Brian Muir | ||
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Driver Details | ||
Nationality | {{{{{natflag}}}}} Australian | |
Date of Birth | 30/06/1931[1] | |
Date of Death | 11/09/1983[1] | |
Début | Archie Scott Brown Memorial Trphy (Snetterton) 1966 | |
Championships | 0 (2nd 1968) | |
Previous Teams | Race Proved by Willment Bill Shaw Racing Malcolm Gartlan Racing Dealer Team BMW Renault Elf Browne & Day Ltd. Patrick Motorsport | |
Career Statistics | ||
Total Entries | 0 (0 Starts) | |
Pole Positions | 0 | |
Fastest Laps | 0 | |
Wins | 0 (0 in Class) | |
Total Points | 0 |
Brian Muir was a British Saloon Car Championship driver, who finished runner-up to fellow Australian racer Frank Gardner in 1968. Muir also took numerous class titles, and was one of the most popular drivers on the BSCC grid during his career.
Background[]
Muir's early career was largely uncharted, until he rose to prominance in the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1964.[2] After taking third in the 1965 edition of the championship, Muir headed to Europe, competing for the Race Proved by Willment team in the BSCC in 1966.[2]
BTCC History[]
Muir's first taste of the BSCC came in 1966, where he was set to compete for a full season using a John Willment prepared Ford Galaxie.[3] A debut podium behind fellow Aussie Jack Brabham at Snetterton was followed by a maiden victory at Goodwood, where he won the St. Mary's Trophy after a battle with Brabham and Mike Salmon for most of the race.[3] After two retirements at the following two races, Muir took a fourth place and a second, before a heavy accident at Oulton Park ended his season a race early (the Galaxie suffering a brake failure and smacking into the barriers outside of the lake).[3] Tenth place overall, third in class and 22 points proved that Muir would be a force to be reckoned with in Europe.[3]
Before the start of the 1967 season, Muir acquired Gawaine Baillie's Ford Falcon Sprint from the previous year, although the pair decided (as Baillie would prepare the car for each race) to run it with a supercharger.[4] The newly modified car did, however, suffer with engine issues, retiring from the first four races of the year.[4] However, the car did become reliable, with Muir taking six third places at the final six races of the year.[4] He switched to a conventional Falcon, prepared by Bill Shaw Racing, in 1968, competing for a full season once again.[5] Five victories in the first five meetings meant that many thought Muir was favourite for the title, particularly as his nearest challenger, Frank Gardner, had only got his new car by the fourth round.[5] However, three accidents in the remaining six races cost him the title, particularly as Gardner's Escort began dominating his class.[5] Muir ultimately finished runner-up to Gardner, 26 points behind, but did win his class.[5]
The Malcolm Gartlan Racer[]
Malcolm Gartlan Racing obtained Muir's services for the 1969 season, although his services were not on display after the fifth race due to his other commitments (mainly for the Gold Leaf Team Lotus outfit in sports cars).[6][7] One podium finish resulted, with Muir returing to the BSCC in earnest in 1970.[6]
MGR decided to buy a Chevrolet Camaro Z28 when the BSCC announced that the cars would have to comply with FIA Group 2 regulations.[8] Armed with a new car, Muir was able to prove his pace once more, claiming five podiums in the opening five meetings.[8] He then claimed the car's maiden win at Silverstone, after an early duel with Gardner saw the latter fall away with a puncture.[8] Two more wins followed at the next three races, with Muir taking the Camaro to further podiums at the remaining races.[8] Third overall and second in Class D with three wins meant that Muir would stick with the team for the next year.[8]
1971 saw Muir take the runner-up spot in the championship again, after taking eight wins and four second podiums.[9] Muir's impressive record that year was scarred by missing out on the championship by three points (which Muir could have claimed if he had not come second best to rival Gardner in two races in the closing stages).[9] MGR swapped the Camaro for a Ford Capri RS for 1972, although the new car was not as reliable, with four retirements through the year.[10] Muir did claim two wins for the Capri, claiming "Its really better then I expected" after his victory at Oulton Park.[10] The end of the season saw Muir classified as fifth overall, and runner-up in Class D with 34 points.[10]
Muir switched to the factory backed Dealer Team BMW for 1973, with the BMW 3.0 CSL his tool for the year.[11] Another fifth place overall (and second in Class D) in the final standings resulted, with Muir claiming the car's maiden with at Silverstone.[11] Another win followed at the final meeting of the year, but Muir would not return to the championship in 1974.[11]
Group 1 Racer[]
Muir returned to the championship after it had begun using FIA Group 1 regulations (although these were slightly modified and renamed Group 1A) in 1975, with Arian Automotive Developments obtaining his services for the first two races.[12] A third place in a Mazda Savanna RX-3 was the best result he achieved, before the Shellsport team managed to get Muir into one of their Triumph Dolomite Sprints at Ingliston.[12] Now with proven equipment, Muir managed to take four podiums, including a single victory at the penultimate round.[12] Another disjointed year followed in 1976, with Muir attending half of the year's races (three of which he retired from).[13] Using a Ford Capri II, Muir took two podiums for Norman Reeves Ltd., before moving to the lesser classes the following year.[13]
Renault Elf ran a team in 1977, with Muir stepping into a Renault 5 TS at all but six of the year's races.[14] A best finish of third resulted from the year (although Muir did enter one race in a privately entered Triumph Dolomite, taking second), as the team developed the new car, but Muir left the team at the end of the season.[14]
