The following information is taken from an article printed in Lincolnshire Life in December 2018, written by John Almond, provided by ????
Jack Pitcher.
The Champion Motor Racing Farmer.
Jack was the eldest son of Mr. & Mrs. Frank Pitcher, a South Lincolnshire farming family based in the Wrangle & Friskney areas. He had an interest in sport in general and a lust for speed. Born in the village of Wrangle, near Boston, in 1930 he played Rugby, Darts and Bowls locally and a keen swimmer gaining his 1 Million Metre badge in later life. In 1957 he took up Formula 3 (500cc) car racing, purchasing a Cooper-Norton racing car with an engine tuned by Norton expert, Ray Petty.
With Gordon Lee, a local garage owner, as his racing manager and Sam Mason as his mechanic, Jack made his debut at Mallory Park on the 12th April 1957. His first win during this debut season came at Cadwell Park, a local circuit, on the 5th of August that same year where he also won the handicap race. The following year, 1958, he claimed a further 8 wins and also appeared in the Tatler magazine, posing with two fashion models while attending the British Grand Prix meeting at Silverstone. In the 1959 season he claimed a total of 13 places, 7 wins and 6 seconds, and ended the season as Number 2 in the Formula 3 Championship table, runner-up to Don Parker. On Boxing Day of that year he won the Francis Beart Trophy at Brands Hatch. In 1960, possibly his best year, he took a total of 14 places including 12 wins, 1 second place and 1 third, opening the season with a win at Brands Hatch on the 8th April and closing it with another win at Snetterton on the 9th October. During this highly successful season he had to retire twice and was unplaced in one race. He finished the season as British Champion for the Formula Three, 500cc class.
In 1961 Jack was signed up to drive for the Alexis team racing in the Formula Junior 1100cc class while continuing to drive his own Cooper-Norton. He also puchased a Lotus for the second half of the season. Although he won every 500cc race he took part in, the workload placed upon him by his commitment to Alexis with Formula Junior Drives throughout Europe, he did not have enough points at the end of the season to retain his 500cc Championship crown, which passed to Mike Ledbrook. Jack's debut in Formula Junior, driving the Alexis, took place at the Monaco Grand Prix where he drove in the supporting race programme. Having climbed from 17th on the grade to 4th position he finished the race in 12th place. He finished the season by winning at Snetterton which turned out to be the swansong of a distinguished career during the course of which he had raced at Crystal Palace, Aintree (Liverpool), Catterick, Rufforth, Full Sutton and Whitchurch. Looking back, apart from a minor injury at Reims, he was probably lucky to come through his career without serious injury given the lack of Track Safety measures in those days.
Having retired from racing, Jack married Margaret (nee Upsall.) in 1964 and they had two sons, Phillip and Stephen. After gaining his private pilot's licence often flying, with friends , from Skegness airfield. He joined the Boston Veteran Bicycle Club and purchasing a number of veteran and interesting machines and, showing an interest in Bubble cars, purchased three Bamby cars, manufactured in Hull. Having purchased his mother's old Morris 8 Series E car, in which he learned to drive, for the sum of two pounds he rebuilt and reconditioned it from derelict. He was overheard to remark that it would out-perform the present day models and was challenged to prove as part of the celebrations of Mirris's Sixty Years of manufacturing. Never one to resist a challenge a 12 hour run then took place at the Silverstone Circuit during which he and his two co-drivers completed 311 laps and was the only vehicle still running at the end. Strangely, nothing more was ever heard of the event.
Jack collapsed and died at his allotment, at the age of 68, in April 1968. During the course of his life he rarely talked of his achievments in Motor Racing unless asked to do so, truly a charming and unassuming Lincolnshire sporting character.
The writer closed bgy thanking Mrs. Margaret Pitcher and her family for allowing access to the family archive and their help and assistance.