Jim McKeown (racing driver)

Last updated

Jim McKeown
NationalityAustralian
Australian Touring Car Championship
Years active1964–1972
TeamsNeptune Racing Team
Tridents Racing Team
Shell Racing Team
Starts21
Wins2 [1]
Poles1 [2]
Best finish2nd in 1970
Previous series
Toby Lee Series

Jim McKeown was an Australian racing driver who competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship from 1964 to 1972, with a best finish of 2nd in the 1970 ATCC. McKeown was part of the successful Neptune Racing Team alongside Norm Beechey and Peter Manton. The team later became known as the Shell Racing Team and consisted of McKeown in a Porsche 911S, Beechey in a Holden Monaro GTS350 and Manton in a Morris Cooper S.

Contents

In addition to the Australian Touring Car Championship, McKeown also competed in the Bathurst 500 and its forerunner at Phillip Island on four occasions. He and George Reynolds took the Class D win at the 1962 Armstrong 500, five laps off the lead. [3] McKeown drove for the Ford Works Team under Harry Firth in the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500, finishing 42nd with Spencer Martin in the team's only XT Falcon GT fitted with an automatic transmission. [4] In the 1970s McKeown raced Porsches in the Sports Sedan category, achieving a 2nd-place finish in the 1974 Toby Lee Series at Oran Park.

Death

Jim died peacefully on 22 May 2023, at the age of 85.

Career results

A recreation of the Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T E38 which was driven to 6th place in Class D of the 1971 Hardie-Ferodo 500 by Norm Beechey & Jim McKeown Chrysler VH Valiant Charger RT E38.jpg
A recreation of the Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T E38 which was driven to 6th place in Class D of the 1971 Hardie-Ferodo 500 by Norm Beechey & Jim McKeown
SeasonTitlePositionCarTeam
1967 Australian Touring Car Championship 6th Ford Lotus Cortina Tridents Racing Team
1969 Australian Touring Car Championship 4th Ford Lotus Cortina Jim McKeown Motors [5]
1970 Australian Touring Car Championship 2nd Porsche 911S Shell Racing Team
1971 Australian Touring Car Championship 4th Porsche 911S Shell Racing Team
1972 Australian Touring Car Championship 13th Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Shell Racing Team
1973 Toby Lee Series 4th [6] Porsche Carrera
1974 Toby Lee Series 2nd [7] Porsche Carrera

Complete Australian Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar12345678DCPoints
1964 Neptune Racing Team Ford Cortina Mark I Lotus LAK
Ret
NC-
1965 Neptune Racing Team Ford Cortina Mark I Lotus SAN
Ret
NC-
1967 Tridents Racing Team Ford Cortina Mark I Lotus LAK
6
NC-
1968 Jim McKeown Motors Ford Cortina Mark II Lotus WAR
Ret
NC-
1969 Jim McKeown Motors Ford Cortina Mark II Lotus CAL BAT MAL
4
SUR
3
SYM
3
4th11
1970 Jim McKeown Shell Racing Team Porsche 911S CAL
3
BAT
4
SAN
Ret
MAL
Ret
WAR
1
LAK
3
SYM
1
2nd29
1971 Shell Racing Porsche 911S SYM
4
CAL
3
SAN
3
SUR
5
MAL
4
LAK
6
ORA
4
4th20
1972 Shell Racing Team Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV SYM CAL
DNS
BAT
7
SAN
Ret
AIR WAR SUR ORA 13th6

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References

  1. "Most ATCC/V8SCS Race Wins (1960 - 2009)". Official site of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  2. "Most Poles in the ATCC/V8SCS". Official site of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  3. "Armstrong 500 - Phillip Island, Victoria - 22nd October, 1962". Unique Cars and Parts. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  4. "Hardie-Ferodo 500 - Mount Panorama, Bathurst - 6th October, 1968". Unique Cars and Parts. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  5. Official programme, Mallala Motor Races, 16 June 1969
  6. Sports Sedans, Oran Park Toby Lee Series, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1974 Edition, pages 144-154
  7. Sports Sedans, Oran Park Toby Lee Series, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1975 Edition, pages 146-149