Mark Skaife
Mark Stephen Skaife ( born April 3, 1967 in Gosford ) is an Australian racing driver.
Mark Skaife is one of the most popular and successful Australian racing driver. His career began in the 1980s in karting. His first car races he contested in 1984, when he went to the start at a touring car race at Amaroo Park. In 1985 he spent in the Ford Laser series, one -make touring car cup, his first full season. He completed the race series starting in second place overall, which he succeeded again the following year. In addition, he was also the first time in 1986 at the 1000 - kilometer race at Bathurst at the start, his team-mate Peter Williamson, however, had an accident in the last training and Skaife had to do without a final -shows. This race was a key in the career of Australian. Five times he could win the most famous sports car race in Australia in his career. He first won in 1991 with Jim Richards on a Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT -R. In 1992, 2001 and 2002, he was again victorious, he celebrated in 2005 with Todd Kelly Holden VY Commodore on his fifth and so far last triumph.
In the Australian Touring Car Championship and the successor series, the V8 Supercars, he holds several records. In 218 starts he celebrated 87 victories. 1992 and 1994 he won the overall classification of the Tour Car Championship in 2000, 2001 and 2002, the V8 Supercars. In 2009 he began his racing activities and also restrict since worked as a co- commentator for Australian TV station Seven Sport.
1992 was Skaife briefly active in the International Formula 3000 Championship. After Europe, the Australians came then as a driver only once. Invited by Lister Cars in 1997 he played the 24 - hour race at Le Mans. As a partner of Thomas Erdos and Julian Bailey, he had to retire the race after a gearbox failure.
For his contribution to Australian motorsport in 2004 he was awarded the Order of Australia.