Motorsport stalwart David Philip Clapham died aged 74 at the Sunninghill hospital on Saturday, the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists said.
Clapham was a fellow of the guild and the founder organiser of its Car of the Year competition, which he ran for 18 years, the guild’s Robin Emslie said in a media statement on Monday.
”His passion for motorsport, as a driver, an ardent follower and fan, and most of all as a motivator and administrator, made him a legend in his own time,” the statement read.
Born in 1931, Clapham pioneered numerous forms of the sport throughout his life. He raced saloon cars and single-seaters (Formula Vees and Fords) from 1956 to 1975.
Emslie said Clapham was the full-time manager of the Sports Car Club of South Africa from 1960 to 1975, as well as the contributing motoring editor to the Sunday Express under the byline Twin Choke from 1965 to 1970.
Clapham did public relations for Lawson Motors from 1970 to 1975 and worked in public relations, advertising and marketing for Samcor and its predecessors from 1976 to 1985. He then joined Corporate Warranty Administrators, where he worked until his illness.
He introduced saloon-car racing on a class basis in 1961, Formula Vee racing in 1965, Formula Ford in 1969 and touring-car racing into South Africa in 1993.
Emslie said these inventions led to the Sunshine Series, which Clapham started with Adri Bezuidenhout. This included the Driver to Europe prize, which launched Jody Scheckter into international racing in 1970.
”His introduction of Formula Vee led to South African Tony Jeffries scoring a stunning win in the Grand Prix of the Bahamas for Formula Vee cars against a class international field,” said Emslie.
Clapham served on various motorsport organising bodies, some of which he chaired.
”His continued appetite for innovation and invention in things motoring was aptly reflected by him staging the guild’s Drive for Charity in February 2004, which raised R750 000 for distribution to 14 participating charities.”
Clapham was lobbying for a new Hot Hatch saloon-car racing series this year before he became ill.
He also had an ardent interest in wildlife, and served as an honorary game ranger for many years.
Clapham leaves his wife, Margaret; daughter, Bridget; and son, Jeremy. — Sapa