Back with the Big Toys[]
For 1978, Muir was enlisted to drive for Browne & Day Ltd., using one of their Ford Capri IIIs for the year.[15] After not attending three races, and retiring from three, Muir took 22 points, including an unexpected win for the car at Brands Hatch in a competitive field.[15] Another win came the following year, although Muir's other commitments, combined with a retirement, prevented him claiming a large number of points in 1979.[16] Seventeen points were his final total, although most of these were obtained through his single win at Brands Hatch with the Capri still in a competitive field.[16]
In 1980, Patrick Motorsport called upon Muir to help them develop their new Rover 3500 SD1s for the championship (a car which they were debuting alongside a factory backed team led by Sterling Moss)[17] Muir's car was not ready until race five (although he did race a Capri for Patrick Motorsport at the opening round, retiring after an accident).[17] A best finish of fifth from his three races in the car resulted, with Muir determined to return the following year to aid the team.[17]
1981 saw Muir lead the charge against the Capri in Class D, although the new V8 engined cars were not reliable throughout the year, with mechanical failures a significant factor behind Muir's six retirements that season.[18] A best finish of third from that season resulted in Muir taking six points and 28th in the championship, in what proved to be his last full season in the BSCC.[18] After missing the first five rounds of the 1982 season, Muir returned to take fifth for the SD1 run by Patrick Motorsport.[19] Another fifth came two rounds later, and, after a retirement, Muir ended his BSCC career in a swan song, missing out on victory by just over a second at his final race.[19]
Muir died the following year, the final second place of his career summing up his BSCC career as a nearly-man, but popular among the field.
BTCC Record[]
A table containing Brian Muir's best results in the BTCC. The figures after the information about the car used indicate Brian Muir's best finish at that meeting.
Brian Muir's BTCC Record | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Pos | Pts | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
1966 | Race Proved by Willment | 10th | 22 | Ford Galaxie | bgcolor="#FFA500" rowspan="2" style="border-radius:5px; color:white;"|D | 2 | 1 | R | 4 | 2 | R | N | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
1967 | Gawaine Baillie | - | 24 | Ford Falcon Sprint | R | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
1968 | Bill Shaw Racing | 2nd | 58 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | R | 2 | R | 1 | 3 | R | - | - | - | - | ||
1969 | Malcolm Gartlan Racing | - | 6 | 2 | R | N | 5 | N | 3 | - | - | - | ||||||||
1970 | 3rd | 62 | Chevrolet Camaro Z28 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | ||
1971 | 2nd | 78 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | |||
1972 | 5th | 34 | Ford Capri RS | R | 1 | R | 2 | 1 | R | 3 | N | R | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
1973 | Dealer Team BMW | 40 | BMW 3.0 CSL | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | R | N | R | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
1975 | Arian Automotive Developments | bgcolor="Purple" style="color:white; border-radius:7px;"|NC | Mazda Savanna RX-3 | bgcolor="#214B9B" rowspan="2" style="border-radius:5px; color:white;"|B | R | 3 | N | R | 3* | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
1976 | Norman Reeves Ltd. | - | 10 | Ford Capri II | bgcolor="#FFA500" rowspan="2" style="border-radius:5px; color:white;"|D | R | 2 | 3 | R | N | R | N | - | - | - | - | - | |||
1977 | Renault Elf | bgcolor="Purple" style="color:white; border-radius:7px;"|NC | Renault R5 TS |
bgcolor="#E52525" rowspan="2" style="border-radius:5px; color:white;"|A |
3 | R | 7 | N | 2** | N | R | N | 4** | N | - | - | - | |||
1978 | Browne & Day Ltd. | - | 22 | Ford Capri III | bgcolor="#FFA500" rowspan="2" style="border-radius:5px; color:white;"|D | R | N | 3 | N | 5 | 6 | 2 | R | 1 | 6 | N | - | - | - | |
1979 | - | 17 | 4 | N | 4 | R | 3 | N | 5 | 1 | N | - | - | - | - | |||||
1980 | Patrick Motorsport | bgcolor="Purple" style="color:white; border-radius:7px;"|NC | Rover 3500 | R | N | 5 | 7 | N | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
1981 | 28th | 6 | R | 6 | 8 | 8 | R | 8 | 3 | R | - | - | - | - | ||||||
1982 | 20th | 17 | N | 5 | N | 5 | R | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
* Muir drove a Shellsport Triumph Dolomite Sprint from this race onwards.[12]
** Muir used a privately entered Triumph Dolomite Sprint at this event.[14]
References[]
Images
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.driverdb.com/drivers/brian-muir/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Muir_(racing_driver)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1966%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1967%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1968%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1969%20BSCC.html
- ↑ http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/results/Brian-Muir-AUS.html
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1970%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1971%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1972%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1973%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1975%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1976%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1977%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1978%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1979%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1980%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1981%20BSCC.html
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1982%20BSCC.html