Frank Bacon

Frank Herbert Bacon was born in Enfield, sometime around 1910 and became a building surveyor by trade. He competed in sports cars prior to the war and then became one of the 500 Club pioneers with his first 1947 FHB special. The car was front engined, Rudge powered  and wasn't, therefore, especially successful. He attended the "White Hart" meeting in May and ran at Shelsley in June, Brough, then failed to finish (along with almost everyone else) at Gransden Lodge in July. At Great Auclum, Frank was third, some way off the time of Brandon's Cooper but was rather closer at Prescott in August but could only manage ninth at Shelsley in September against the most competitive field of the year.

Frank comprehensively rebuilt his car over the winter of 1947/48 to a mid-engined layout though things didn't start that well, the gearbox disintegrated at Luton Hoo in March and a DNF at Goodwood in September. Returning to Goodwood at Easter 1949, he finally managed a trouble free run to fifth. Again at Goodwood at Easter 1950, he took seventh now against a highly competitive field dominated by Coopers. The Grand Prix meeting in July 1951 brought more disappointment, nearly all specials being thoroughly outclassed by production cars by this time. At some point he finally accepted reality and switched to a Cooper Mk V acquired from Bill Aston with which he finished sixteenth in the Grand Prix race at Silverstone in July 1953.Frank became a 500 Club committee member in 1949 and remained so right through to BRSCC times.

Frank prepares for his turn at Shelsley, 12th June 1948. Tiger Kitten is parked behind Photo courtesy of Michael Aikey.

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Frank featured in the famous cartoon, dreaming of racing at Aintree.

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