Tom Cole (racing driver)
Tom Cole | |||||||||||
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Nationality | British American | ||||||||||
Born | Thomas Lionel Howard Cole, Jr. 11 June 1922 Llandaff, South Glamorgan, Wales | ||||||||||
Died | 14 June 1953 Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, Pays de la Loire, France | (aged 31)||||||||||
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Thomas Lionel Howard Cole, Jr. (11 June 1922 – 14 June 1953), also known as Tom Cole or Tommy Cole, was a British-American racing driver and co-creator of the
Early life
Cole was born in
Racing career
First hillclimbs and sportscar races
Cole split his time between the US and the UK after the war. In 1947, Cole took part in the Bugatti Owner's Club (B.O.C.) Opening Rally in
Cole returned to Prescott in June 1948 and recorded the fastest time in his class,[10] a feat he would repeat at the July meeting.[11] He placed second in class at the Boscombe Speed Trials in August[12] before returning to Prescott in September for a third class victory, this time in very wet conditions.[13]
Cole then brought his Jaguar and an
Cad-Allard years
Cole's ability soon exceeded the potential of the Jaguar and he approached Bill Frick, of Frick-Tappet Racing, to see if the car could accommodate a
The first race for the new car was at
Cole damaged his Cad-Allard in a crash. His friend and racing patron, John Perona, offered him a Chrysler Hemi powered Allard for the 1951 Buenos Aires Grand Prix. Due to the engine's massive torque, the car suffered from transmission problems during practice and the race. John Fitch won, ironically driving Cole's Cad-Allard which he had borrowed and repaired.[32][33] His adventure in Argentina did not end there, as shown in a letter he wrote to his friend Vic Franzese (owner of the Glen Motor Inn in Watkins Glen, New York north of Elmira):
"He was in a light plane that had crashed in the jungle. The pilot had a .45 handgun and a knife. They survived eating snakes. It took them two weeks to find civilization in Brazil. They were found by the natives."[4]
Returning to the US, he drove his Chrysler-engined Allard to another win at the Bridgehampton Sports Car Races, sweeping the S+3.0 support race and the 100 mile feature.[34][35] He returned with Sydney Allard to Le Mans in a Cad-Allard, retiring with clutch problems around the 12-hour mark. He won the sportscar class in a Chrysler-Allard at the Leinster Trophy and set a sportscar lap record at the event, lapping the Wicklow Circuit at an average speed of 81.38 mph (130.97 km/h).[36][37] He travelled to the Targa Florio but did not compete, and did not get back in time to take up his entry for the Tourist Trophy at Dundrod.[38]
European racing campaign
In March 1952, Cole took second place in the Vero Beach 12 Hour Endurance Road Race. He was surrounded by Ferrari drivers on the podium.[39] That summer he launched his European racing campaign at Le Mans, with a Ferrari 225 S, serial number 0152EL, belonging to his co-driver "Pagnibon" but entered by Scuderia Ferrari. They ran as high as 15th before retiring with ignition issues. Shortly after, he purchased his own Vignale bodied 225 S, serial number 0194ET.[1][4] He drove it in two Italian road races: the Targa Florio (placing 11th overall)[4][40] and the Dolomites Gold Cup Race (15th overall).[41] August saw Cole return to Britain with his Ferrari. He took part in the Daily Mail International Festival at the Boreham Circuit, finishing fifth in the S+2.0 race despite fading brakes.[42][43] A fortnight later, he partnered Graham Whitehead in the inaugural Goodwood Nine Hours, finishing second in a race of high attrition despite again suffering fading brakes.[44][45][4][46] His Ferrari was photographed during this race and featured on the cover of Motor Sport in September 1952.[47] Cole followed this up with second place at the Bari Grand Prix.[48][1]
In 1953, Cole returned to Europe and purchased a
The same year, Cole began a foray into single-seater racing with the Atlantic Stable team. He made his debut in March in the
Cole returned to sportscars for June. Staying in France, he partnered with Peter Whitehead to a victory in the rainy French International 12 Hours of Hyères in Whitehead's Jaguar C-Type. However, the event was marred by the fatal accident of his Le Mans co-driver "Pagnibon".[66]
Death at Le Mans
