Jim Clark’s Indy-winning Lotus-Ford is the centerpiece of this year’s Indy 500 Centennial Class.
The #82 Ford-powered Lotus 38 that revolutionized open-wheel racing will be on display at the Concours. It has just been restored to running condition and original as-raced appearance. Several cars from the Indianapolis Hall of Fame Museum and individual collectors will also be exhibited.
Scotsman Jim Clark drove the Lotus chassis 38/1 to victory in the 1965 Indy 500. It was the first mid-engined car to win at Indy. To this day, Clark remains the only driver to win both the Indy 500 and the Formula One Championship in the same year, cementing his legacy as the dominant driver of his era and one of the greatest ever. After its debut at Pebble Beach it will return to its home at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, to become a centerpiece at its planned Racing in America exhibition.
"Jimmy Clark drove this Lotus race car to a truly historic victory," said Ken Gross, Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Selection Committee. "It was the first time Indy had been won by a mid-engine car, the first time a British car won there, and it was the first win for a Ford engine. This car revolutionized racing at Indy, and no front-engine car has won the race since."
