July 23, 1935
John Cordts
(Photo; www.wheels.ca)
Born in Hamburg, Germany.
John emigrated from Germany to Sweden at the age of two with his family, and then to Canada and settled in North Bay, Ont.
Cordts participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1969 Canadian Grand Prix on September 20, 1969. He qualified 19th, but retired his Brabham after 10 laps with an oil leak, while lying 16th.
In addition to his Formula One appearance, Cordts had been successful in Canadian and U.S. sports car racing, particularly with various McLarens run by Dave Billes's Performance Engineering. He competed in many events, ranging from Harewood Acres, where he still holds the track record when it closed in 1970, Mosport, Mont-Tremblant, and Westwood in Canada to various tracks in the US and even Japan. He later became a regular participant in the CanAm series, in which he raced until 1974, mainly in McLarens and Lolas. His best Can-Am finish was second at Road America in 1974. He was also known for his participation in the SCCA Trans-Am Series, where he had, at one point, piloted a BF Goodrich-sponsored Pontiac Firebird, known as the "Tirebird" and also several FIA events with the Greenwood Corvette team.
Cordt has since retired to a private life in Western Canada where he is well known for his beautiful wood carvings and recently wrote his autobiography entitled "Blood, Sweat and Turnips".
2 comments:
Saw him race at Harewood where won, ahead of Roger McCaig's McLaren M6A. A great and underappreciated dtiver.
I was the young man taking pictures at Watkins Glen the first time you raced the #92 Firebird. I even was put in the car by the pit crew to hold your place in line for practice. You were my Dad, Bill Alexis the tire engineer's, favorite driver. What fun to see you leading the field of national AP Corvettes from the start on the snowy track. Happy Birthday and many happy remembrances. Randy Alexis
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