On 13 June 1953, Cole started his fourth Le Mans in his 340 MM, this time co-driven by Luigi Chinetti. The race started well, with the car running as high as third during the first three hours, but it had fallen to sixth by the fourteenth hour as morning broke in fog. Cole began a charge, unusual for this phase of the race and for the conditions, and was catching the fifth-placed car of Peter Whitehead by 10 to 20 seconds per lap. At 6:14 a.m., Cole lost control passing a slower car at Maison Blanche. The Ferrari hit a bank and demolished a wooden hut. Cole was ejected from the car and died instantly from his injuries.[1][4][67][68][69]
Cole had previously expressed his wish that, if he were killed during a motor race, he should be buried near the venue. He was interred at the Le Mans West Cemetery in accordance with this wish.[3]
Nationality
Born a British citizen, Cole had applied for U.S. citizenship and that process was still underway at the time of his death. He held an American racing driver's license,[3][70] and his Ferrari at the 1952 Targa Florio was painted in North American racing colours (the FIA required cars to be painted in their drivers' national colours).[4] He has been referred to as "an Anglo-American, who called both countries home."[71]
Legacy
Since 2016, the VSCC has hosted an annual race for 1950s sportscars known as the Tom Cole Trophy.[72]
Racing record
Career highlights
Season | Series | Position | Team | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1949 | Bridgehampton 100 Mile[14] | 2nd | Tom Cole | Jaguar SS100
|
1950 | Bridgehampton Sports Car Races[21] | 1st | Allard-Cadillac J2
| |
Heart Trophy [19] | 2nd | T. L. H. Cole | Allard-Cadillac J2
| |
24 Heures du Mans[23] | 3rd | S. H. Allard | Allard-Cadillac J2
| |
1951 | Bridgehampton Sports Car Races[34] | 1st | John Perona | Allard-Chrysler J2
|
Bridgehampton 100 Mile[34] | 1st | John Perona | Allard-Chrysler J2
| |
1952 | Second Annual Florida Handicap Vero Beach Endurance Road Race[39] | 2nd | John Perona | Allard-Chrysler J2
|
Goodwood Nine Hours[44] | 2nd | Tom Cole | Ferrari 225 S | |
Gran Premio di Bari [S+1.1][48] | 2nd | Tom Cole | Ferrari 225 S | |
1953 | 12 heures d'Hyères [66] | 1st | P. N. Whitehead | Jaguar C-Type |
Silverstone International[53] | 2nd | Atlantic Stable | Ferrari 340 MM Spyder Vignale |
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | S. H. Allard | Sydney Allard | Allard-Cadillac J2
|
S8.0 | 251 | 3rd | 1st |
1951 | S. H. Allard | Sydney Allard | Allard-Cadillac J2
|
S8.0 | 134 | DNF (Gearbox) | |
1952 | Scuderia Ferrari | "Pagnibon" | Ferrari 225 S Berlinetta Vignale | S3.0 | DNF (Electrics) | ||
1953 | Luigi Chinetti | Luigi Chinetti | Ferrari 340 MM Spyder Vignale | S5.0 | 175 | DNF (Fatal accident - Cole) |
Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results
Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | A. E. Goldschmidt (private entrant) |
Erwin Goldschmidt | Allard-Cadillac J2X
|
S8.0 | 50 | DSQ | |
1952 | Paul O'Shea | Allard-Cadillac J2X
|
S8.0 | DNS (Transmission) | |||
1953 | William Lloyd | Bill Lloyd | Ferrari 340 America | S5.0 | DNS (Engine) |
Complete Mille Miglia results
Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Pos. | Class Pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1953 | Mario Vandelli | Ferrari 340 MM Spyder Vignale | S+2.0 | 4th |
Complete 12 Hours of Hyères results
Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1953 | P. N. Whitehead | Peter Whitehead | Jaguar C-Type | S+3.0 | 204 | 1st | 1st |
References
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- ISBN 978-0-7603-4644-0.
Cole had been stricken with polio at a young age and spent several years unable to walk, which left him with foreshortened legs. He was an enthusiastic and capable racer whose relative disability was not apparent behind the wheel.
- ^ a b c d e "Motorsport Memorial". motorsportmemorial.org. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Goodwin, Carl (2 October 2009). "The Short, Happy Life of Tom Cole". forza-mag.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
- ^ "Reports of Recent Events". Motor Sport. May 1947. p. 114. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
B.O.C. Opening Rally: Held at the N.R.A. Pavilion, Bisley, this event was well attended, the cars ranging from such diverse types as Dr. Ewen's 1908 Itala – going better than ever with a new l.t. magneto now in use - and new member Tom Cole's very transatlantic Buick.
- ^ "Club News". Motor Sport. May 1947. p. 130. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "A Highly Successful Gransden Meeting". Motor Sport. August 1947. pp. 217–221. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
Cole's S.S. had an expensive blow-up on lap 1.
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- ISBN 978-0894040023.
- ^ Turner, John. "The Tom Cole Trophy Race (2016) — FISCAR - Keeping the Spirit of 1950s Sports Car Racing Alive". fiscar.org. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2021.