Gordon Jones |
Gordon Jones began his racing career at the Universal Motor Racing Club driving school at Brands Hatch, where he met Graham Hill and subsequently introduced Graham to Colin Chapman. His first few races in 1954 were in a Cooper-JAP achieving a fourth in the Easter Sprint at Brands, third in the Whitsun Sprint race and a second in the JAP race, to Syd Creamer on the 7th June, then fourth on Independence Day. He switched to a Kieft after that to record a heat win on 3rd October as well as winning the Junior Race.
He continued with the Kieft, earning a number of good placings in '55 plus a win in the second final at Brands in April, and podiums in the Second Final on 1st May to Henry Taylor, the Second Final on the 29th and the JAP Race, then the Second Final on 12th June and 10th July. 1956 brought more podiums in the JAP race on 3rd April and the Second Final of the Rochester Cup in September and in the Main Final at Mallory Park on 16th September, a win in the Second Final at Silverstone on the 29th then second back at Brands on 14th October. In May, he borrowed Don Parker's Parker-Kieft for the Daily Express meeting at Silverstone, perhaps with an eye to buying this much modified car. Realising that the Kieft was now outclassed, he acquired a Cooper Mk XI for '57 taking an outright win at Brands Hatch on 31st March then fourth in the Experts Race in May, fourth in the Sporting Record Trophy then a win and a second over/to Peter Procter at Mallory on 10th June and third at Silverstone on the 29th. August brought a fifth in the Daily Telegraph Trophy then second at Mallory to Procter in September, fourth in the Sporting Record Trophy. Gordon also made a rare foray overseas in April to take second at Roskildering Gordon continued to race 500s into the 1960s winning the Commander Yorke Trophy in August 1960 and the Lewis-Evans Trophy in October. He also competed in a Mk XI Lotus and an early Marcos before turning his attention to flying, following an accident which left him with restricted movement in his left foot. He continued to fly for many years at Biggin Hill. Gordon Jones died in January 2010. |