{{Short description|British racing driver (1907–89)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox racing driver | name = Fred Ashmore | image = | caption = | birth_name = Frederick Ashmore | birth_date = {{Birth date|1907|09|06|df=y}} | birth_place = North Hykeham, Lincolnshire | death_date = {{Death date and age|1989|11|22|1907|09|06|df=y}} | death_place = Lichfield, Staffordshire<ref>{{cite web |title=Fred Ashmore (GB) |url=https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/fred-ashmore |website=Driver Database |access-date=13 May 2026}}</ref> }}
'''Fred Ashmore''' (6 September 1907 – 22 November 1989) was a British racing driver.
==Career==
Born in Lincolnshire, the Ashmore family moved to Smethwick when Fred was a teenager, as his father was working in the horse trade. Fred, along with his brother Joe, started to race in an MG in 1935,<ref>{{cite journal |title=Life in the fast lane |journal=Lichfield Mercury |date=11 July 1986 |page=16}}</ref> and in 1936 Fred and Joe entered into partnership with Reg Parnell to found Highfield Garages in Derbyshire. Ashmore also ran a garage (Ashmore Auto Engineers) in West Bromwich, although he was now living on a farm near Lichfield.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Competed in Spain and Italy |journal=Lichfield Mercury |date=19 November 1948 |page=2}}</ref>
Ashmore took part in many of the big races from 1947 to 1949, originally in various model E.R.A.s which Parnell and the Ashmores had accumulated during the Second World War, but from 1948 Ashmore mostly raced in Maserati 4CLTs. These were entered by Parnell, but sometimes the entry list carried under the name Scuderia Ambrosiana - Parnell and the Scuderia had mutual arrangements for ease of shipping cars, and prize money, across heavily-regulated borders.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gauld |first1=Graham |title=Reg Parnell |date=1996 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Limited |location=Sparkford, Somerset |pages=47–51}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fred Ashmore |url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/fred-ashmore/engagementhc.aspx |website=Stats F1 |access-date=13 May 2026}}</ref> He was a reserve entrant for the 1948 British Grand Prix,<ref>{{cite journal |title=15 British |journal=Birmingham Daily Gazette - |date=9 September 1948 |page=2}}</ref> but finished 6th in a 4CLT at the 1948 Penya Rhin Grand Prix.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Competed in Spain and Italy |journal=Lichfield Mercury |date=19 November 1948 |page=2}}</ref> This elevated his status to the extent that he raced in three national Grands Prix in 1949 (the Swiss, British, and Belgian Grands Prix), finishing 6th at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, in a CLT previously used by Alberto Ascari.<ref>{{cite web |title=Belgian Grand Prix |url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/f1/results/1949/belgium/#note6 |website=Old Racing Cars |access-date=17 May 2026}}</ref>
He did not take part in any Formula 1 World Championship events, his last Formula 1 appearance was at the 1951 Richmond Trophy, in Parnell's ancient ex-B. Bira B-type E.R.A., engine gremlins preventing him from starting.<ref>{{cite web |title=1951 Richmond Trophy |url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/f1/results/1951/richmond-trophy/ |website=Old Racing Cars |access-date=17 May 2026}}</ref> He retired to his Lichfield home afterwards to breed ponies horses and in 1971 sold off some land from his farm for the building of a motorcycle track.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Motor cycle club applies |journal=Walsall Observer |date=15 January 1971 |page=28}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Gerry Ashmore, who drove in Grands Prix in the 1960s, was Fred's nephew;<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gauld |first1=Graham |title=Reg Parnell |date=1996 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Limited |location=Sparkford, Somerset |pages=21–22}}</ref> another of Joe's sons, Chris, also raced in lower formulae.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The vicar hunts for treasure |journal=Sunday Mercury |date=10 July 1960 |page=11}}</ref> Fred was married for over 50 years and his children became champion show jumpers.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Life in the fast lane |journal=Lichfield Mercury |date=11 July 1986 |page=16}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashmore, Fred}} Category:1907 births Category:1989 deaths Category:English Formula One drivers Category:English racing drivers Category:Grand Prix drivers Category:Sportspeople from Lichfield Category:20th-century English sportsmen Category:Scuderia Ambrosiana Formula One drivers