Barrie 'Whizzo' Williams - Motorsport Career Timeline

Early Years and Rallying (1960s)

• 1938: Born in Bromyard, Herefordshire, England (full name Barrie Williams). Grew up with motorsport in his blood – his father was a motorcycle TT racer and karting enthusiast.
• 1960: Enters competitive racing with his first car race at Rufforth Circuit (Yorkshire) on Easter Sunday, driving a 1,000 cc Morris Minor. (In his early days, he worked as a lorry driver to fund his racing passion.)
• 1964: Achieves a breakthrough rally victory at the International Welsh Rally (Cardiff, Wales) in a 1071 cc Austin Mini Cooper S (registration 120 MNP) – notably the first international rally win for the Mini Cooper S. This giant-killing win brought Williams national fame and even caught the attention of BMC competitions manager Stuart Turner, earning him the nickname “Whizz-Kid” (soon shortened to “Whizzo”).
• 1966: Switches to single-seater circuit racing. Makes his Formula 3 debut and wins his first F3 race (at Silverstone in torrential rain) driving an older Cooper T83 – an impressive feat in his very first single-seater outing. (Williams’ two-year F3 stint ended in 1968, after the fatal accident of a fellow driver, prompting him to refocus on touring cars.)
• Late 1960s: Becomes a crowd favourite in club racing. He tames the infamous “Jaguar Egal” – a Jaguar E-type fitted with a 7.0 L Ford Galaxie V8 – showcasing spectacular car control in this brutally powerful machine. His flamboyant, sideways driving style in the Egal (and other cars) further cemented his reputation.
  

Touring Cars and Circuit Racing Success (1970s–1980s)

• 1971: Excels in saloon car competition – finishes 3rd overall in the inaugural Ford Escort Mexico Championship, racing against top drivers (he trailed only Gerry Marshall and future F1 champion Jody Scheckter in the standings)
• 1971: Recognised by peers – elected as a member of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), reflecting his growing status. He later served on the BRDC Board (1977–1992) and proudly displayed the club’s badge on his trademark orange helmet.
• 1975: Thrills the home crowd at the British Grand Prix meeting (Silverstone). In a support saloon car race, he hustles a Mazda RX-3 to such spectacular effect that he is named “Crompton Driver of the Day,” outperforming even the F1 drivers’ exploits that weekend.
• 1970s: Continues to shine in touring cars. Achieves a class victory in the British Saloon Car Championship (BSCC) driving a humble Mitsubishi Colt, a performance that earned him a works drive role with Mitsubishi’s team in the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship).
• 1980s: Dominates one-make production car championships. Two-time champion of the Ford Fiesta one-make series, and in 1987, he clinched the Renault 5 GT Turbo Championship title. Williams became known as a one-make racing ace, able to hop into various makes and win.
• 1989–90: Shows his versatility in sports cars. Won back-to-back titles in the Production Porsche Championship (top class). Around the same time, he also impressed in endurance racing – finishing 2nd overall in the 1989 Willhire 24-hour race at Snetterton, co-driving a production-class car with teammate Keith O’Dor.

Endurance and Historic Racing Renaissance (1990s–2000s)

• 1992: Adds international endurance racing laurels. Teams with Nigel Corner in a BMW M3 to win the Group N class at both the Nürburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours, triumphing in two of Europe’s most gruelling touring car endurance events.
• 1998: Captures a major GT racing victory at Paul Ricard, France – winning the GTR Euroseries 4 Hours of Le Castellet in a Porsche 911 GT2 (with co-drivers Maxwell Beaverbrook and Geoff Lister). This marked Williams’ last contemporary international win after nearly four decades of competition.
• 1998: Emerges as a star of the new historic racing scene. At the inaugural Goodwood Revival meeting, he won the prestigious TT Celebration race in a Jaguar E-type (entered by Nigel Corner). This victory at Goodwood kicked off a second career in historic motorsport – “Whizzo” would ultimately tally five outright wins at Goodwood Revival events in subsequent years, delighting crowds with his old-school drifting skills.
• 2000: Delivers an unforgettable drive at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix. Piloting a pre-war ERA R3A, he stalls from the front row at the start and falls to last, but then charges through the field, finishing on the podium (3rd place). His opposite-lock slides in the ERA around Monaco earned him one of the loudest ovations in the event’s history.
• 2004–2018: Serves as President of the British Motorsports Marshals’ Club (BMMC), underlining his commitment to the sport’s volunteers and safety officials. (Williams was widely respected for his approachable personality – always ready to advise and encourage both mechanics and marshals.)
• 2017: Hangs up his helmet and announces his retirement from racing, concluding a remarkable career spanning almost 60 years. Even in his final season, he remained competitive in historic events, but declining health prompted him to call time on his driving days.
  

Career Summary and Legacy

• Career at a Glance: Competed in an estimated 700–800 races and around 250 rallies over six decades. Achieved countless wins and podium finishes across rallying, circuit racing, and historic motorsport. Remembered not only for his championship titles and famous victories but also for his showman’s flair and genuine love for the sport that made him a beloved icon of British motorsport —proudly Bromyard born and bred.