Corvette LeMans Racing Legend John Fitch has passed away
11-01-2012, 11:24 AM
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Corvette LeMans Racing Legend John Fitch has passed away
Racing legend John Fitch dies at 95
John Fitch lived through flying a P-51 fighter plane in World War II and a post-war career in automobile racing to die peacefully in his bed at age 95 at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday. He was surrounded by family and friends at the end, at home in Lime Rock only a stone’s throw from Lime Rock Park race track.
Mr. Fitch was a lion in the automotive world, recognized for his on-track performances during an 18-year racing career that saw him score wins in races such as the 1951 Argentine Grand Prix, the 1955 Mille Miglia (production car class) and the Dunrod Tourist Trophy and Sebring endurance race. He is also known for his contributions to highway safety. An engineering graduate of Lehigh University, he developed the portable impact-absorbing barriers used on race tracks and highways.
He advocated for increased safety on racetracks and was a consultant to numerous research and governmental organizations on the subject of vehicle handling and dynamics.
Mr. Fitch served as the first manager for Chevrolet’s Corvette racing team, and the first general manager of the Lime Rock Park race track.
“John is obviously considered part and parcel of Lime Rock race track,” said Rich Roso, spokesman for the track. “He was here at the beginning and to the very end of his life. He was with us for the Historic Festival Labor Day Weekend. He will be remembered as a gentleman and a genius, an entrepreneur and a businessman.”
Mr. Roso said that Mr. Fitch’s final days had brought him a visit from one of the racing world’s most illustrious veterans. Sir Stirling Moss, whose name is synonymous with speed, set aside decades of competitive tension to visit with the failing genius during the Labor day event.
“There had always been a tension between them since the catastrophic 1955 accident that killed 83 spectators during that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race,” Mr. Roso recalled. “Driver Pierre Levegh was also killed when the Mercedes Benz he was driving crashed, causing large pieces of racing car debris to fly into the crowd. Appalled by the carnage, Mr. Fitch, a member of the team, called Mercedes Benz and persuaded the firm to withdraw the rest of its drivers as a sign of respect. Mr. Moss, driving a Mercedes, was positioned to win at the time the team was called in.”
Fitch and Grossman drove the 1960 Cunningham Corvette to a class win at LeMans in 1960. He overcame an overheating engine and a blinding rainstorm to bring the fuel-injected Corvette to a class win, and drove the exact same Corvette again in a pace lap at LeMans in 2010 that was featured in the Corvette movie, "The Quest."
Mr. Roso said he was told by someone who was present when the automotive legend died that Mr. Fitch peacefully “left this world with no angst and no pain
John Fitch lived through flying a P-51 fighter plane in World War II and a post-war career in automobile racing to die peacefully in his bed at age 95 at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday. He was surrounded by family and friends at the end, at home in Lime Rock only a stone’s throw from Lime Rock Park race track.
Mr. Fitch was a lion in the automotive world, recognized for his on-track performances during an 18-year racing career that saw him score wins in races such as the 1951 Argentine Grand Prix, the 1955 Mille Miglia (production car class) and the Dunrod Tourist Trophy and Sebring endurance race. He is also known for his contributions to highway safety. An engineering graduate of Lehigh University, he developed the portable impact-absorbing barriers used on race tracks and highways.
He advocated for increased safety on racetracks and was a consultant to numerous research and governmental organizations on the subject of vehicle handling and dynamics.
Mr. Fitch served as the first manager for Chevrolet’s Corvette racing team, and the first general manager of the Lime Rock Park race track.
“John is obviously considered part and parcel of Lime Rock race track,” said Rich Roso, spokesman for the track. “He was here at the beginning and to the very end of his life. He was with us for the Historic Festival Labor Day Weekend. He will be remembered as a gentleman and a genius, an entrepreneur and a businessman.”
Mr. Roso said that Mr. Fitch’s final days had brought him a visit from one of the racing world’s most illustrious veterans. Sir Stirling Moss, whose name is synonymous with speed, set aside decades of competitive tension to visit with the failing genius during the Labor day event.
“There had always been a tension between them since the catastrophic 1955 accident that killed 83 spectators during that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race,” Mr. Roso recalled. “Driver Pierre Levegh was also killed when the Mercedes Benz he was driving crashed, causing large pieces of racing car debris to fly into the crowd. Appalled by the carnage, Mr. Fitch, a member of the team, called Mercedes Benz and persuaded the firm to withdraw the rest of its drivers as a sign of respect. Mr. Moss, driving a Mercedes, was positioned to win at the time the team was called in.”
Fitch and Grossman drove the 1960 Cunningham Corvette to a class win at LeMans in 1960. He overcame an overheating engine and a blinding rainstorm to bring the fuel-injected Corvette to a class win, and drove the exact same Corvette again in a pace lap at LeMans in 2010 that was featured in the Corvette movie, "The Quest."
Mr. Roso said he was told by someone who was present when the automotive legend died that Mr. Fitch peacefully “left this world with no angst and no pain
11-04-2012, 10:44 AM
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02-09-2013, 06:13 PM
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St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Everyone should watch that video! 
Thank you Mr. Fitch for your service to our country and to automotive enthusiasts. R.I.P.
Thank you Mr. Fitch for your service to our country and to automotive enthusiasts. R.I.P.