Ray Bellm
Encyclopedia
Ray Bellm is an auto racing
driver from Britain
.
He began his racing career in 1980, running in Historic racing series and winning the British Historic 2L GT class in 1983 and 1984 driving his Chevron
B19 sports car. He made the move to modern sports car racing
in 1984, driving for Gordon Spice
. The pair would found Spice Engineering
in 1985 and construct Group C
chassis.
As part of the Spice team, Bellm would win the World Sportscar C2 Championship
in 1985, 1986 and 1988. He was also able to share a Le Mans
win with Gordon Spice in each of those three years, before finally leaving the team in 1990. In the early 1990s he moved to the British Touring Car Championship
, finishing fifth overall in 1991 and co-founding Team Dynamics
in 1993. He won the International GT championship in 1994, and the BPR Global GT Series
in 1996 driving a McLaren F1 GTR
to 11 wins in two years. He also won the 1991 Willhire 24 Hour
at Snetterton
in a BMW M3
co-driven with Kurt Luby and Will Hoy
.
Since then he has returned to Historics, including running the Le Mans Classic
in 2004 and 2006. He also turned to rallying coming sixth in the 2000 London-Sydney Rally and in 2005 won three rounds of the British Historic Rally Championship in a Mk1 Ford Escort. In 2005 he contested the British round of the World Rally Championship
in Group N classed car finishing seventh. In 2006 he finished sixth in Finland and twelfth in Rally Great Britain.
He has served as chairman of the British Racing Drivers' Club
(BRDC) from 2004 to 2005, and was responsible for negotiations with Formula One Management which resulted in the successful resigning of the British Grand Prix
in 2005.
Bellm also ran the Silverstone
based motorsport equipment retailer, Grand Prix Racewear, having bought a majority stake in 1994. This has now been sold and was later run by Martin Hines, owner of Zip Kart.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver from Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
He began his racing career in 1980, running in Historic racing series and winning the British Historic 2L GT class in 1983 and 1984 driving his Chevron
Chevron Cars Ltd
Chevron Cars Ltd. is a manufacturer of racing cars, founded by Derek Bennett in 1965. Following Bennett's death in 1978, the firm has remained active in various guises. The original company's designs and name continue to be utilized by Roger Andreason to build replacement parts and continuation...
B19 sports car. He made the move to modern sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
in 1984, driving for Gordon Spice
Gordon Spice
Gordon Spice, is an ex British racing driver who competed in both sports cars and Touring Car racing in the 1960s and 1970’s before starting Spice Engineering with fellow Ray Bellm in the 1980s....
. The pair would found Spice Engineering
Spice Engineering
Spice Engineering was a British racing team founded by driver Gordon Spice with his brother Derek Spice in the early 1980s, later becoming a successful sports car constructor in 1986...
in 1985 and construct Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
chassis.
As part of the Spice team, Bellm would win the World Sportscar C2 Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
in 1985, 1986 and 1988. He was also able to share a Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
win with Gordon Spice in each of those three years, before finally leaving the team in 1990. In the early 1990s he moved to the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
, finishing fifth overall in 1991 and co-founding Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics is a UK-based motor-racing team based in Pershore, Worcestershire; best known for their successes as an independent squad in the British Touring Car Championship, including winning the Overall Drivers title in 2005 and 2006 with Matt Neal...
in 1993. He won the International GT championship in 1994, and the BPR Global GT Series
BPR Global GT Series
The BPR Global GT Series was a grand tourer-based sports car racing series which ran from 1994 to 1996 before becoming the FIA GT Championship in 1997...
in 1996 driving a McLaren F1 GTR
McLaren F1 GTR
The McLaren F1 GTR was a racing variant of the McLaren F1 sports car first produced in 1995 for grand touring style racing, such as the BPR Global GT Series, FIA GT Championship, JGTC, and British GT Championship. It is most famous for its overall victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans where it...
to 11 wins in two years. He also won the 1991 Willhire 24 Hour
Willhire 24 Hour
The Willhire 24 Hour was an endurance race for production cars held at Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit in Norfolk, England between 1980 and 1994. Over the years, the race included both sports cars and saloon cars. Latterly, it was contested by competitors running in the FIA Group N specification...
at Snetterton
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. Owned by MotorSport Vision, it is situated on the A11 road some 20 km north-east of the town of Thetford and 30 km south-west of the city of Norwich...
in a BMW M3
BMW M3
The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series, and sold with coupé, sedan and convertible body styles...
co-driven with Kurt Luby and Will Hoy
Will Hoy
William Ewing Hoy , was a British racing driver and the 1991 British Touring Car Champion, the highlight of a 20-year career in motor racing. Born in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, Hoy did not begin racing until his late 20s and first raced at international level in 1985, taking on the full World...
.
Since then he has returned to Historics, including running the Le Mans Classic
Le Mans Classic
The Le Mans Classic is a biennial vintage sports car event held on the grounds of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It began in 2002 and runs every two years in July on the full 13.65 km circuit also used for the annual modern day 24 Hours of Le Mans...
in 2004 and 2006. He also turned to rallying coming sixth in the 2000 London-Sydney Rally and in 2005 won three rounds of the British Historic Rally Championship in a Mk1 Ford Escort. In 2005 he contested the British round of the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
in Group N classed car finishing seventh. In 2006 he finished sixth in Finland and twelfth in Rally Great Britain.
He has served as chairman of the British Racing Drivers' Club
British Racing Drivers' Club
The British Racing Drivers' Club is a membership body which represents the interests of professional racing drivers from the United Kingdom.-Early days:...
(BRDC) from 2004 to 2005, and was responsible for negotiations with Formula One Management which resulted in the successful resigning of the British Grand Prix
British Grand Prix
The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire...
in 2005.
Bellm also ran the Silverstone
Silverstone
Silverstone is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Towcester on the former A43 main road, from the M1 motorway junction 15A and about from the M40 motorway junction 10, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Banbury...
based motorsport equipment retailer, Grand Prix Racewear, having bought a majority stake in 1994. This has now been sold and was later run by Martin Hines, owner of Zip Kart.