Jack Nicholson

John (Jack) Nicholson was born in September 1914 in Penrith, Cumberland. As teenager he went to work for the Co-Op, for which he eventually became a travelling salesman. In 1937, Jack Nicholson married Joan Davidson, whose family owned Davidson’s Garage, which Jack would eventually take over. During World War II he served in the RAF at Ternhill and then in India and Burma until the end of the war and returned to the Co-Op as a mechanic, maintaining the firm’s delivery vans. When Jack's father-in-law fell ill, he went to work at the family garage and developed his interest in motor racing and purchased a Cooper-Norton 500cc, the first racing car in Penrith.

Some results for Jack:

Charterhall 12th April 1953, DNF

Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy 25th April 1953, 2nd and 3rd in heat, DNF in final

Crystal Palace 11th July 1953, 5th in heat

Brough 17th April 1954, 3rd in handicap final

Aintree 29th May 1954 Opening Meeting, 9th

Charterhall 11th July 1954, DNF

As a novice part-time enthusiast, he had some successes at hill climbs and on the track. His real success came when driving his home-built car, a 3.4 litre ERA/Jaguar in which he won the race for unlimited sports cars at Aintree Circuit Club’s meeting at Liverpool.

In 1969 he sold his interest in Davidson’s Garage and emigrated to Ontario, Canada. Jack Nicholson passed away in October 2006

If anyone has more details, please get in touch.