Grand Prix Insider

7th of May - Mike Spence had competed in 37 Formula 1 Grands Prix since 1963 when he arrived at Indianapolis, called in by Colin Chapman as a placement for the late Jim Clark. He went around the Indy Speedway in the Lotus 56 on a windy day for a practice lap of 169.555 mph, the second fastest lap ever! Before the day was over, 48 minutes before closing time, he decided to test the number 30 car of his teammate, Greg Weld. Spence apparently lost control in the 1st turn, slid 300 feet, and hit the wall at a 45-degree angle. Observers believed that the partially loose right front wheel bent back and ripped off Spence’s helmet, found with the chin strap still fastened and with the tiremarks on it. Spence never regained consciousness. Physicians were preparing to operate when Spence died about four hours after the crash, of head injuries.

7/5/1968, Michael Henderson Spence dies.

Mike Spence participated in 37 Formula 1 Grands Prix. In 1965, he won the non-championship Race of Champions at Brands Hatch; in 1966, the South African Grand Prix; and in 1967, the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch.

He was killed in practice for the 1968 Indianapolis 500 when he crashed with a Lotus 56 turbine car and was struck on the head by the right front wheel.
Spence was planning to leave Indy the night of his crash with Graham Hill for Madrid to compete in the Spanish F1 Grand Prix and return later to take part in the Indy 500.

Born: 30th of December 1936 in Croydon, UK.
Died: 7th of May 1968 at Indianapolis, USA, aged 31.

1/1/1928, James Sharp dies.

Texan Hap Sharp was a privateer who participated in six Grands Prix on the North American continent in the early sixties. A tycoon in the oil business, he not only financed his own racing, but was a backer of Jim Hall’s Chaparral sports car project. The two of them actually won a race in Sebring in 1985 sharing a Chaparral. Sharp committed suicide while in Argentina in 1993.

Born: 1st of January 1928 in Tulsa, USA.
Died: 7th of May 1993 in San Martin, Argentine, aged 65.