- Roger Clark
WRC driver
Name = Roger Clark
Caption =
Nationality = flagicon|UK British
Years = 1973–81, '84, '95
Teams = Ford, privateer
Races = 21
Championships = 0
Wins = 1
Podiums = 5
Stagewins = 51
Points = 1
First race = 1973East African Safari Rally
First win = 1976Lombard RAC Rally
Last race = 1995Network Q RAC Rally Roger Albert Clark, MBE, (
August 5 ,1939 –January 12 ,1998 ) was a Britishrally driver during the 1960s and '70s, and the first competitor from his country to win aWorld Rally Championship (WRC) event when he triumphed at the 1976RAC Rally .Biography
He made his debut at club level in 1956, and went on to win the first of four
British Rally Championship titles in a Ford Cortina GT in 1965, and in a Ford Escort RS (1972, '73 & '75), all with co-driver Jim Porter.His most notable successes came in the RAC Rally, his country's biggest rally race. He won twice, in 1972 with Tony Mason and then again in 1976 with
Stuart Pegg when it was part of the WRC, a feat that would not be emulated for over fifteen years. He also won theAcropolis Rally in 1968, the Circuit of Ireland in 1970, and theScottish Rally on six occasions, among a total of 40 national and international victories.In 1975 he was one of two recipients of the
Segrave Trophy , bestowed upon "the Briton who accomplishes the most outstanding demonstration of the possibilities of transport by land, sea, air, or water." He was awarded the MBE in 1979.Both of his sons followed their father into motorsport. Olly Clark has been a competitor in both the
Network Q Rally of Great Britain and theFIA Cup for Drivers of Production Cars , while Matt Clark is now chief engine builder at the family-owned tuning company. His brotherStan Clark was also a racing driver.In 2004, a historic rally event was established to recreate the route of the "classic" RAC Rally, since the current race is now restricted to south
Wales . The event was named the "Roger Albert Clark Rally" (also RAC Rally) in his honour. Competitors are limited to vehicles released prior to 1972, and traces a route through stages in Scotland and northern England which are no longer part of the modern itinerary.External links
* [http://www.juwra.com/clark_roger.html Profile of Roger Clark] , World Rally Archive
*Profiles of Clark family drivers at rallybase.nl::: [http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=profile&driverid=3424 Roger Clark] • [http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=profile&driverid=347 Oliver Clark] • [http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=profile&driverid=9429 Matthew Clark]
* [http://home.vicnet.net.au/~tccv/whatwe.htm "Triumphant History Makers", obituary of Roger Clark] , Stafford Hall, Vicnet.net
* [http://www.rogeralbertclarkrally.co.uk Roger Albert Clark Rally] , official site
* [http://www.rogerclarkmotorsport.co.uk/ Roger Clark Motorsport (RCMS)] , official site
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