Tommy Sopwith (racing driver)
British racing driver and businessman (1932–2019)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Edward Brodie Sopwith (15 November 1932 – 4 May 2019) was a British businessman and car racing driver.
British| Tommy Sopwith | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 15 November 1932 |
| Died | 4 May 2019 (aged 86) Basingstoke, Hampshire, England |
| British Saloon Car Championship | |
| Years active | 1958 |
| Teams | Equipe Endeavour |
| Starts | 9 |
| Wins | 8 |
| Poles | 2 |
| Fastest laps | 9 |
| Best finish | 2nd in 1958 |
| Championship titles | |
| 1958 | British Saloon Car Championship - Class D |
Biography
Thomas Sopwith was the son of English aviation pioneer and yachtsman Sir Thomas Sopwith – builder of the Sopwith Camel and later chairman of Hawker Aircraft – and Phyllis Brodie. He was educated at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire.
Sopwith took up motor racing and formed his own team, Equipe Endeavour, named after his father's racing yacht.[1] His success as a racing driver saw him win the first-ever round of the British Saloon Car Championship in 1958. That year, he narrowly lost out on the driver's title to Jack Sears after a ten lap shoot-out at the end of the season, after the two drivers finished on equal points.[2] In 1961, he switched from car to powerboat racing. In 1961, he won the first ever Cowes - Torquay race in Thundebolt, following up with wins in 1968 (Telstar) and 1970 (Miss Enfield II). In 1965, he won the Cornish "100" Offshore Class 3, powerboat race in a boat called 'Thunderflash', just beating Mike Beard in 'Mongaso'.[3]
Sopwith was the owner of Endeavour Holdings Limited, a car dealership in Portslade, Brighton, with a turnover of £17 million.[when?]
Sopwith died on 4 May 2019 at the age of 86 at Basingstoke Hospital.[4]
Racing record
Complete British Saloon Car Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.
‡ Event with 3 races staged for the different classes.
