21 GORDON SPICE

THIRD OVERALL IN 1980, MULTIPLE CLASS CHAMPION

The sight of a sideways Ford Capri immediately evokes memories of Gordon Spice. The Egham driver, who had the record – up until 2016 when he was overtaken by Mat Jackson – as the driver with the most British Saloon Car Championship wins without an overall title, was a series stalwart and one of its most popular characters. His flamboyant style, allied to his straight-talking nature, made him a hit with rivals and fans.

Spice, who began racing in the BSCC in the 1960s in a Mini, was one of the most prolific tin-top drivers between 1978 and ’80, but the vagaries of the class-based points-scoring system often worked against him and that is what kept him from the ultimate prize. He was the class champion for five seasons in a row, and also won the Spa 24 Hours in 1978 in a Capri.

Spice, who had previously raced single-seaters in F5000, could see the writing on the wall at the end of 1982 and went to Ford saying that the new Rover Vitesse was superior to his Capri, and he would prefer to concentrate on long-distance racing.

Spice initially persuaded Ford to get behind him, but it ultimately pulled the plug before he could get going. He had raced at Le Mans for Rondeau, and took podiums in 1980 and ’81.

In the mid-1980s, he created his own cars and was hugely successful. He was a four-time C2 world champion, and won his class at Le Mans twice.