Approximately 50 years ago one of the legends in the sport passed away in a tragic car crash. Although this driver passed away in a Formula Two competition in Germany his first passion was always off-road endurance driving.
He was renowned for his Ford that he would fling across the racetrack in a calculated manner. Clark brought home three world championship titles in a Ford Escort and one in 1965 in a Cortina GT. He quickly became a household name after his extraordinary performances at these competitions as well as several other off-road competitions throughout Europe and the world. This was a time when people who did not live on the continent found it incredibly difficult to make a break in the competition circuit. At the time there was a large percentage of Scandinavians taking part in these races and they would often be the on
ly ones to take home any titles.
Although Clark was an outstanding off-road driver it was not the sport that would captivate his attention. He continued to experiment with other types of driving competitions. This included sports cars and tour cars. However, he would end up finding great joy behind the wheel of a Lotus Marque. During the span of his short career as a Grand Prix driver he would win a total of 25 races and took 33 Grand Prix pole positions.
During a Grand Prix race at the Hockenheim in Germany, Clark lost control of his Lotus. Many people believe that his accident was caused by a flat tire in the rear of his car. This led to him spinning off of the track and crashing into a tree. The crash caused him to break his neck and pass away instantly. Clark deserves his place in the off-road hall of fame. He was an amazing driver who was passed away in the prime of his career.