Tony Dean (racing driver)

Anthony Gordon Dean (23 February 1932 – 17 January 2008)^[1] was a British racing driver from England who competed in sports car racing, touring car racing, the Can-Am series and various single seat formulae, including non-championship Formula One, in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. He is known for winning a round of the Can-Am championship in 1970 as a privateer entrant.

Dean began his career in

In 1966, Dean drove in various single-seat formulae in the UK, competing mainly in the BRSCC championship with a Lotus 41 or Brabham BT18 entered in conjunction with John Willment. He also competed in Formula Libre events using the Brabham and on one occasion a BRM fitted with a Ford 4.7-litre V8 as used in the AC Cobra.^[1] He also competed in sportscars with a Brabham BT8, finishing second in both the Lavant Cup at Goodwood and the Tourist Trophy at Silverstone together with a third place in the Norbury Trophy at Crystal Palace.^[4]

Dean moved into sports car racing in 1967, entering as A. G. Dean Racing Ltd. with a Porsche Carrera 6. Co-driven by Ben Pon the car finished eighth overall in the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch.^[1] Although he achieved a number of top-six finishes throughout the season, his only victory was at the Brands Hatch GT meeting in August.^[4]

1968 began with a third place in the South African Sports Car Club meeting at Cape Town using the Porsche 906.^[4] On returning to the UK, he took four consecutive wins at Croft and Cadwell Park using a Ferrari Dino 206 S. Co-driven by Mike Beckwith, the car did not finish in the Brands Hatch six hour race but Dean achieved third place in the Oulton Park 100 mile race.^[4] In the remainder of the season, Dean competed in a further 20 races, mainly with the Dino, but also with the Carrera 6 and finished outside the top six on only one occasion. He did not finish in only three events and took additional wins at Croft and Crystal Palace (twice each) and Oulton Park.^[4] He finished fourth in the Guards Trophy at Brands Hatch with the Porsche.^[5] Co-driven by Bill Bradley, Dean failed to finish in the Paris 1,000 km race, in the Porsche but finished fifth in the nine-hour race at Kyalami and second in a three-hour race at Cape Town, in the Ferrari Dino, co-driven on each occasion by Basil van Rooyen.^[4]

In 1969, Dean continued to enter domestic national and international level events finishing seventh in the Brands Hatch six hour race in a Chevron B8.^[4] Teamed with Bradley, in a Porsche 910 he finished 12th in both the Spa and Nürburgring 1,000 kilometre events. In July, alongside Richard Attwood and Vic Elford, he finished second in a six-hour race at Watkins Glen, in a Porsche 908. The next day, Dean entered the same car in the Watkins Glen round of the Can-Am series and finished ninth.^[4] Dean competed in seven further Can-Am races in 1969, with the 908, entered in the name of Porsche Audi. He finished all of them in the top eight places with a best result of fifth at Road America yielding eighth place in the championship.^[4]

In both

At the next round at Road Atlanta, run in very hot conditions,^[2] Dean benefited from the loss of the McLarens of Denny Hulme and Gethin (who also had gearbox problems), and Revson's Lola through accidents, together with mechanical problems for the Chaparral and BRM entries, enabling him to win the race.^[10][11] This was the first victory, in the series, for a car other than a McLaren in 19 races.^[11]

This was followed by a seventh place at

Dean resumed with the Porsche in 1972, but did not finish at the six hours of Daytona race or the Interserie round at Silverstone.^[4] However, he then returned to Watkins Glen, with fourth place in the Porsche at the six-hour event.^[4] The next day, Dean took the car to ninth in the Can-Am round at the same circuit, but was eight laps down.^[18] This was followed by 14th place at the next round at Mid-Ohio.^[18] Dean was not-classified in the Championship.^[19] He then entered the Rothmans 50,000 at Brands Hatch with a Brabham BT30 and the John Player Challenge Trophy with a McLaren M14A but did not qualify for either,^[4] although he finished third in a "consolation" race for non-qualifiers at the Rothmans event.^[20] He also entered the 1972 International Gold Cup, with the McLaren but did not attend.^[21]

In 1973, Dean competed in the Race of Champions and the BRDC International Trophy with a Chevron B24 entered by Anglo-American Racing Team (formed by Dean and American racer Bobby Brown). He finished fifth and 11th respectively. He finished second in the 1973 F5000 Championship behind Teddy Pilette.^[2] In 1974, he was not classified at the Race of Champions and finished 12th at the International trophy.^[4] He dropped to 16th in the F5000 championship but won a wet two-part (restarted) race at Brands Hatch on August Bank Holiday Monday.^[22]

In 1975, Dean competed in Formula 5000 in America, participating in three races with a Chevron B28 and finishing in 17th place in the USAC championship.^[23] In addition he participated in the European Formula 5000 Championship achieving two podium positions and finishing 12th in the title standings.^[23]

Dean entered the 1979 Hitachi Trophy at Brands Hatch in April. This was a support race for the Race of Champions for Formula Two and Formula Atlantic cars. Dean did not finish, retiring after five laps with a gearbox problem.^[23]

In 1979 and 1980, Dean competed in the Aurora Formula One Championship using a Chevron B42-Hart. He finished joint 23rd in the championship in 1979 achieving one sixth-place finish and 18th in 1980 with one fifth- and one sixth-placed finish.^[23]

Although Dean's career in major championships declined after the Aurora series, he continued to race, and was still competing in large-capacity single-seaters in America in his 60s.^[2]

Dean spent most of his working life in the motor trade, as a result of which, together with an ability to obtain sponsorship, he was able to fund his racing career.^[1]

Dean was convicted of evading duty on cigars imported into the UK, possibly as a result of his association with Bobby Brown, who never faced charges.^[1]

His son, Richard Dean, was also a racing driver.^[1][24]

Dean died on 17 January 2008 after a short illness.^[2]

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†Some later reports classify Dean as third: see text

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

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