News
Gordon Spice 1940-2021
Wednesday, 29 September 2021 at 21:00:00 UTC
By
Alisdair Suttie
Gordon Spice, one of the most successful drivers in touring car racing in the 1970s and ’80s, died at the age of 81 on 10 September.
Best remembered for his association with Ford Capris, Spice won six consecutive British Saloon Car Championship titles between 1975 and 1980. This included 26 outright race wins, though one was subsequently removed after what Spice called ‘post-race hassles.’
Gordon Spice started his racing career in an MG TF1500 before saving £5000 from selling the Encyclopaedia Britannica door-to-door. He used the money to buy a Lawrencetune Morgan +4 that he raced in 1963.
He set up his own car accessory supply business and racing team, proving adept in the boardroom and on the track. As his driving career was beginning to falter, a call to drive a Ford Capri revived his motorsport fortunes as a driver and Spice Engineering team went on to win the 1985 Group C2 World Endurance Championship with Ray Bellm driving alongside Spice. The pair repeated this success in 1986.
Spice retired from racing at the age of 49 to concentrate on his various business interests. He is survived by his wife Mandy and son Patrick.