Thomas Henry Wisdom (16 February 1906 – 12 November 1972) was a British motoring correspondent for the Daily Herald. He was also a racing driver who took part in numerous races and rallies.Harnessing Horsepower: The Pat Moss Carlsson story, S. Turner, Veloce Publishing, 2011, p.29
Wisdom was born in Brighton. His wife Elsie (known as "Bill") was also a racing driver, and their daughter Ann Wisdom competed in International rallies, most notably as Pat Moss's co-driver.Fast Ladies – Female Racing Drivers 1888–1970, J-F. Bouzanquet, Veloce Publishing, 2009, p.84
Tommy Wisdom, died in Birmingham, aged 66.
Racing, rallying and record-breaking Wisdom specialised in endurance events and entered 52 sports car races in 33 years, including 12 Le Mans 24-hour races, 10 Mille Miglias and 4 Targa Florios. He was a class winner in the Mille Miglia in 1949, 1952 and 1957, and at Le Mans in 1950 and 1952. In 1950 he lent his Jaguar XK120 to Stirling Moss for the RAC Tourist Trophy, which brought Moss his first major international race victory.
Cars that Wisdom raced included Singer, Riley, MG, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Bristol, Nash-Healey, Austin-Healey, Jowett and Bentley, and among his co-drivers were Jack Fairman, Leslie Johnson, and Graham Whitehead.
An experienced rally driver, he competed in the Monte Carlo Rally 23 times.
In 1959 he was a member of the three-driver BMC team whose EX-219 streamliner, a purpose-built experimental Austin-Healey Sprite, broke 12 speed records at Bonneville Salt Flats. The car averaged for 12 hours.
Sports car racing results No.DateRaceEntrantCarTeammate(s)Result122 August 1931RAC Tourist Trophy"L.A. Cushman"Invicta S"J. Chilton"Donald HealeyDudley Froy19th220 August 1932RAC Tourist TrophyElsie WisdomRiley Brooklands 9Sammy NewsomeDNF316 September 1933500 Miles of BrooklandsAlan HessMG L TypeAlan HessDNF417 June 19341934 24 Hours of Le MansSinger MotorsSinger Nine Le MansJohn Donald Barnes18th522 September 1934500 Miles of BrooklandsCapt. G.E.T. EystonMG K3Bill Everitt4th616 June 19351935 24 Hours of Le MansSinger MotorsSinger Nine Le MansJohn Donald BarnesDNF77 September 1935RAC Tourist TrophyPeter DonkinAston Martin UlsterPeter DonkinDNS821 September 1935500 Miles of Brooklands"Evans"MG R-Type"A.L. Phipps"NC928 June 1936Grand Prix de l'ACFD.M.K. MarendazMarendaz SpecialEarl Howe25th105 September 1936RAC Tourist TrophyArthur DobsonRiley TT SpriteArthur DobsonDNS1119 September 1936500 Miles of Brooklands"Dixon"Riley 6"G. Daybell"6th124 April 1937Mille MigliaMG SAElsie WisdomDNF1324 July 193712 Hours of DoningtonTeam AutosportsSinger Nine Le MansFrank Stanley BarnesAlf LangleyDNA144 September 1937RAC Tourist TrophySinger MotorsSinger Nine Le MansnoneDNF1519 June 19381938 24 Hours of Le MansTeam AutosportsSinger Nine Le MansJohn Donald BarnesDNF163 September 1938RAC Tourist TrophyFrank Stanley BarnesSingernone26th1718 June 19391939 24 Hours of Le MansArchie Scott BrownSinger Nine Le MansArchie ScottDNF1811 July 1948Spa 24 HoursHealeyNick Haines8th1912 September 194824 Hours of ParisHealeyNorman BlackDNF2024 April 1949Mille MigliaHealey 2400 WestlandGeoffrey Healey10th (1st in class)2126 June 19491949 24 Hours of Le Mans"H.S.F. Hay"Bentley 4 1/4 Paulin"H.S.F. Hay""Mrs. Hay"6th2210 July 1949Spa 24 HoursJowettJowett JavelinAnthony Hulme9th2320 August 1949Silverstone InternationalDonald HealeyHealey Silverstonenone17th243 January 1950Palm BeachHealey Silverstone"C. Swenson"22nd252 April 1950Targa FlorioHealey SilverstoneAnthony Hulme15th2623 April 1950Mille MigliaJaguar CarsJaguar XK120Anthony HulmeDNF2718 June 1950Circuito do PortoJaguar XK1203rd2825 June 19501950 24 Hours of Le MansJowettJowett JupiterTommy Wise16th (1st in class)2926 August 1950Silverstone InternationalTom WisdomJaguar XK120none7th3016 September 1950RAC Tourist TrophyJowettJowett JupiternoneDNF3129 April 1951Mille MigliaTommy WisdomAston Martin DB2Anthony Hulme11th325 May 1951International Production Car RaceT.H. WisdomJaguar XK120none9th3317 June 19511951 Portuguese Grand PrixJaguar XK120DNF3423 June 19511951 24 Hours of Le MansJowettJowett JupiterTommy WiseDNF3515 September 1951RAC Tourist TrophyJaguar CarsJaguar C-TypeStirling MossDNS3615 September 1951RAC Tourist TrophyJowett CarsJowett JupiternoneNC374 May 1952Mille MigliaAston MartinAston Martin DB2Fred Lown12th (1st in class)382 June 19521952 Monaco Grand PrixTommy WisdomJaguar C-Typenone6th3915 June 19521952 24 Hours of Le MansHealeyNash-HealeyLeslie Johnson3rd (1st in class)4026 April 19531953 Mille MigliaAston Martin Lagonda Ltd.Aston Martin DB2Dave HalliwellPeter BoltonDNF4114 May 1953Targa FlorioJaguar CarsJaguar C-Typenone17th4214 June 19531953 24 Hours of Le MansBristol Aeroplane Co.Bristol 450Jack FairmanMaurice WilsonGraham WhiteheadDNF437 March 195412 Hours of SebringDonald Healey Ltd.Austin-Healey 100Lance MacklinGeorge HuntoonThomas JohnsonDNS442 May 19541954 Mille MigliaDonald HealeyAustin-Healey 100Mortimer Morris-GoodallDNF4513 June 19541954 24 Hours of Le MansBristol Aeroplane Co.Bristol 450Jack Fairman8th464 July 195412 Hours of ReimsBristol Aeroplane Co.Bristol 450Jack Fairman12th471 May 1955Mille MigliaAston MartinAston Martin DB2Peter BoltonDNF4812 June 19551955 24 Hours of Le MansBristol Aeroplane Co.Bristol 450Jack FairmanTommy Line9th4929 April 1956Mille MigliaAustin-Healey 100SWalter Monaco77th5012 May 1957Mille MigliaAustin-Healey 100SCecil Winby37th5124 May 1959Targa FlorioTommy WisdomAustin-Healey SpriteBernard Cahier18th5226 April 1964Targa FlorioDonald Healey Motor CompanyAustin-Healey SpritePaddy HopkirkDNF
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