Sheene’s racer for sale

HERE'S one for the most rabid and wealthy of Barry Sheene fans – it’s one of his racers, but rather than a bike it’s the Toyota Supra that he ran in the 1985 British Saloon Car Championship.

Going under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions’ Silverstone Classic Race Car Sale on July 27, it’s a works racer that marked the double GP champion’s move from two wheels to four. Recently restored, the 204bhp, six-cylinder machine raced in the Group A class, with Sheene taking it to two podium finishes in 1985.

Nick Whale, Silverstone Auctions MD, said: “This amazing Toyota Supra represents a very rare opportunity to own an iconic Group A Touring car with exceptional provenance and a significant motorsport background. It’s an important part of motorsport history, and I expect there will be a great deal of interest on auction day.”

Sheene’s bike career ended in 1984 and by switching to cars he followed in the footsteps of the likes of John Surtees and Mike Hailwood. Unsurprisingly, he was competitive, finishing fifth in his first race – which was fittingly at Silverstone where the car will be sold next month.

Even in a car Sheene managed to add to his count of injuries, breaking an ankle in a crash at Thruxton, where he’d previously got his first podium with a third place finish. Crash footage here. Typically, it didn’t hold him back, and he was back in the (re-shelled) car, and on the podium (third again), at Silverstone just two weeks later.

As it is today, the Supra is expected to take between £60,000 and £80,000 at auction. That’s rather less than you’d have to spend to get a proper Sheene 500cc GP bike – his 1983 RGB500 is on eBay right now for £95,000.

The car comes with a large package of spares, too. More details here.