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Tommy Wisdom

1907 – 1972

British racing driver

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About Tommy Wisdom

Lived 1907 – 1972 (aged 64–65). Tommy Wisdom was a British journalist, racing driver and racing automobile driver.

1939 Bentley 4.25 Litre Embiricos Pourtout Coupé that Wisdom shared with its owner H.S.F. Hay in the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans. Model of the factory-entered Nash-Healey that Wisdom shared with Leslie Johnson in the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. 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.

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.

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

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Important facts

Born
1907, Brighton
Birth century
Also known as
Thomas Henry Wisdom, Thomas Wisdom, T. H. Wisdom

People in Tommy Wisdom's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tommy Wisdom's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Tommy Wisdom?

British racing driver (1907–1972)

When was Tommy Wisdom born?

Tommy Wisdom was born in 1907 in Brighton.

When did Tommy Wisdom die?

Tommy Wisdom died on 12 November 1972 in Birmingham.

What was Tommy Wisdom's occupation?

Tommy Wisdom was a journalist, racing driver and racing automobile driver.

What nationality was Tommy Wisdom?

Tommy Wisdom was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tommy Wisdom

· Wikidata: Q2441116

· DBpedia: Tommy Wisdom

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tommy Wisdom. https://biography.guide/tommy-wisdom/

MLA: "Tommy Wisdom." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tommy-wisdom/.

Chicago: "Tommy Wisdom." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tommy-wisdom/.

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