sears (16 February 1930 – 7 August 2016) was a British race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport.

He won the inaugural British Saloon Car Championship in 1958, driving an Austin Westminster. After finishing on joint maximum points with Tommy Sopwith, it was initially suggested the champion would be decided by the toss of a coin. The idea was very unpopular with both drivers and at the final meeting at Brands Hatch, with a draw being a likely possibility, two identical looking Marcus Chambers-owned Riley One-Point-Five works rally cars were brought along for a five lap shoot-out. To make the race fair, they raced five laps, switched cars, then raced five laps again with the driver who had the quickest combined time being crowned champion. In pouring rain, Sears became the first ever champion by 1.6 seconds.

He regained the title in 1963, driving a variety of cars including a Ford Cortina GT, a seven litre Ford Galaxie and a Lotus Cortina, which was used for the final two races. Sears also co-drove a Ferrari 330 LMB with Mike Salmon to a fifth place in the 1963 Le Mans 24 Hours, the best result in the abbreviated racing history of the LMB. He died on 7 August 2016, aged 86.

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† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.



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