Solved NIC#446 - Jim Clark and Lotus 25 at Indianapolis 11.10.62

[nicanary]

No points whatsoever for naming the car and driver. One point will be awarded if you tell me the place and date.

[nicanary]

Nice and easy for some of the Experts.

[foxawy]

jim clark ?? right ?

[shamrock]

INDY MAY 63 QUALIFYING

[nicanary]

jim clark ?? right ?

Yes, it is, but no point for that!

[nicanary]

INDY MAY 63 QUALIFYING

No it isn't. That's the "AP-quotient" coming into effect. All is not as it seems, although the venue is indeed the Indianapolis Speedway.

[foxawy]

Got it !! It's Jim Clark when he was removing his Rookie stripes at Indy 1963 in his Lotus-powered by Ford. Clark started fifth and finished second.

[nicanary]

Got it !! It's Jim Clark when he was removing his Rookie stripes at Indy 1963 in his Lotus-powered by Ford. Clark started fifth and finished second.

You seem very convinced. but I'm afraid that's not correct. He is indeed removing stick-on stripes which denoted he was a Rookie but I believe these were statutory for any newcomer when they were using the Speedway.

The clues are there. Have a look at the car's race number. It will take some reference work to solve.

[foxawy]

so is the date or location wrong ?

[nicanary]

so is the date or location wrong ?

It's Indianapolis OK. It's not his Rookie Test, so the date is wrong.

[foxawy]

Rookie of the year 1962

[nicanary]

Rookie of the year 1962

No. But the year is correct. What was he doing there?

[foxawy]

well one source said the following "that HE and Dan Gurney ushered in the rear-engine revolution in Colin Chapman's low-slung creation." ??

[nicanary]

well one source said the following "that HE and Dan Gurney ushered in the rear-engine revolution in Colin Chapman's low-slung creation." ??

I admire your persistence. You'll find the answer I'm looking for, if you carry on using the internet for research.

The Lotus team did indeed revolutionise what at the time was a fairly insular attitude in American racing. Dan Gurney was indeed involved, and may have had something to do with why Clark and his Lotus were there that day. But I would like to know EXACTLY what was going on -  if you look at the car carefully, you will see that it is not what it seems. No more clues........

[foxawy]

i think they were testing that Ford Climax for what was called the  'foreign invasion'  , and they didn't try to qualify .

[nicanary]

i think they were testing that Ford Climax for what was called the  'foreign invasion'  , and they didn't try to qualify .

I'm going to give you that - it is a Lotus-Climax 25 F1 car. It is not the Lotus-Ford 29 which they raced at Indy in 1963. The car carries the #9, and is the one raced by Trevor Taylor in the recently-held United States GP at Watkins Glen. Jim Clark used it to get an idea of what to expect the following year.

LOCKED FOR YOU. Please can you tell me the date of this photo?

[foxawy]

27th of May 1962 ?

[billtorrance9999]

It was in the autumn of '62 after the US GP when they took Taylor's 25-Climax to the Brickyard for a look-see at Dan Gurnety's suggestion

[nicanary]

It was in the autumn of '62 after the US GP when they took Taylor's 25-Climax to the Brickyard for a look-see at Dan Gurnety's suggestion

Sorry, but this puzzle is locked for foxawy.

27.5.62 is incorrect, and the date is of course later in the year. There was a clue in my last post - the relevant dates are all there on the internet  .

I know that sometimes it is difficult for members who are in another country. Not only do they have to read and post in another language, but often the information which is available to UK or US puzzlers quite easily, is not there for them on their own regional domains. But this is a well-known event, and I'm sure will be there somewhere if you search for it.

STILL LOCKED for foxawy.

[nicanary]

Foxawy - I will keep this locked until 4pm today British Time.

[nicanary]

Unlocked.

[foxawy]

after the USA GP ?? in October 1962 ??

[nicanary]

after the USA GP ?? in October 1962 ??

Yes. OK I'll give you the point for that. I know it was a strange question, but I had to ask something because the car and driver were so easy. The US GP was held on 7.10.62 and the Indy test was on 11.10.62. Dan Gurney had suggested to Colin Chapman that a light rear-engined car could be successful at the annual "500", and the project was already under way, but because Lotus were in the USA for the GP, it was thought a good idea to have a look at the place.

Jim Clark drove the car of Trevor Taylor, and had to wear the compulsory Rookie stripes. I guess the Lotus had the gearing which had been used at Watkins Glen, but even so Clark managed a best lap of 143mph, at a time when the lap record was 150mph. This was in a 1.5-litre car with no special oval tweaks, like offset suspension, and the regular Indy roadsters had 4.2-litre Offenhauser engines.  I suspect that if it had been fitted with gearing for somewhere like Monza or Spa, it would have lapped even faster. It was a real shock for the local track officials.

One more point to you!