# Pat Fairfield

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{{Short description|British racing driver (1907–1937)}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name              = Pat Fairfield
| image             =
| caption           =
| birth_name        = Patrick Greenway Fairfield
| birth_date        = {{Birth date|1907|11|26|df=y}}
| birth_place       = [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool), [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire), England
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|1937|06|21|1907|11|26|df=y}}
| death_place       = [Le Mans](/source/Le_Mans), [Sarthe](/source/Sarthe), France
| module1 =
  {{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
  | Total_Champ_Races = 1
  | Years_In_Champ    = 1
  | Best_Champ_Pos    = 13th ([1936](/source/1936_AAA_Championship_Car_season))
  | First_Champ_Race  = [1936](/source/1936_AAA_Championship_Car_season) [Vanderbilt Cup](/source/1936_Vanderbilt_Cup) ([Westbury](/source/Roosevelt_Raceway))
  | Champ_Wins        = 0
  | Champ_Podiums     = 0
  | Champ_Poles       = 0
| module2 =
  {{Infobox Le Mans driver|embed=yes
  | years       = {{24hLM|1937}}
  | teams       = ''[Murray](/source/David_Murray_(racing_driver))''
  | best_finish = DNF <small>({{24hLM|1937}})</small>
  | class_wins  = 0
}}
| module3 =
  {{Infobox cricketer|embed=yes
  | batting            = Left-handed
  | bowling            = Left-arm [fast](/source/Fast_bowling)
  | role               = 
  | club1              = [Cambridge University](/source/Cambridge_University_Cricket_Club)
  | year1              = 1929
  | columns            = 1
  | column1            = [First-class](/source/First-class_cricket)
  | matches1           = 2
  | runs1              = 21
  | bat avg1           = 10.50
  | 100s/50s1          = –/–
  | top score1         = 12
  | deliveries1        = 387
  | wickets1           = 6
  | bowl avg1          = 38.83
  | fivefor1           = –
  | tenfor1            = –
  | best bowling1      = 4/86
  | catches/stumpings1 = 2/–
  | source             = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/22824.html
}}}}}}

'''Patrick Greenway Fairfield''' (26 November 1907 – 21 June 1937) was a British [racing driver](/source/racing_driver) and [cricketer](/source/cricketer).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Motorsport Memorial - |url=http://motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=126 |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=motorsportmemorial.org}}</ref>

== Early life and cricket ==

Fairfield was born at [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool) in November 1907. When his parents divorced, and his mother remarried, he moved to South Africa at the age of 15, where his family owned a citrus farm at [White River](/source/White_River%2C_Mpumalanga).<ref name="RAC">{{cite web|url=https://www.historicracing.com/driverDetail.cfm?driverID=8041|title=Pat Fairfield|publisher=www.historicracing.com|access-date=2021-04-29}}</ref> During his period in South Africa he was often known as Patrick Greenway Webster (using the surname of his stepfather).

After completing his education at [St. Andrew's College](/source/St._Andrew's_College%2C_Grahamstown),<ref>{{cite book|first=Marguerite|last=Poland|title=Iron Love|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wCZbAAAAMAAJ|page=279|date=2000|publisher=[Penguin Books Limited](/source/Penguin_Books)|isbn=978-0-14-302699-0|author-link=Marguerite Poland}}</ref> Fairfield's family believed he needed to gain a suitable degree to manage the farm, and so he applied to the [University of Cambridge](/source/University_of_Cambridge); average exam results at the time meant his application was unsuccessful. He left for England, where he attended a [cram school](/source/cram_school) in [Eastbourne](/source/Eastbourne) to prepare him for the Cambridge entry exams and was successful in entering Cambridge on the second attempt.<ref name="EXP">{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1996/60/ex-pat-import|title=Ex-Pat Import|first=Andrew|last=Embleton|date=7 July 2014 |publisher=www.motorsportmagazine.com |access-date=2021-04-29}}</ref>

While studying at Cambridge, Fairfield made two appearances in [first-class cricket](/source/first-class_cricket) for [Cambridge University](/source/Cambridge_University_Cricket_Club) in 1929 at [Fenner's](/source/Fenner's), playing against [Nottinghamshire](/source/Nottinghamshire_County_Cricket_Club) and the touring [South Africans](/source/South_Africa_national_cricket_team).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/33/33710/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Patrick Webster|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2021-04-29|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Fairfield scored 21 runs in his two matches and took 6 wickets, with best figures of 4 for 86.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/33/33710/f_Batting_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Patrick Webster|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2021-04-29|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/33/33710/f_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Bowling and Fielding For Each Team by Patrick Webster|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2021-04-29|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== Racing career ==

Fairfield met his future wife Jean Beckett at Cambridge and the completion of his studies, the couple returned to South Africa where they settled at White River and began farming.<ref name="EXP"/> He changed his surname to Fairfield at some point after his return to South Africa.<ref name="EXP"/> Developing an interest in motor racing, with the help of his mother he financed a move back to England in 1933 to pursue a career as a racing driver.

