Frank Matich | |
---|---|
Nationality | Australian |
Born | 25 January 1935 |
Died | 11 May 2015 (aged 80 years) |
Retired | 1974 |
Tasman Series | |
Years active | 1964-74 |
Teams | Total Team Rothmans Team Matich |
Wins | 5 |
Best finish | 2nd in 1970 & 1971 Tasman Series |
Previous series | |
1959, 63-5, 71-72 1961 1962 1964-68 1969-70 | Australian Drivers' Champ. Australian GT Champ. Australian Formula Junior Australian Tourist Trophy Australian Sports Car Chp. |
Championship titles | |
1961 1962 1964 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1970 1971 1972 | Australian GT Champ. Australian Formula Junior Chp. Australian Tourist Trophy Australian Tourist Trophy Australian Tourist Trophy Australian Tourist Trophy Australian Sports Car Chp. New Zealand Grand Prix Australian Grand Prix Australian Grand Prix Australian Drivers' Champ. |
Francis Anthony Matich (25 January 1935[1] – 11 May 2015) was an Australian racing car driver. A highly successful motor racing competitor in the 1960s and 1970s, Matich built his own range of Matich sports cars and open wheel cars, mainly to support his own career, but some cars found success with other drivers. In these and other makes he won five Tasman Series races, two Australian Grands Prix, the 1972 Australian Drivers' Championship and a number of other Australian motor racing titles.[2]
In April 1970, Frank Matich was appointed as a Director of Lambretta (Australasia) Pty Ltd, and was to assemble McLaren racing cars in the Lambretta site in Artarmon, Sydney.[3]
Matich, who suffered major electrical burns in a boating accident in 1973, retired from racing in 1974 in order to spend more time with his family and his business. His son Kris Matich became a leading Formula Ford driver in Sydney during the late 1980s.[4]