Dudley Benjafield Explained

Dudley Benjafield
Nationality: British
Birth Date:6 August 1887
Birth Place:Edmonton, London
Death Place:London
Years: –,
Team(S):Bentley Motors Ltd.
Private
Best Finish:1st
Class Wins:1

Joseph Dudley "Benjy" Benjafield, MD (6 August 1887 – 20 January 1957) was a British medical doctor and racing driver.

Career

Benjafield was born in Edmonton, London, UK. He attended the University of London and received his MD from University College Hospital in 1912. Specializing in bacteriology, he served in Egypt during World War I and later used his expertise combating the great flu epidemic of 1918–1919.

Benjafield had a passion for motorsports which started with boating, but moved on to automobiles in the 1920s, following the accidental destruction of his beloved motor launch. Upon purchasing a Bentley 3-litre, he started racing in 1924 and 1925. Benjafield's success led to him being offered to drive a company racer at the behest of Bentley founder W.O. Bentley. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times, and won the event in with co-driver and fellow "Bentley Boy" S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis; while their car was badly damaged, they frantically made on-the-spot repairs and wound up winning the race.

Benjafield later created the British Racing Drivers' Club, and continued racing until 1936. He died on 20 January 1957.

Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLaps
Bentley Motors Ltd Bertie Kensington-MoirBentley 3 Litre Sport5.019DNF
(Out of fuel)
Bentley Motors Ltd Sammy DavisBentley 3 Litre Speed3.0137DNF
(Accident)
Bentley Motors Ltd Sammy DavisBentley 3 Litre Speed3.01371st1st
Bentley Motors Ltd Frank ClementBentley 4½ Litre5.071DNF
(Radiator)
Bentley Motors Ltd Baron André d'ErlangerBentley 4½ Litre5.01593rd2nd
Hon. Dorothy Paget Giulio RamponiBentley 4½ Litre 'Blower'>3.0144DNF
(Engine)
Arthur W. Fox & Charles Nichol Sir Roland GunterLagonda M45R Rapide5.019613th3rd

References

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