Pat Griffith

Pat Griffith, (26 April 1926 – 28 January 1980), was an English racing driver, who raced for the works Aston Martin team during the early 1950s, winning the 1953 RAC Tourist Trophy. However, after a bad crash the 1954 12 Hours of Hyères, he retired to concentrate on the family business.

Pat Griffith
NationalityBritish
Born26 April 1925
Weybridge, Surrey, England
DiedJanuary 28, 1980(1980-01-28) (aged 53)
Vale Royal, Cheshire, England
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years1952
TeamsAston Martin
Best finishDNF (1952)

Racing career

In 1951, Griffith was racing a Lester T51, which was an MG Special, when he first came to the fore. During the British Empire Trophy, he was lapping the Douglas circuit so swiftly, Stirling Moss commented that he believed that he wouldn’t have caught Griffith despite his car being in a higher class, when Griffith’s Lester engine seized.[1] This race brought Griffith to the attention of David Brown, and he was signed by the works Aston Martin team for the 1952 season.[2]

1952 saw Griffith make his only start at Le Mans, but fail to finish the race, likewise in the 1952 Mille Miglia. After those races in Europe, Griffith score two victories for the team. The first being a National event at the Welsh circuit, Fairwood. The second came when he shared the winning DB3 with Peter Collins in the Goodwood Nine-Hour race.[3] He continued to race his Lester. In that season’s British Empire Trophy, he again set a cracking pace, but collided with a dog. Both the car and dog survived the incident, with Griffith going on to win.[4]

In 1953 saw Griffiths continue with the Aston Martin team, still as co-driver to Collins. The partnership finished second in the Goodwood Nine-Hour and won the RAC Tourist Trophy. He also drove the Monkey Stable’s Kieft-MG during the season when his job and Aston Martin commitments allowed, with other minor success.[5] 1954 started well, when he and Collins drove the works Aston Martin DB3S to third place in the 1000 km Buenos Aires.[6] Following retirements in the 12 Hours of Sebring and Mille Miglia,[7] Griffiths was planning to retire from the sport at the end of the season, when he suffered a major accident in the 12 Heures de Hyères. Whilst driving Graham Whitehead’s DB3S, he was forced off the road by another driver and was thrown out of the car.[8] After missing that year's Le Mans, he returned to racing at the RAC Tourist Trophy, but afterwards admitted he had become apprehensive about going too fast", and left the sport for good.

Racing record

Career highlights
Season Series Position Team Car
1952 British Empire Trophy[9] 1st The Monkey Stable Lester-MG T51
9 Hours of Goodwood[10] 1st David Brown Aston Martin DB3
1953 RAC Tourist Trophy[11] 1st Aston Martin Aston Martin DB3S
9 Hours of Goodwood[12] 2nd David Brown Aston Martin DB3S
1954 1000 km Buenos Aires[13] 3rd David Brown Aston Martin DB3S

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1952 Aston Martin Ltd. Dennis Poore Aston Martin DB3 S3.0 DNF
Water pump

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1954 Aston Martin, Ltd. Peter Collins Aston Martin DB3S S3.0 26 DNF
Brakes

Complete Mille Miglia results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Pos. Class
Pos.
1952 Aston Martin Ltd. George Abecassis Aston Martin DB2 GT+2.0 DNF
Clutch
1953 Aston Martin Lagonda George Abecassis Aston Martin DB3 S+2.0 DNF
Steering, accident
1954 David Brown Peter Collins Aston Martin DB3S S+2.0 DNF
Accident

Complete 12 Hours of Hyères results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Pos. Class
Pos.
1954 Graham Whitehead Graham Whitehead Aston Martin DB3S DNF
Accident

References
  1. "Denis Charles Scribbans". www.historicracing.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  2. "Denis Charles Scribbans". www.historicracing.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  3. "Pat Griffith (GB) - All Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  4. "the-monkey-stable-racing-team". Motor Sport Magazine. 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  5. "Denis Charles Scribbans". www.historicracing.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  6. "1954 Buenos Aires 1000 KM". www.teamdan.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  7. "Pat Griffith (GB) - All Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  8. "Denis Charles Scribbans". www.historicracing.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  9. "British Empire Trophy 1952 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  10. "Goodwood 9 Hours 1952 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  11. "Tourist Trophy 1953 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  12. "9 h Goodwood 1953 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  13. "1000 km Buenos Aires 1954 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Stirling Moss		 British Empire Trophy winner
1952		 Succeeded by
Reg Parnell
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