Walthamstow, 1974

Barry John Lee (born 17 August 1944 in Wisbech), nicknamed "Leapy" or "No 351", is a British racing driver who has been successful in many areas of motor sport.[1] He started as a jockey, and then a speedway rider[2] for Hackney and then moved into autocross, rallying and rallycross. His greatest successes were in short oval hot rod racing[3][4] where he won four world titles.[5] After retiring from short oval racing Barry moved into raid rallying, making three attempts (1987-1989) at the Paris-Dakar Rally with Ted Toleman. In 1994 he won the inaugural Eurocar V6 Saloon Car Championship. He successfully defended the title in 1995 before moving into the new V8 Championship in 1996. Barry has also competed in the British Saloon Car Championship and the British Truck Racing Championship.

In short oval racing Lee notched up over 1400 wins, a number that Motorsport magazine described as "never likely to be bettered".[6]

Major Titles Won

Autocross

1966 Players Autocross Champion

Rallycross

1978 BTRDA Rallycross Champion

Hot Rod Racing

World Champion 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978
European Champion 1974, 1975
National Champion 1972, 1975
Grand Prix / NHRPA Series Winner 1978, 1980
Spedeworth National Points Champion 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1983
British Champion 1971, 1972, 1977, 1981
English Champion 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980

Eurocar V6 Saloon Championship

1994 Champion
1995 Champion

Author

Barry has written two books on hot rod racing (see below) and was also a columnist for various motor racing magazines over the years, including Oval News, Auto Enthusiast and Rods & Stocks International. He has also commentated on hot rod racing for Sky Sports.

The Barry Lee Book of Hot Rod Racing (1972)
The Barry Lee Guide to Hot Rod Racing (1979)

In 2013 Lee released his autobiography, The Other Side of Winning.[7]

Racing record

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Pts Class
1984 Barry Lee Racing Ford Escort RS1600i C DON
Ret		 SIL
Ret		 OUL
Ret		 THR
DNS		 THR
18		 SIL
DNS		 SNE BRH
16		 BRH DON SIL 26th 3 7th
1985 Barry Lee Ford Escort RS1600i C SIL OUL THR DON THR SIL DON SIL
19		 SNE
Ret		 BRH BRH SIL 30th 2 11th
Source:[8]

References

  1. ↑ Living with Spede - The first 10 Years of Spedeworth International (Spedeworth Publishing, 1972)
  2. ↑ The Barry Lee Book of Hot Rod Racing (Speedsport Motobooks, Brentford, Middlesex (1972))
  3. ↑ Backtrack - the Golden years of Oval racing - ISBN 0-7524-4080-2
  4. ↑ Hot Rod Racing the Golden years - ISBN 0-7524-3609-0
  5. ↑ The Bary Lee Guide to Hot Rod Racing (1979)
  6. ↑ "Cult heroes -- Barry Lee | Motor Sport Magazine Archive". Motor Sport Magazine. 12 June 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  7. ↑ Jones, Gill Leeds Martyn Morgan (2013). Leeds, Andy (ed.). Barry Lee - The Other Side of Winning... (1st ed.). Gill Leeds.
  8. ↑ de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
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