Fabled golden helmet goes on display at the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum
Racing fans have an unprecedented opportunity to see a legendary Jim Clark trophy which has spent most of the last half-century secluded from public view.
Commonly known as ‘the Golden Helmet’ the award is among the most famous commemorative items associated with Jim Clark. It was presented by sponsors Esso to mark his 1965 successes winning the Formula One World Championship and Indianapolis 500 miles – an achievement still never matched. On top of the helmet is engraved a world map inlaid with precious stones, depicting places where he had won a Formula One race to that time; the Indy 500 in America; and his home at Edington Mains in Berwickshire. It is considered among the most beautiful and significant trophies ever presented to Scotland’s first Formula One world champion – one of the greatest racing drivers of all time – during a career lasting over eleven years.
Jim Clark Motorsport Museum Curator, Andrew Tulloch said: “Countries portrayed illustrate many of the great racing circuits of world motorsport where Jim triumphed – including Silverstone, Monza, the Nurburgring, Spa-Francorchamps, Zandvoort, Watkins Glen in America, Magdalena Mixhuca in Mexico and Prince George in South Africa. Many of these victories are themselves represented in the museum’s existing collection of individual race trophies, memorabilia and ephemera.”
Physically encapsulating the principal achievements of Jim Clark’s illustrious career – but having rarely been on public display and instead spent most of the last 50 years in bank vaults – the helmet has earned a prominent and mysterious reputation among Jim’s fanbase. Now it goes on show for the first time and is on loan to the museum for the next three years.
From Sunday 28th April visitors can see the helmet in all its glory – displayed in a specially made case – at the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum in Duns; the area in which he grew up and farmed. In doing so ‘the Golden Helmet’ finally rejoins Jim’s many other trophies and awards.
This vibrant visitor attraction is a must for motor racing fans and everyone looking for a great day out!
Opening Times
April-October open 10am-4:30pm (Sundays 11am-3pm, closed Wednesdays)
March & November open 11am-3pm (closed Wednesdays)
Adults £8.50, Concessions £8, Children £3.50, Under 5s free, Family (2+3) £20
44 Newtown Street, Duns, TD11 3AU
01361 883960
jcmm@liveborders.org.uk
Facebook /JimClarkMotorsportMuseum
Instragram /jimclarkmotorsportmuseum
In 1965 after his unique achievement of winning the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 in the same season the Esso Petroleum Company, the fuel sponsors of Lotus presented Jim Clark with this unique award of a Gold Helmet to mark his successes.
This is the first time that the helmet has ever gone on public display.
In 1965 Jim Clark achieved one of his many firsts in motor racing, when he became the first and still the only driver to win both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 in the same season. Esso Petroleum Company, the fuel sponsors of Team Lotus, presented Jim Clark with this unique award of a Gold Helmet to mark his achievement. It has now gone on display in the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum for the first time.
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