Bob McLean (race car driver)
Encyclopedia
Bob McLean (September 24, 1933 in Australia
– March 26, 1966) was a successful Canadian racing driver
. McLean's driving career culminated in 1965 with the Canadian Driving Championship title. McLean died in 1966 at the Sebring International Raceway during an endurance race while driving a Ford GT40
.
, racing frequently at his home track, the very new Westwood Racing Circuit in Coquitlam, located close to his hometown of Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
. By all measures, McLean was well liked and respected in the road racing circuits. Bob first met Stirling Moss at Sebring in 1959 when Jack Brabham won the world championship.
In March 1961 McLean attended Rob Walker's Motor Racing Stables at Finmere Aerodrome circuit in England
. He did the first three stages on his first trip and made a second trip to England where he completed the last three stages. At the completion of the seventeen-day training course, McLean turned the fastest ever student lap time. Students must progress from class six through to class one by meeting a steadily decreasing lap time requirement at each level.
When he first started racing, his mechanic was Colin Wilson, a fellow Australian, who also worked at the "Royalite" gas station that Bob ran at 24th and Oak St. in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. When Colin returned to Australia, Brian Dunlop was Bob's mechanic and remained so until Bob was killed. Bob also worked part-time at a tire store, which was a sponsor of his.
In 1962 moved to his BMC
A-series-engined number "101" Cooper
Formula Junior
. Through 1962 - 1963 McLean managed nineteen wins out of twenty-two starts, racing the Cooper at venues from Westwood to Monterey, California. In 1964 McLean moved to a 1.6 litre twin-cam powered Lotus
23B, with which he competed in the under two-litre class.
In 1965, McLean set out with his Lotus to conquer the Canadian Driving Championships, a venture which would see him travel extensively. By air and by ground he travelled to every national event that year, covering nearly 100,000 kilometres. After a season of dominant performances, he was successful at winning the Championship, a remarkable accomplishment considering the eastern Canadian "establishment" drivers and their bigger and faster cars. It was in April of this same year that he met Stirling Moss during Moss's trip to Vancouver.
. Shortly after McLean took over driving duties in the fourth hour of the race, his Ford GT40 crashed into an ulility power pole and exploded into flames, killing McLean.
Bob McLean left behind his wife Kathie and their two young children. McLean's death was a huge blow to the motorsport community. The funeral procession to his final resting place in Burnaby included a line of cars that reportedly stretched out some two miles, a testament to the fact that he was well admired. McLean was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame
in Toronto
in 1993. Despite references to the contrary, Bob McLean has never been inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame
. In more recent years, McLean was featured in a Peter Lipskis documentary entitled King of Westwood.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
– March 26, 1966) was a successful Canadian racing driver
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
. McLean's driving career culminated in 1965 with the Canadian Driving Championship title. McLean died in 1966 at the Sebring International Raceway during an endurance race while driving a Ford GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
.
Early years
Bob McLean started his driving career in 1957 with an MGAMG MGA
The MGA is a sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1955 to 1962.The MGA replaced the older T-type cars and represented a complete styling break from the older vehicles. The car was officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1955...
, racing frequently at his home track, the very new Westwood Racing Circuit in Coquitlam, located close to his hometown of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. By all measures, McLean was well liked and respected in the road racing circuits. Bob first met Stirling Moss at Sebring in 1959 when Jack Brabham won the world championship.
In March 1961 McLean attended Rob Walker's Motor Racing Stables at Finmere Aerodrome circuit in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He did the first three stages on his first trip and made a second trip to England where he completed the last three stages. At the completion of the seventeen-day training course, McLean turned the fastest ever student lap time. Students must progress from class six through to class one by meeting a steadily decreasing lap time requirement at each level.
When he first started racing, his mechanic was Colin Wilson, a fellow Australian, who also worked at the "Royalite" gas station that Bob ran at 24th and Oak St. in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. When Colin returned to Australia, Brian Dunlop was Bob's mechanic and remained so until Bob was killed. Bob also worked part-time at a tire store, which was a sponsor of his.
In 1962 moved to his BMC
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
A-series-engined number "101" Cooper
Cooper Car Company
The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
Formula Junior
Formula Junior
Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI . The class was intended to provide an entry level class where you could use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles...
. Through 1962 - 1963 McLean managed nineteen wins out of twenty-two starts, racing the Cooper at venues from Westwood to Monterey, California. In 1964 McLean moved to a 1.6 litre twin-cam powered Lotus
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
23B, with which he competed in the under two-litre class.
In 1965, McLean set out with his Lotus to conquer the Canadian Driving Championships, a venture which would see him travel extensively. By air and by ground he travelled to every national event that year, covering nearly 100,000 kilometres. After a season of dominant performances, he was successful at winning the Championship, a remarkable accomplishment considering the eastern Canadian "establishment" drivers and their bigger and faster cars. It was in April of this same year that he met Stirling Moss during Moss's trip to Vancouver.
The final year
Early in 1966, Bob McLean earned a spot with the Comstock Racing Team, a Canadian endurance racing team. Sharing the driving with fellow Canadian driver Jean Oulette, they piloted one of the team's two Ford GT40s in the 16th Annual Sebring 12 Hour Grand Prix of Endurance for the Alitalia Cup race at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, United States of America. This was a showdown battle between Ford and FerrariFerrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
. Shortly after McLean took over driving duties in the fourth hour of the race, his Ford GT40 crashed into an ulility power pole and exploded into flames, killing McLean.
Bob McLean left behind his wife Kathie and their two young children. McLean's death was a huge blow to the motorsport community. The funeral procession to his final resting place in Burnaby included a line of cars that reportedly stretched out some two miles, a testament to the fact that he was well admired. McLean was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame
Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame
The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame was founded in 1993 by Lee Abrahamson and Gary Magwood assisted by Len Coates to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of the Canadian motorsport community....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1993. Despite references to the contrary, Bob McLean has never been inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame
BC Sports Hall of Fame
For over 40 years, the community has entrusted the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum with the responsibility to collect, preserve, study, and interpret materials that relate to British Columbia’s rich sport history...
. In more recent years, McLean was featured in a Peter Lipskis documentary entitled King of Westwood.
External links
- Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame http://www.cmhf.ca/
- Sports Car Club of BC http://www.sccbc.net/
- Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia http://www.vrcbc.ca/vantmar03.html
- Jim Russell Racing Driver Schools http://www.500race.org/Men/Russell.html