When Barry Sheene swapped two wheels for four
Barry Sheene will forever be remembered as one of motorcycle racing’s greatest icons. In an era defined by danger, the double 500cc World Champion stood out not just for his speed, but for his flamboyant, fearless personality, racing at the limit even when the consequences were severe.
Yet, to define Sheene purely by his two-wheeled exploits is to miss an important and often overlooked chapter in his racing life. Long after his Grand Prix peak, Sheene continued to test himself against elite competition and nowhere was this more intriguing than his foray into touring car racing during the mid-1980s, culminating in a full British Saloon Car Championship (BSCC) campaign in 1985.
After retiring from full-time motorcycle Grand Prix competition in 1984, Sheene was a racer looking for fresh challenges. A move into touring cars was far from a novelty act or a celebrity sideshow, but a serious attempt to prove that his racecraft, mechanical sympathy and competitive instincts were not monolingual to motorcycles. Sheene had already hinted at this ambition years earlier, with a headline-grabbing one-off appearance in the 1981 BSCC season in a Mazda RX-7.
At that time, observers were struck by how quickly Sheene adapted to the demands of car racing. He looked comfortable in traffic, decisive under pressure and unafraid of close proximity racing — traits instantly recognisable to anyone familiar with his motorcycle career.
More importantly, he enjoyed the experience. It reinforced his long-held belief that the fundamentals of racing applied regardless of how many wheels were involved. That belief would later underpin his decision to commit to the fiercely competitive BSCC in 1985.
By the mid-1980s touring car racing in Britain was enjoying a resurgence. Manufacturer involvement was strong, grids were packed, and the Championship had become one of the most competitive and visible forms of motorsport in the country.
Sheene was drawn to the BSCC for several reasons. It offered high-profile competition, regular television coverage and a format that rewarded consistency, intelligence and racecraft. Crucially, it also allowed him to continue racing at a high level without the constant risk of catastrophic injury that had defined so much of his motorcycle career.
When the deal came together for him to contest the 1985 season for Toyota GB behind the wheel of a Celica Supra, it was clear he meant business. Sheene would replace reigning Champion Win Percy, who had taken the title the previous year in a Corolla GT. Expectations were high.
Sheene entered the BSCC in 1985 acutely aware that he was starting fresh. Though he had shown aptitude in 1981, he still had to adjust to the demands of the discipline, cars that behaved very differently under braking and acceleration compared to the lightweight, agile machines he was used to.
During testing at Goodwood, he lapped just 0.4 seconds slower than Percy, a remarkable achievement for a driver new to full-time car racing and earning the respect of his peers almost immediately
When it came to the racing, the Supra, while competitive, required a measured approach to extract its performance over a race distance. It proved to be a steep learning curve. But while outright pace was not immediately his strongest suit, Sheene compensated with intelligent race management. He avoided unnecessary incidents, preserved his car and steadily worked his way forward during races.
Sheene didn’t dominate the 1985 Championship, but he did deliver several performances that underlined his adaptability. Round two at Oulton Park saw him take pole position, only to retire from the race with overheating issues.
Round three at Thruxton provided an early measure of Sheene’s race pace. The Englishman’s Supra finished third in both rounds, drives that showcased his ability to manage tyres, brakes and pressure over sustained battles. Just as momentum appeared to be building, however, misfortune struck. An accident during the fifth round again at Thruxton eliminated seven cars on the opening lap, including Sheene, who suffered a broken ankle.
Despite the injury, Sheene returned to take third place at the following round at Silverstone. It was a finishing position he would not better that season, yet it underlined his resilience and commitment. He would ultimately finish an impressive sixth overall in the fiercely contested Class A standings, 16th overall.
Perhaps more important than the individual results was the impact Sheene had on the Championship itself. His presence attracted new fans, extensive media coverage and additional credibility, helping to bridge the gap between motorcycle and car racing audiences. For many, Sheene was the gateway into the world of touring car racing.
Barry Sheene’s 1985 BSCC campaign may not have rewritten the record books, but it achieved something arguably more impressive. It demonstrated that one of motorcycle racing’s greatest talents could cross disciplines and remain genuinely competitive.
From his RX-7 experiment in the early 1980s to a full touring car season, Sheene proved that true racers are defined not by machinery, but by mindset. His time in the BSCC stands as a compelling footnote to a legendary career — a reminder that he was not just a master on two wheels, but also a racer capable of excelling on four.
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Images courtesy of Getty Images.
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