Tom Walkinshaw Drives Off Into the Sunset

For those unfamiliar with Tom Walkinshaw, he was one of those figures in motor sports that seems to pop up in numerous places doing a multitude of important things.  In 1969 he took the Formula Ford championship.  In 1984, the European Touring Car Championship.  But Formula 1 fans know him best as the engineering director for Benetton during their heyday. 

Tom helped to set the stage for Michael Schumacher's first wins in F1 in 1994.  It was one of those magical times in F1 where you have just the right chemistry between the engineers, mechanics and drivers that can make a team great, and Tom was a big part of that.

He passed away this weekend after a long fight with lung cancer.  Do yourself a favor and read a bit about the great career of this seasoned veteran.  Somewhere, Steve Matchett wipes a tear from his eye.