In England, Fairfield joined with Cyril Paul, another young and inexperienced racing driver, with the two working under [Freddie Dixon](/source/Freddie_Dixon) in his [Middlesbrough](/source/Middlesbrough) and [Brooklands](/source/Brooklands). During Fairfield's first year he drove a [Riley](/source/Riley_Motor) Special, finishing 13th in the [Ards TT](/source/Ards_Circuit) of 1934.<ref name="EXP"/> In 1935 he purchased an 1100cc white [ERA](/source/English_Racing_Automobiles) from [Raymond Mays](/source/Raymond_Mays), the first such sale to a private buyer.<ref name="RAC"/> This bought him some success when he won the 1935 [Mannin Beg](/source/Douglas_Circuit), despite the failure of the car to start at the beginning of the race. He also won the Nuffield Trophy at [Donington Park](/source/Donington_Park) and the voiturette race at the Circuit Dieppe-St Aubin.<ref name="RAC"/>

In 1936, Fairfield traveled to the U.S. to compete in the [American Automobile Association](/source/AAA_Contest_Board)-sanctioned [Vanderbilt Cup](/source/1936_Vanderbilt_Cup). He finished fifth driving an ERA.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pat Fairchild |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/FairchildPat.htm |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref> He failed to win a race in 1936, but did finish third at the [South African Grand Prix](/source/South_African_Grand_Prix) during his winter return to South Africa. He went one better in January 1937 and won the South African Grand Prix, then being staged at the [Prince George Circuit](/source/Prince_George_Circuit).<ref name="EXP"/> Having impressed Raymond Mays, he was invited to join the ERA works team for 1937. Fairfield won that years Coronation Trophy at [Crystal Palace circuit](/source/Crystal_Palace_circuit).

After his victory at Crystal Palace, Fairfield traveled to France to take part in the [24 Hours of Le Mans](/source/1937_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans), where he drove a [Frazer Nash](/source/Frazer_Nash)–[BMW 328](/source/BMW_328) with [David Murray](/source/David_Murray_(racing_driver)). Eight laps into the race the aging [Bugatti T44](/source/Bugatti) of René Kippeurth crashed and overturned on the fast corner leading to the pit straight, with Fairfield unable to avoid hitting the stricken Bugatti before being shunted himself from behind by the [Delage](/source/Delage) of the Frenchman [Jean Trémoulet](/source/Jean_Tr%C3%A9moulet). Kippeurth was killed instantly in the accident, with Fairfield seriously injured and taken to hospital in [Le Mans](/source/Le_Mans), where he succumbed to his injuries two days later while being operated on.<ref name="RAC"/><ref name="EXP"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://rlm.0157.org/1936.html|title=1936|publisher=Radio Le Mans|access-date=2021-04-29|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617195520/http://rlm.0157.org/1936.html|archive-date=2009-06-17}}</ref>

== Memory ==

The Pat Fairfield Trophy was run in Fairfield's honour in South Africa during 1966 and 1967.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chicanef1.com/indiv.pl?name=Pat%20Fairfield%20Trophy&type=O|title=Pat Fairfield Trophy|publisher=www.chicanef1.com|access-date=2021-04-29}}</ref>

== Motorsports career results ==

=== 24 Hours of Le Mans results ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Co-Drivers
! Car
! Class
! Laps
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}}
! {{Tooltip|Class<br>Pos.|Class Position}}
|-
! [1937](/source/1937_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans)
|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} David Murray
|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} [David Murray](/source/David_Murray_(racing_driver))
|align="left"| [BMW 328](/source/BMW_328)
| 2.0
| 8
| DNF
| DNF
|-
!colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/Pat-Fairfield-ZA.html|title=All Results of Pat Fairfield|work=RacingSportsCars|accessdate=2021-04-29}}</ref>}}}}
|}

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{cricinfo|id=22824}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairfield, Pat}}
Category:1907 births
Category:1937 deaths
Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
Category:AAA Championship Car drivers
Category:Alumni of St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Category:Cambridge University cricketers
Category:Cricketers from Liverpool
Category:English cricketers
Category:English emigrants to South Africa
Category:20th-century British farmers
Category:Grand Prix drivers
Category:Racing drivers who died while racing
Category:Sport deaths in France
Category:Sportspeople from Liverpool
Category:English racing drivers
Category:20th-century English sportsmen

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pat Fairfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Fairfield) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Fairfield?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.