Joseph Gibson Fry (26 October 1915, Chipping Sodbury – 29 July 1950, Blandford Motor Racing Circuit) was a British racing driver and distant member of the Fry's Chocolate family. He became the primary driver for the highly successful Shelsley Special "Freikaiserwagen", created by his cousin David Fry and Hugh Dunsterville, with help from Dick Caesar. The original car was built in Bristol in 1936 and featured an Anzani engine which was replaced in 1937 by a Blackburne engine. Joe set a number of hill records during the late 1930s including an unofficial outright record at Prescott when he climbed in 47.62 seconds in the 1,100 c.c. ''Freikaiserwagen'', on 27 August 1938. At the outbreak of World War Two he held both the blown and unblown 1,100 c.c. records at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in 41.52 and 42.58 seconds respectively. Fry finished second in class, for racing cars up to 1,100 c.c., in the ''Freikaiserwagen'' at the

Brighton Speed Trials The Brighton Speed Trials, in full The Brighton National Speed Trials, is commonly held to be the oldest running motor race. The first race was held 19–22 July 1905 after Sir Harry Preston persuaded Brighton town council to tarmac the surface ...

in 1947. He drove the car to a class victory at Brighton the following year recording a faster time. He won the class again at Brighton in 1949 reducing his time yet again. At Blandford hillclimb on 28 May 1949: "J.G. Fry made f.t.d. in the 650 lb., twin Marshall-blown V-twin Freikaiserwagen." His winning time was 31.13 seconds. At Bouley Bay Hill Climb, Jersey, on 21 July 1949, Fry finished first in class but overall a runner-up to Sydney Allard, at which point Fry led the

British Hill Climb Championship The British Hill Climb Championship (BHCC) is the most prestigious Hillclimbing championship in Great Britain. Hillclimbing in the British Isles has a rich history, for example, the hillclimb held at Shelsley Walsh, in Worcestershire, England is t ...

. At the final round at Prescott he was just one point behind Sydney Allard, but he had mechanical problems and slumped to fourth overall behind Allard,

Poore Poore is a surname, and may refer to: List * Benjamin Perley Poore (1820–1870), American journalist * Dennis Poore (1916–1987), British businessman * Henry Rankin Poore (1859–1940), American artist and author * Herbert Poore (died 1217), E ...

and Moss in the final standings. Fry was killed at the wheel of the ''Freikaiserwagen'' at the 1950 Blandford hillclimb, less than two months after driving a Maserati 4CL in the

1950 British Grand Prix The 1950 British Grand Prix, formally known as The Royal Automobile Club Grand Prix d'Europe Incorporating The British Grand Prix, was a Formula One motor race held on 13 May 1950 at the Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, England. It was the fi ...

at Silverstone. Raymond Mays said: "The death of Joe Fry, from injuries received while practicing for a Blandford hill-climb, was a great blow to me and to British motor sport in general."''Split Seconds: My Racing Years'', by Raymond Mays "ghosted" by Dennis May, G.T. Foulis & Co. Ltd. 1952, Page 293. A memorial race, the Joe Fry Trophy, was held between 1952 and 1954 at

Castle Combe Circuit Castle Combe Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Wiltshire, England, approximately from Bristol. The circuit is based on the perimeter track of a former World War II airfield, and was opened for racing in 1950. History The Castle Combe ...

Bibliography

The book of the complete history of "Freikaiserwagen" is called "Freik – The Private Life of the Freikaiserwagen" by Rob and Hugh Dunsterville published in 2008 and reprinted in 2009.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

( key) :''* Indicates shared drive with Brian Shawe-Taylor''

References

External links

Joe Fry profile at The 500 Owners Association

The "Freikaiserwagen" – Record Breaker
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fry, Joe 1915 births 1950 deaths Joe English racing drivers Brighton Speed Trials people English Formula One drivers Racing drivers who died while racing Sport deaths in England People from Winterbourne, Gloucestershire 20th-century English businesspeople 20th-century Quakers