Well known Australian Touring Car Championship race winner and motorsport stalwart, Jim McKeown, has passed away, at the age of 85.
McKeown was a major member of the Australian motor racing scene in the early days, being an ATCC front runner in the 1960s and Sports Sedans racer through the 1970s.
He announced himself in 1962 by winning Class D and finishing seventh at the final ever Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island in a Volkswagen.
By 1964 he was a well known figure racing for the Neptune Racing Team alongside Norm Beechey.
This is where McKeown made his ATCC debut in the one-off 1964 at Lakeside and made an instant impact, taking pole position in his Cortina.
He was the first to do it after David McKay did so in the inaugural race in 1960, while only Frank Gardner and Greg Murphy have achieved the feat since.
McKeown’s pursuit of victory may have ended on Lap 19, but he continued to return to the ATCC year after year.
When the championship expanded to multiple races in 1969, McKeown, now driving for his own team, was in the thick of the action finishing fourth after ending the campaign with a pair of podiums.
Jim McKeown takes the chequered flag at Oran Park in his Porsche RSR. Image: Auto Action Archives
In 1970 McKeown swapped his Cortina for a Porsche 911S and it paid dividends. He finished third at the opener at Calder Park before he broke through for his maiden win at Warwick Farm.
Another third place at Lakeside and victory at Symmons Plains saw him finish second in the standings, just four points behind former teammate and two time champion Beechey.
Two more podiums followed in a consistent 1971 season where he came home fourth.
After spending 1972 on board an Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV, McKeown turned his attention to Sports Car racing having reunited with Porsche.
He drove a Valiant Charger to 12th alongside Beechey in the 1965 and 1970 champion’s final Great Race and took on Bathurst for a final time in 1976.
McKeown’s final Great Race was a solid day at the office, finishing 12th in a Mazda RX-3 with Geoff Leeds, who also passed away sadly on Monday.
The McKeown family revealed the sad news on social media on Tuesday afternoon.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jim McKeown on the evening of Monday 22 May 2023, at the age of 85,” read the statement.
“Jim died peacefully in the company of his beloved partner, Toni, son Dean, and daughter, Sonya. A service will be held, with further details to follow.”
AUTO ACTION would like to pass on its heart-felt condolences to McKeown’s family and friends.
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