John Fitch is a true driving hero of the 1950s, having raced for the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Chevrolet, as well as Jaguar – he drove an XK120, back at the Sebring track’s grand opening in 1950, eventually becoming the first Sports Car Club of America national champion in 1951.
Sadly, Fitch passed away yesterday, at the age of 95, yet, as always with famed racecar drivers, he will be remembered for what he did out on the track. Throughout his career, which ended in 1966 with a race at Sebring at the wheel of a Porsche 904, he was recognized as one of the best road racers in the US – his most memorable race being a class-winning victory at the Mile Miglia, in 1955, at the wheel of a production-spec Mercedes-Benz 300SL.He also won the Sebring 12 Hours race, in 1953, and made two starts in the world championship grand prix, as well as finishing third overall at LeMans and winning his class at the same time. He also brought forth ‘the Fitch Barrier’, which is basically a container filled usually with water (sometimes sand), which is positioned at accident-prone spots of highway, to absorb the force of impact.
