Francis Anthony Matich (25 January 1935C. Max Stahl, Sydney Morning Herald, 27 July 2015, page 2811 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.
In April 1970, 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.
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.
Career results
A summary of some of his motor racing achievements is given in the table below:Records, Titles & Awards Retrieved from the CAMS Online Manual of Motor Sport on 18 August 2008
Season Title / Series Position Car Entrant 1958 Australian Tourist Trophy 4th Jaguar C-Type Leaton Motors Pty Ltd 1959 Australian Drivers' Championship 15th Jaguar D-Type Leaton Motors 1960 Australian Tourist Trophy 3rd Jaguar D-Type 1961 Australian Tourist Trophy 2nd Jaguar D-Type 1961 Australian GT Championship 1st Jaguar D-Type Team Leaton 1962 Australian Formula Junior Championship 1st Elfin FJ-Ford Cosworth F Matich 1963 Australian Drivers' Championship 7th Elfin Catalina Ford Team Total 1964 Tasman Series 10th Brabham BT7A Climax FPF Team Total 1964 Australian Drivers' Championship 4th Brabham BT7A Climax FPF Team Total 1964 Australian Tourist Trophy 1st Lotus 19B Climax FPF Total Team 1965 Tasman Series 10th Brabham BT7A Climax FPF Team Total 1965 Australian Drivers' Championship 6th Brabham BT7A Climax FPF Team Total 1966 Australian Tourist Trophy 1st Elfin 400 Traco-Oldsmobile Laurie O'Neil 1967 Australian Tourist Trophy 1st Matich SR3 Traco-Oldsmobile 1968 Australian Tourist Trophy 1st Matich SR3 Repco RB620 Frank Matich Pty Ltd 1969 Australian Sports Car Championship 1st Matich SR4 Repco RB760 Rothmans Team Matich 1970 Tasman Series 2nd McLaren M10A Chevrolet Rothmans Team Matich 1970 Australian Sports Car Championship 6th Matich SR4 Repco RB760 Rothmans Team Matich 1971 Tasman Series 2nd McLaren M10B Repco Holden Rothmans Team Matich 1971 SCCA L&M 5000 Continental Championship 6thFormula A and Formula 5000 in America.: Race by Race. By Wolfgang Klopfer Retrieved from books.google.com.au on 22 May 2010 McLaren M10B Repco Holden Rothmans Team Matich 1971 Australian Drivers' Championship 8th McLaren M10C Repco Holden Rothmans Team Matich 1972 Tasman Series 4th Matich A50 Repco Holden Frank Matich Pty Ltd 1972 Australian Drivers' Championship 1st Matich A50 Repco Holden Frank Matich Racing 1973 Tasman Series 3rd Matich A50 Repco HoldenMatich A51 Repco Holden Frank Matich 1973 SCCA L&M Championship 16th1973 SCCA L&M Championship Review (Part 1), www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 26 April 2014 Matich A51 Repco Holden Early Racing Ent. Inc.L&M Championship Entry List, www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 26 April 2014 1974 Tasman Series 11th Matich A53 Repco Holden Frank Matich Racing
Complete Tasman Series results Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points 1964 Total Team Repco Brabham BT7A Coventry Climax LEV PUK WIG TER SAN WAR LAK LON 10th 4 1965 Total Team Repco Brabham BT7A Coventry Climax PUK LEV WIG TER WAR SAN LON 10th 4 1970 Rothmans Team Matich McLaren M10A Chevrolet LEV PUK WIG TER SUR WAR SAN 2nd 25 1971 Rothmans Team Matich McLaren M10B Repco Holden LEV PUK WIG TER WAR SAN SUR 2nd 31 1972 Frank Matich Pty Ltd Matich A50 Repco Holden PUK LEV WIG TER SUR WAR SAN AIR 4th 22 1973 Frank Matich Racing Pty Ltd Frank Matich Matich A50 Repco Holden PUK LEV WIG TER SUR WAR SAN AIR 3rd 27 1974 Frank Matich Matich A53 Repco Holden LEV PUK WIG TER ORA SUR SAN AIR 11th 7
Australian Grand Prix Title Venue Car 1970 Australian Grand Prix Warwick Farm McLaren M10B Repco Holden 1971 Australian Grand Prix Warwick Farm Matich A50 Repco Holden
References
Further reading James Cockington, Can-Am's Oz Invader, Australian Motorsport News, No 395, May 2010, pages 58–62
External links Frank Matich at speedcafe.com