Jack Sears - RIP

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Paul Blore
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Jack Sears - RIP

Post by Paul Blore »

It is with much regret and a heavy heart that we have to report the very sad passing of our friend, long time member of The 289 Register and racing legend, Jack Sears.

Jack had been battling with a serious illness for some time, but this was a race he was never going to win unfortunately.

We were planning to go and visit him on the 20th, but we will now be going for a different purpose.

Paul
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Phil Riley
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by Phil Riley »

Very sad indeed to hear the news about 'Gentleman' Jack. He will be greatly missed.
Colin Newbold
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by Colin Newbold »

Jack Sears - 1930-2016 - The Final Chequer :cry:

I share with Nicky and all of you my deep sadness on hearing this news. I was once privileged to sit next to Jack on a long-haul flight to Denver, when I went to the Shelby Annual Convention that year (2010 I think). 8 hours of 1:1 time being enveloped in his stories was truly one of my life’s highlights. This led to Bill Telford (who travelled to Denver separately) and I hanging out with Jack for the 3 days of the Convention, sharing the convertible (current model) Mustang that we’d rented. Jack subsequently invited me to bring Nicky to his Norfolk farmhouse for afternoon tea a few weeks later, when he graciously showed us around his private car collection. He personally signed my copy of his book and every time we met since that date, he always recognised me/us and was delightful to be around. One time, 2 years ago, I found myself at Snetterton racing against his daughter Susanne – she also races an MGB – and there was Jack willing her on from the sidelines.

Here's a few photos that bring back some great memories:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ea5dc1rfb666f45/332.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yt07qcurx5jb8 ... d.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a1ckz0d1ql5wn ... 9.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j3tus74f3h41i ... 4.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zkg4mqskan9di ... o.jpg?dl=0

My sincere thanks go to Bill Telford for organising a private dinner party during last year's Goodwood Revival where the few of us present (including Allen Grant and his wife Dixie) had the immense pleasure of hearing Jack recount some of his stories once again...he was truly a great raconteur. The one that I enjoyed the most - despite having heard it more than once before! - was how Mr Hurlock (one of the two brothers that owned AC at the time) insisted that the mechanics remove the spoiler from A98 (the one-off Cobra coupe built by the factory to compete in the 1964 Le Mans 24 hr race and now owned by Barry Bird) during free practice. He was determined to eke out that extra top speed advantage over Shelby's Daytona Coupes. Jack reluctantly agreed and recounted vividly how, as he crested the slight brow towards the end of the Mulsanne straight, the car took off completely at over 180 mph. Racing drivers know how crucial it is at this sort of speed to ensure that both front wheels come back to earth simultaneously - they even lean over inside the cockpit if they feel that the driver's wheel might land first! If not, the result is usually a heavy crash. Jack sensed the car was not flying through the air completely horizontal to the track surface and despite his best efforts one wheel landed before the other, sending him into a lurid slide. He was still travelling at over 170 mph and desperately trying to scrub off speed before the impending disaster. The car lurched one way, then the other way with his corrections of opposite lock, then back the other way again and so-on until he finally stopped the snaking and regained control. Completely shaken and white with fright, he made his way gingerly back to the pits. Leaping out of the car, he addressed the waiting mechanics with words like "Get the f*****g spoiler back on, I almost killed myself!" So, while for most of the time he had a genteel and measured demeanour, it was on occasions like this that he allowed his anger to come through! And who can blame him! Priceless! That dinner party turns out to be the last time that Nicky and I saw Jack alive :cry:.

Nicky and I would very much like to pay our respects at his upcoming funeral by joining a T289R procession if we can.

You can read a full and sensitively written obituary here:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.ph ... es-aged-86

Colin
Last edited by Colin Newbold on Wed Aug 10, 2016 10:07 am, edited 7 times in total.
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StewbieC
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by StewbieC »

A true gent, rest in peace Jack! :(
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allan horsfall
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by allan horsfall »

Gentlemen,

I was at Snetterton, suporting Colin on the ocassion of Jack's daughters race, and spent time with him on the new banking behind the pits watching the race. He was clearly a very 'considered & measured' man, and it was interesting listening to his well informed comments and more importantly, what he chose to comment on.
If the T289R want to organise a procession then Im happy to join in, especially as Im only a few miles away, and if the family welcome the idea it would be a nice way to pay our respects.

Regards
Allan
Paul Blore
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by Paul Blore »

Hi,

I now have details of Jack's funeral arrangements. I'm not going to post them here for obvious reasons, but if anyone would like to attend, preferably in their Cobra, send me an email (chairman at the 289 register dot com) and I'll give you the details.

Regards,
Paul
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nikbj68
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by nikbj68 »

Jack Sears is the reason my father wanted 39PH, the Willment Cobra that Jack drove. Not a Cobra, that Cobra; and amazingly, 3 years after seeing Jack drive at Goodwood, he was able to buy and race it.
Meeting Jack over the last few years, his clear recollection of races, duels and super-human feats (the Black Flag race) recounted with such passion and eloquence, you felt transported back to those events, and the years between evaporated in his eyes and you would believe it was only yesterday.
Sadly, being born after Jack retired from racing, I never got to see him in action -
They say 'Never meet your heroes', but my life is enriched from the few hours I spent with Jack over the years.

Doug Nye Remembers 'Gentleman' Jack Sears on the Goodwood website.
Hawk 289 FiA...AT LAST!!!
allan horsfall
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by allan horsfall »

Gentlemen,

I was reading the obituary and noticed that his grandfather bought out Freeman Hardy Willis. 'Old Ma Hardy', as she was known, was my great great grandmother. I remember dad saying that as a kid he had a docket, and whenever he needed new shoes, he could go into one of the shops and get them for free. ( Six degrees of seperation or what).
Allan
Paul Blore
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by Paul Blore »

A small world indeed. :)

.....but I wouldn't want to have to paint it. :wink:
Paul Blore
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Re: Jack Sears - RIP

Post by Paul Blore »

A group of us attended Jack's funeral yesterday in his home village of Ashill in Norfolk to pay our respects.
It was very well attended with standing room only in the church and there was a good sprinkling of motoring heroes from days gone by in attendance.
Jack's son David read a celebration of his father's life and it was incredible to hear of all the things he'd done. He really had crammed three lifetimes into his 86 years.
We had five Cobras there, which was good to see. It should have been six, but my engine problems meant I had to go in the Ferrari, which surprisingly, considering that Jack was a longtime president of the Ferrari Owners Club, was the only one there.
Jack lived his life to the full and definitely gave more than he took and should be example to all of us.

Paul
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