S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis
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| Sammy Davis | |
| Nationality |  British |
|---|---|
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
| Participating years | 1925 – 1928, 1930, 1933 |
| Teams | Sunbeam Bentley Motors Ltd. Alvis Aston Martin Ltd. |
| Best finish | 1st (1927) |
| Class wins | 2 (1925, 1927) |
Sydney Charles Houghton "Sammy" Davis (1887, London - c. 1980) was a British motor racing journalist and driver.
While best known as Sports Editor of The Autocar, writing under the pen-name Casque (French for helmet), Sammy Davis also himself competed many forms of motor racing in the 1920s. Davis was a member of the famous Bentley Boys of the late 1920s. Aside from many awards earned in the popular trials competitions of the day, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1927. He was one of the founders of the Vintage Car Club of Great Britain in 1930, and the first Vice-President of the Aston Martin Owners Club in 1935 and designed the Aston Martin "wings" badge.
After the war, he did much to promote the revival of motorsport in Britain, both as Vice President of the Vintage Sports Car Club and as President of the new 500 Club (later the Half Litre Car Club).
Sammy lived his later years in Guildford, never losing his boyish enthusiasm for life. He was a great storyteller and made a modest living writing articles and painting oils. He was an excellent driver and even as his years advanced he trained police drivers at Hendon. He owned a white Bug-eyed Sprite, and a 1904 Leon Bolle, called "Beelzebub" that he took on the annual London to Brighton run. He died in a fire in his home, likely caused by his ever-present smouldering pipe.
[edit] Books (incomplete list)
- Davis, S.C.H. (1949). Racing Motorist. His Adventures at Wheel in War & Peace. London: Iliffe and Sons Ltd.
- Davis, S.C.H. (1951). Rallies and Trials. London: Iliffe and Sons Ltd.
- Davis, S.C.H. (1952). Car Driving as an Art: A Guide for Learners and Advanced Drivers. London: Iliffe and Sons Ltd.
- Davis, S.C.H. (1953). The John Cobb Story. London: G. T. Foulis & Co. Ltd.
[edit] References
- Boddy, W. 1999. The Trials of Sammy Davis. Motor Sport. LXXV/8 (August 1999), 50-55
- S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis. The 500 Owners Association. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
[edit] External links
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Bloch André Rossignol |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1927 with: Dr. Dudley Benjafield |
Succeeded by Woolf Barnato Bernard Rubin |
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