He was merry and modest Scottish farmer who wasn't able or didn't want to see his actual greatness and talent untill the tragic end. He was gifted, versatile and popular racecar driver who didn't tolerate the bustling what was surrounding him. He could sit behind the wheel of any racing car and drove very fast with it. He didn't need the car adjustment for him, he did adjust his driving style appropriate for the car and took maximum of it. He was so versatile that he was able to win on any series with any car and he was capable to save his car. He was answering almost every time when mechanic did ask from him about the cars behaviour simple and concrete "Fine".
On the track he was capable to accomplish miracles. In 1962 Belgium GP where he did start from 12th position. Soon he pushed himself into the lead and won the race by 44.1 seconds. In 1963 he won 7 championship races out of 10 and World Champion title and was second in Indy 500 where he did compete first time. In 1964 he won British Touring Car Championship. 1965 was his year again. He won his second World Championship title and won also Indy 500.
1967 Formula 1 season shows his talent the best. In Dutch GP he won the race with brand new car. In Belgium GP after the first lap he was leading so long that in the pits people thought that everybody else were run into crash. In British GP in every corner he switched off the damaged engine because of dropping oilpressure and he still won the race. And in USGP he rolled over the finish line basicly on three wheels as a winner. 1968 started good for him and he won the first Grand Prix of the season. Then came three month break for Grand Prix races and every driver was driving in different racing serieses. So did Jim Clark and won Tasman series what was held in Australia and New Zealand third time.
It was first weekend of april. Jim Clark wanted to be in Brands Hatch sports car 6 hours race BOAC 500. But sponsor contract with Firestone made him to be in Hockenheim what was not very important Formula 2 race. In the training session his cars breaks were blocked suddenly and he did spun but was able to keep control over the car. In whole weekend he was struggling with his troubled car. The engine didn't work properly, the gears didn't switch as they should and the Firestone tyres didn't had grip on wet and cold track. In practice he did achieve 7th position for the race.
Sunday, 7th april 1968, the day of the race. At the beginning of lap five he was on 8th position and was struggling with his car. But he never came back from this lap. On very fast Hockenheimring the inconceivable happened. On the way to the very fast east curve about 270 km/h his car breaks out and races into the forest whitch surrounded the track. He died instantly.
What did cause this accident nobody knows. But one is sure, it wasn't drivers mistake. Some people believes that the accident was caused by explosion of the rear tyre, some believes that the troubling engine was suddenly stopped and then again started which dashed uncontrolable car out of the track.
Before the race some misfortune photos were shot directly by his car in the pits. But team owner Colin Chapman did buy the film immediately and "paid" with a box ticket for the next race...