Gordon Spice

Gordon Spice (born 18 April 1940), is a British former racing driver who competed in both sports cars and Touring Car racing in the 1960s and 1970s, before starting Spice Engineering with fellow racing driver Ray Bellm in the 1980s.[1]

Gordon Spice
NationalityBritish
Born (1940-04-18) 18 April 1940
London
Retiredca. 1989
World Endurance Championship
Years active1980–1989
TeamsSpice Engineering, Rondeau
Starts50
Wins0
Best finish1st in C2 class in 1988
10th in overall standings in 1987
Previous series
1960s–1980British Touring Car Championship

Racing career

Spice was most notable for his involvement with the Ford Capri, both as a driver and as part of Spice Engineering. Starting off his British Saloon Car Championship career racing Minis in the late 1960s for Downton Engineering[2] Spice went on to paid drives in Minis for Jim Whitehouse’s Equipe Arden team in 1968 (winners of the British Saloon Car Championship title with a Mini the year later with Alec Poole)and raced John Cooper’s team Minis with Steve Neal in 1969 but despite Spice’s pace and occasional race win were outclassed by the 1300 Broadspeed Ford Escorts. Gordon eventually progressed to the works Ford team, CC Developments, co-run by Dave Cook, running the Capri 3.0S.[1] He won his class on five occasions between 1976 and 1980, but never won the championship outright. In all, he took 24 overall race victories.[3] In 1980, he took on Andy Rouse as team mate, and the two dominated their class, only losing out on the title to Win Percy.

In the 1980s, Spice competed in the World Endurance Championship with his own cars or those of Jean Rondeau.[4] He won the C2 class in the World Championship in 1988.[5]

Spice, as well as running a car accessory shop in Egham, in the early days of car accessory retailing, also founded, or maybe co-founded Gordon Spice Cash And Carry. They supplied motor accessories to trade customers and, at the peak of the business, they had cash and carry depots in Staines, Watford, Canning Town and Leicester.[6] Subsequent flotation as a PLC, and an over ambitious investment in a state of the art central distribution centre, plus changing market conditions, led to the demise of the company.[7]

Complete Formula One non-championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1970 Gordon Spice Kitchiner K3A Chevrolet 5.0 V8 ROC INT
14		 OUL
1971 Gordon Spice McLaren M10B Chevrolet 5.0 V8 ARG
NC		 ROC QUE SPR INT
16		 RIN OUL
15		 VIC
13
1972 Gordon Spice Kitchmac M10B Chevrolet 5.0 V8 ROC BRA INT
Ret		 OUL REP VIC

References
  1. "Gordon Spice Racing Ford Capri driven at Goodwood - Autocar". Autocar.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  2. "Downton Engineering Works". Mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  3. "CC Racing Developments Group 1 Ford Capri Mk III's - Page 6 - TenTenths Motorsport Forum". Tentenths.com. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  4. "Gordon Spice". Motor Sport magazine database. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  5. "Gordon Spice". Driver Database. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  6. "Variety: the life of Spice - Motor Sport Magazine Archive". Motor Sport Magazine. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  7. "the Spice trade - Motor Sport Magazine Archive". Motor Sport Magazine. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2019.

Further reading
  • Jeremy Walton, Life of Spice: The Autobiography of Gordon Spice ISBN 1-84425-568-9
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