Jack Moor

Ernest Jack Moor was an enthusiastic competitor prior to the war with a series of Specials, all named Wasp. He competed continually from 1923 though to the end of the '50s and probably ascended Shelsley more than anyone else. The first Wasp was a motorcycle combination with the yellow and black colours on the tank and sidecar that would become his trademark. He subsequently built two GN based specials, the first with Vitesse engine which he ran in various forms until wrecking the car against a telegraph pole after it came off the tow bar en route to Shelsley. The second began life with the 1,100 cc Akela engine which was later modified with Norton cylinder heads. This proved very powerful and Jack spent the rest of the decade upgrading the rest of the engine to deal with this. Post war, he upgraded the chassis with extensive boxing to improve rigidity and switched to Morgan type sliding pillar front suspension.

Jack and the other pre-war special builders such as Basil Davenport and John Bolster had a huge influence on the origins of the 500 movement, the idea of relatively low cost competition based on humble mechanicals came very much from these pioneers and very much at odds with the behemoths of pre war Grand Prix racing.

Three classic specials, Wasp, Spider and GNat

In 1949, Jack turned his attentions to the new 500cc class and to circuit racing after purchasing the Freikaiserwagen 500 from David Fry. Initially, he simply painted to car in his Wasp colours but it wasn't long before he was improving its performance by inserting a Norton engine and he became one of the most prolific competitors.

Jack's significant results include winning at Silverstone in July 1949, in the Non Production Cars race, fourth at Blandford in August, second at Silverstone in September and winning at Lydstep in the same month. Third at Weston super Mare completed the season.

In 1950 he won again at Lydstep in April and Blandford in July. At Lydstep in March 1951, he was piped by Ken Wharton but won at Silverstone in May and finished third at the Grand Prix meeting in July to Stirling Moss and Ken Wharton. He was awarded the Autosport Trophy for 1951.

Jack won again at Lydstep in April '52 but by then Wasp was struggling against the production Coopers. In April 1953 he finished second to Austen May's Cooper at Staverton and managed a heat win at Silverstone in June.

In 1954, Jack managed a second to Charles Headland at Silverstone in June. He was still racing in 1957 and finished second at Mallory Park in April. We have over 70 recorded appearances by Jack and the Wasp, many of them top placings, an incredible tally for one man and his special. He clearly wasn't a man to listen to his own advice from the headline below!

For 1955, Jack finally succumbed, acquiring a Cooper Mk VIII, was duly painted in his Wasp colours and was still competing in 1957.

Jack receives the Autosport Trophy from Mrs Gregor Grant, February 1952.

An article from Iota 1947

Jack's eleven year old son demonstrates the Wasp replica at Prescott International, July 1952

Jack at Silverstone sometime in 1957

Some of Jack's results:

Silverstone 14th May 1949 British Grand Prix, 16th
Silverstone 9th July 1949, 1st in non production race, DNF in 100 mile race
Silverstone 20th August 1949 50 Mile Race, 10th
Blandford 27th August 1949, 4th in heat, 4th in final
Silverstone 3rd September 1949, 2nd
Lydstep 17th September 1949, 1st
Weston-super-Mare 8th October 1949, 3rd

Lydstep 8th April 1950, 1st
Silverstone 2nd July 1950 (750cc Class), 3rd
Blandford Hill 29th July 1950, 1st
Silverstone 26th August 1950 Daily Express, 9th
Lydstep 16th September 1950, 1st
Shelsley Walsh 23rd September 1950, 6th
Castle Combe 7th October 1950, 10th in heat
Altcar October 1950 (750cc Class), 3rd

Lydstep 25th March 1951, 2nd
Castle Combe 31st March 1951, 5th in heat, 4th in final
Silverstone 5th May 1951 Daily Express International Trophy, DNF
Castle Combe 12th May 1951, 2nd
Silverstone 26th May 1951, 1st
Silverstone 30th June 1951, 1st
Silverstone 14th July 1951 Grand Prix, 3rd
Croft 28th July 1951, 1st in heat, 1st in final
Boreham 11th August 1951, 3rd in heat, 3rd in final
Silverstone 18th August 1951 Commander Yorke Trophy, 2nd in non production race
Lydstep 2nd September 1951, 2nd
Shelsley Walsh 22nd September 1951, 3rd

Lydstep 12th April 1952, 1st
Silverstone 10th May 1952 International Trophy, 10th
Westwood Park 31st August 1952, 1st
Silverstone 6th September 1952 SUNBAC, 3rd in heat
Castle Combe 4th October 1952, 10th in heat

Castle Combe 25th April 1953, 5th
Silverstone 9th May 1953 International Trophy Meeting, 10th
Silverstone 16th May 1953, 5th
Staverton 24th May 1953, 2nd
Silverstone 27th June 1953, 1st in heat, DNF in final
Silverstone 18th July 1953 British Grand Prix, DNF
Thruxton 3rd August 1953, DNF
Silverstone 8th August 1953, DNS
Silverstone 22nd August 1953 Commander Yorke Trophy, DNS
Shelsley Walsh - 29th August 1953, 4th
Westwood Park 30th August 1953, 3rd
Silverstone 5th September 1953 SUNBAC, DNF in heat

Silverstone 15th May 1954 Daily Express Meeting, DNF
Silverstone 22nd May 1954 Maidstone and Kent CC, DNF
Staverton 23rd May 1954, 2nd
Silverstone 5th June 1954, 2nd
Cadwell Park 7th June 1954, DNS in heat
Shelsley Walsh June 1954, DNF
Silverstone 21st August 1954 Commander Yorke Trophy, 2nd in non production race

Castle Combe 9th April 1955, 4th in race 2
Silverstone 7th May 1955 Daily Express International 50 Mile Race, DNF
Silverstone 25th June 1955 Midland Motorists, 2nd in final
Silverstone 3rd September 1955, 2nd
Silverstone 17th September 1955 Commander Yorke Trophy, DNF in second final
Silverstone 8th October 1955, 3rd

Silverstone 12th May 1956, 3rd in heat, DNF in final
Mallory Park 21st May 1956, 1st in heat, 1st in final
Silverstone 29th September 1956 Commander Yorke Trophy, 8th in heat

Mallory Park 22nd April 1957, 2nd in heat, 2nd in final
Silverstone 29th June 1957, 2nd in final

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