John Fitch| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

Woody GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/31/12 11:15 a.m.

This morning, I learned of the passing of John Fitch. There was no legend that I had the pleasure of coming face to face with more often. He was a constant fixture at Lime Rock and his reach went well beyond the racing community. He was a pioneer of safety in racing and on the road, as well as a true war hero. He will be missed.

http://limerock.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=645

SilverFleet Dork
10/31/12 12:10 p.m.

RIP John Fitch.

He was also responsible for the Fitch Firebird, which later inspired the Trans Am:

Marjorie Suddard General Manager
10/31/12 12:17 p.m.

Oh noes, so sad to hear it. Sat at a dinner table with him several years ago and listened to some of the coolest stories I have ever heard.

Margie

SyntheticBlinkerFluid UltraDork
10/31/12 12:37 p.m.

I'm really sad to hear that.

I honestly wouldn't know who John Fitch was if I wasn't into Corvairs. I heard he was a great guy and a great racer.

Marjorie Suddard General Manager
10/31/12 12:41 p.m.

Ironically, Tim's next column for Classic talks about what a neat guy he was, and shares some of the stories he told. Bummer to have to update it to mention him in the past tense

Margie

Woody GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/31/12 1:12 p.m.

In addition to being winning racing driver, war hero, modifier of Corvairs and Firebirds, he helped design Lime Rock and created these:

spitfirebill UltraDork
10/31/12 1:18 p.m.

He was definitely an innovator. ISTR when he raced early Corvettes at Le Mans once, they had to pack ice on the intake to cool things down to finish the race.

friedgreencorrado PowerDork
10/31/12 1:23 p.m.

12hrs of Sebring, early 1950s.

RIP.

carguy123 PowerDork
10/31/12 2:05 p.m.

It's amazing the people you've never heard of (or forgotten you knew about them) and how many ways they've touched the world and made it what it is today.

Irish1 New Reader
10/31/12 2:40 p.m.

Another hero is lost. His departure is sad. I wonder if he ever contemplated how many lives he'd saved with the roadside deformable barrels? Fitch was a classy guy like Phil Hill, modest, wry, a true engineer. I coached at a track event a couple weeks ago and helped a fellow with a 65 Corvair Corsa: we both talked about what an inspiraion John Fitch was. Dang it.

M2Pilot Reader
10/31/12 2:42 p.m.

I saw John Fitch & Stirling Moss at Lime Rock Historics last Labor Day. Moss made a less than kind comment about Fitch in the presence of a hundred or so people. (Fitch was also in the tent)

I guess Moss is still disgruntled about Fitch insisting on withdrawing from the '55 Lemans race after the bad accident when Moss had a substantial lead.

Great men, both of them.

Tom_Spangler GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/31/12 3:10 p.m.

Saw him speak back in the mid-90s. Great guy and a true hero and innovator.

friedgreencorrado PowerDork
10/31/12 3:15 p.m.

In reply to M2Pilot:

Talking about Fitch/Moss reminded me. Fitch had been released from a German POW camp just a few years before he got the Mercedes deal. Now that's a racer's mentality. Gotta have the tool for the job, nothing else matters.

car39 HalfDork
10/31/12 5:07 p.m.

Used to see him at every Lime Rock event with the Phoenix. Nice guy, always willing to talk to a fan. It was sad what the State of Connecticut did to him a few years ago. He was trying to do the correct thing and remove an inground heating oil tank, and it turned into a huge bill and legal nightmare. Got to love your state government.

iceracer UltraDork
10/31/12 5:56 p.m.

Sad day. I first met John at an endurance race at Lime Rock many years ago. Then I spent some time with him when he brought the Phoenix to a Corvair event just a few years ago.