Jack Westcott

Jack Westcott was one of the most regular Formula 3 competitors, starting in 1949 in a Cooper Mk III. He had an easy win at Lulsgate on 16th April but failed to finish the 100 Mile Race at Silverstone then another easy win at Trengwainton in August. Against stiffer opposition at Blandford in August, Jack took a respectable eighth in his heat.

1950 began badly, a DNF at Goodwood at Easter and again at Lulsgate but improved a little in May with an eighth in his heat for "Royal" Silverstone then a brace of thirds at Brands in June. July brought Jack's best results of the year in the Commander Yorke meeting where he took fourth place in the 100 Mile race at Silverstone and at Brands on the 23rd he took a second and a win in the heats, then a second and a win in the finals. A week later at Blandford Hill he set second fastest time and a heat win in the Daily Telegraph meeting on 7th August. Jack made the trip to Ostend and was rewarded with a third in the heats and a fifth in the final of the Coupe du Monde on 14th August.

Preparing for the start at Goodwood on 17th May 1950

Jack leads Lex Beels and George Wicken in the Coupe du Monde August 1950. Photo courtesy Maurice van den Brempt

For 1951, he initially appears in a somewhat uncompetitive Kieft Mk I, finishing third to Moss and Loens in sister cars at Castle Combe in April but thereafter Jack uses a JBS Norton, the car to have that year. At Brands on 12th May he takes a heat win for the Open Challenge and a second in the Open Challenge heat then, at Goodwood on the 14th, a fourth in the final of the International Trophy. The opening Boreham meeting brought a second in his heat to Peter Collins and ahead of Don Parker, all in JBSs and Brands on 24th June, a sixth in the Open Challenge behind John Cooper. The Grand Prix in July was dominated by Moss in the new Kieft and Jack came home a respectable eighth, this time ahead of Cooper. At Ibsley on 4th August, Jack took fifth in his heat but did not feature in the final.

Jack switched cars again for 1952, this time to the newer Kieft CK 52 Norton and in April he finished third at Castle Combe to complete another Kieft hat trick behind Moss and Loens then a fourth in the London Trophy on 14th April and a break until a third in his heat at Brands Hatch on 4th August and ninth in his heat at Castle Combe on 4th October. Retaining the Kieft for 1953, Jack took second at Davidstow, though the top drivers were away at Crystal Palace that day, eleventh in the Grand Prix in July then a series of DNFs. Returning to Silverstone on 22nd August, Jack won his most prestigious race, the 100 mile Commander Yorke Trophy. At Crystal Palace for the Redex Trophy, he failed to make the final but won the Consolation Race and followed this with a sixth at Castle Combe on 3rd October and a fourth in his heat at Snetterton on the 17th.

Still in the Kieft for 1954, Jack would always struggle against the latest Cooper Mk VIII but he managed a second, to Ken Tyrrell in the heats of the Brands Open Challenge at Easter, eleventh in the Daily Express race at Silverstone and a third at Davidstow in June. Fairwood brought a third in his heat and a fifth in the heats for the Open Challenge in August.

For 1955 he returned to Cooper and won the 100 Mile Race again at Silverstone in September and another win at Silverstone in September 1956 but he could only manage fourth in the Commander Yorke this time.

At Silverstone in the summer of 1956.

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