Sir Jackie Stewart opens Jim Clark Museum

Three-time Formula One world champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE has officially opened a museum dedicated to fellow Scots racing driver Jim Clark.

Formula One legend, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, officially opened the new Jim Clark Motorsport Museum in Duns, Scottish Borders today, Thursday.

Following a tour of the new museum from Jim Clark’s cousin Doug Niven, Sir Jackie unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion and took part in a Q&A session with other invited guests, including fellow patron of The Jim Clark Trust and three time Le Mans winner, Allan McNish.

Jim Clark’s cousin, Doug Niven gave Sir Jackie Stewart a tour of the museum

The museum, which opened to the public in mid-July, has already welcomed more than 5,000 visitors. It honours and charts the life and racing career of the Scottish Borders farmer and double Formula One world champion Jim Clark, a close friend of Sir Jackie.

When Sir Jackie encountered a card board cut-out of his old friend, Sir Jackie joked: ‘He wasn’t that tall in real life!’

Funding for the £1.6million partnership project has come from Scottish Borders Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland and The Jim Clark Trust, the latter including a grant from the
Fallago Environment Fund and individual donations from around the world.

Sir Jackie Stewart with a cardboard cutout of Jim Clark

It is a partnership project between charity Live Borders, The Jim Clark Trust and Scottish Borders Council.

Jim Clark won the Formula One championship in 1963, becoming the then youngest ever world champion. He followed it up with victory again in 1965 and in the same year also won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in America. He remains the only driver to have won both the Formula One and Indy 500 titles in the same year.

Clark tragically died at Hockenheim in Germany at the age of just 32. He was much admired for his modesty and humility alongside his remarkable natural ability in all forms of motor racing. He is still considered one of the greatest ever racing drivers and remains to this day one of Scotland’s most admired sporting heroes.

For further info visit www.jcmm.org.uk

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