Frank Newton (racing driver)

Frank Newton
Frank Newton
Born c.1868
Died 1963
Gerard's Cross, Buckinghamshire, England
Nationality British
Occupation Engineer, gold prospector, and racing driver
Spouse(s) Margaret
Children 4 including Peter Newton and Kenneth Newton

Frank Newton was a British racing driver and engineer.

Career

Frank Newton was a gold prospector during Canada's Klondike Gold Rush era. He worked in the Yukon territory of Alaska in circa 1895. Later Newton worked as an engineer, circa 1900, he designed and built the Trans-Andean railway which at the time was the world's highest elevation railroad. At the beginning of the 20th century, Newton returned to England to become a motor racing driver back home.[1]

Racing career

1907 Napier 60hp T21

In July 1907, Newton won the Century Stakes at the first meeting ever held at Brooklands, attended by 13,500 people.[2]

On 23 September 1908, he won the Monatgu Cup at Brooklands, driving a Napier motor car nicknamed 'The Meteor', after having fought "a terrific duel" with Dario Resta, where their cars "banged wheels at top speed".[1][3][4] "For a moment, it looked bad, but both drivers regained control."[4] After the race The Brooklands Automobile Racing Club awarded Frank the Monatgu cup and was given a certificate authenticating that he drove 1 complete lap at an average speed of 113.01 MPH.

Painting of Frank driving 'The Meteor'
The certificate presented to Frank Newton by the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club in 1908.

In 1908, also at Brooklands, Newton drove a 90hp Napier for its Australian owner Selwyn Edge, who had a £500 bet with D'Arcy Baker that his car could go faster than Felice Nazzaro's Fiat, but the Napier suffered from mechanical trouble.[5]

Newton's preferred racing car was a Napier 90hp.[6][7]

Personal life

Newton was married to Margaret, a keen gardener, and they had four children, Brenda Newton, Dudley Newton, Peter Newton and Kenneth Newton (in that order), when he was in his 50s and 60s.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Dr Kenneth Newton". 22 April 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "Racing Driver Frank Newton Wins Century Stakes At Brooklands". gettyimages.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  3. ↑ "Frank Newton - Racing career profile - Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  4. 1 2 Automobile Heritage Publishing & Communications, LLC (March 2003). Automobile Quarterly. Automobile Heritage Publishing & Co. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-59613-037-1. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  5. ↑ Tanya A. Bailey (15 May 2014). The First American Grand Prix: The Savannah Auto Races, 1908-1911. McFarland. pp. 104–105. ISBN 978-0-7864-7697-8. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  6. ↑ "motoring picture library". www.motoringpicturelibrary.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  7. ↑ "Type 35 Bug tops Double Twelve". www.classicandsportscar.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.


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