Spencer Martin

Spencer Martin is an Australian championship winning racing driver. Martin's short career was highlighted by a pair of Australian Drivers' Championship victories in 1966 and 1967 racing for Bob Jane Racing.

Racing career

After spectating at Mount Druitt in the late 1950s Martin entered his first motor race in 1960 in a self built car at Gnoo Blas circuit. A mechanic by trade, Martin moved through the ranks through his contacts in the trade, racing a PRAD sports car and a very successful Holden touring car.^[1]

Martin's big break came when he defeated Norm Beechey in touring car race. Beechey's entrant, David McKay offered Martin a drive with McKay's Scuderia Veloce team at the 1963 Armstrong 500 co-driving with Australian international touring car driver Brian Muir.^[2]

Martin became a part of Scuderia Veloce as a mechanic and driver, acting as lead mechanic when the team brought in international drivers for the Tasman Series. He raced the teams Brabham BT11 as well as a Ferrari 250LM sports car, taking a pair of third places in the Australian Tourist Trophy in the Ferrari.

Martin left the team in mid 1966 after a top ten championship finish for SV in the 1966 Tasman Series and found employment with Bob Jane's team. Martin drove Jane's Brabham BT11 to victory in the 1966 and 1967 Australian Drivers' Championship.^[2]

Martin retired at his peak after the 1967 season to begin a family, although he returned sporadically for Touring Car endurance races like the inaugural 1969 Holden Dealer Team.

In 1979 Martin returned to Scuderia Veloce, racing a Volvo touring car at the Bathurst 1000. This in turn led to historic sports car racing overseas, becoming a fixture in the 1980s and 1990s in Europe and North America.

Martin made a return to Bathurst in 1993, co-driving with his son Matthew Martin in a Bob Holden run Toyota Corolla. Martin continues to race historics.

Results

References