Tom Cole (racing driver)

Cole was born in Llandaff, South Glamorgan, Wales, U.K. on 11 June 1922. He contracted polio in childhood, experiencing minor disabilities for the rest of his life as a result. In 1939, his family emigrated to America, arriving in New York City on 28 August. He attended Harvard University for a year before serving in the U.S. Merchant Marine and then as an ambulance driver for the American Field Service during the war. Born a British citizen, Cole had applied for U.S. citizenship and that process was still underway at the time of his death.

After returning from the war, Cole began volunteering for Bill Frick and Phil Walters’ famed Frick-Tappett circle-track racing team. In 1947, he participated in the Bugatti Owner's Club (B.O.C.) Opening Rally in Bisley, Surrey, driving a Buick. He then began tuning a 3+1⁄2 litre Jaguar SS100 for hillclimbs and sportscar races. In September 1948, he recorded the fastest time in his class at the Prescott Speed Hill Climb, repeating this feat in July of the same year.

In 1949, Cole raced his Jaguar and an HRG 1500 in the United States, achieving second place at the Bridgehampton Sports Car Races with the Jaguar. He then drove his HRG 1500 to fifth in the 1500cc heat at the same event, and won his class in both the Seneca Cup and the feature race at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix. Cole’s ability led him to approach Bill Frick about adapting a car to accommodate a 331 cu in (5.4 L) Cadillac engine, resulting in the creation of the Cadillac-Allard J2, or Cad-Allard.

In 1950, Cole won the heat race for the Heart Trophy at Suffolk County Airport, and secured his first major race victory at Bridgehampton Sports Car Races, leading flag-to-flag. That same month, he raced a Cad-Allard at Le Mans with Sydney Allard, finishing third overall as the car was permitted to race as a prototype given that few units had been sold at the time. In 1951, Cole raced a Chrysler Hemi powered Allard at the Buenos Aires Grand Prix, but suffered transmission problems. He won at Bridgehampton Sports Car Races again, sweeping both the S+3.0 support race and the 100 mile feature. He returned to Le Mans with Allard, retiring with clutch problems.

In 1952, Cole launched a European racing campaign, starting with a Ferrari 225 S. He finished fifth in the S+2.0 race at the Daily Mail International Festival at Boreham Circuit, despite fading brakes, and second in the Goodwood Nine Hours, despite fading brakes. He also achieved second place at the Bari Grand Prix. In 1953, Cole purchased a 340 MM Vignale and finished fourth at the Mille Miglia with Mario Vandelli. He also achieved a second-place finish in the sportscar race supporting the BRDC International Trophy.

During the 1951 Buenos Aires Grand Prix, Cole was involved in an incident where he crashed in a light plane in the Brazilian jungle after practice, surviving with the pilot by eating snakes before being found by natives two weeks later.

On 13 June 1953, Cole started his fourth Le Mans in his 340 MM, co-driven by Luigi Chinetti. At 6:14 a.m., he lost control at Maison Blanche, crashing into a bank and a wooden hut, and was killed instantly. He had previously expressed a wish to be buried near the venue, and was interred at the Le Mans West Cemetery.

During 1953, Cole also participated in single-seater racing with the Atlantic Stable team, competing in Formula Two events. He debuted in the Syracuse Grand Prix, but crashed and suffered a fire. He entered the Ulster Trophy and Coronation Trophy as a reserve, and achieved his only single-seater finish at the Grand Prix d'Albi, coming home 7th despite a broken gear-change forcing him to coast into most corners in neutral.

Since 2016, the VSCC has hosted an annual race for 1950s sportscars known as the Tom Cole Trophy.