Tom Walkinshaw

Tom Walkinshaw (born November 17 1950 Mauldslie Farm, near Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland) is a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing.

Related Topics:
November 17 - 1950 - Mauldslie - Penicuik - Midlothian - Scotland - Tom Walkinshaw Racing

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Tom began racing in 1968, starting in an old Lotus FF1600. The following year he won the Scottish FF1600 title at the wheel of a Hawke. 1970 saw a move south to England and a change to Formula 3. Early in his career, Walkinshaw broke both his legs in a racing accident while racing for the March works team. Continuing his career despite this setback, he has driven in many classes, including Formula 5000 and Formula 2.

Related Topics:
1968 - Lotus - 1970 - Formula 3 - Formula 2

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Ford hired Walkinshaw to drive a Capri on the British Touring Car Championship circuit in 1974. This resulted in him winning his class that year.

Related Topics:
Ford - Capri - British Touring Car Championship

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In 1975 Walkinshaw established Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), a group whose business is the manufacture and design of racing and road cars. He spent 10 years in this position before retiring from competition to concentrate on TWR's Jaguar Sportscar Programme. In six years the programme won Le Mans twice and the World Championships three times.

Related Topics:
Tom Walkinshaw Racing - Jaguar - Le Mans

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In 1983 Tom Walkinshaw led the TWR team to an amazing eleven wins in eleven races in the British Saloon Car Championship in a Rover Vitesse.

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Walkinshaw was Engineering Director of the Benetton F1 team which subsequently won the 1994 Formula 1 World Championship amid much controversy.

Related Topics:
Benetton - Formula 1

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1997 saw Tom voted Autocar Man of the Year. By this stage the TWR Group employed 1500 employees in the UK, Sweden, Australia and the United States. At the time, Tom was also Managing Director of Arrows Grand Prix International.

Related Topics:
UK - Sweden - Australia - United States - Arrows

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His racing group went into liquidation in 2002 following a bid to revive the ailing Arrows racing team.

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Tom has been awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering by Oxford Brookes University

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Tom Walkingshaw is also Gloucester Rugby Club Chairman becoming the new club owner with the majority shareholding on 29th April 1997. He has also been Chairman of the Premier Rugby Board.

Related Topics:
Gloucester Rugby Club - Premier Rugby Board

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