Frank Gardner (racing driver)

Frank Gardner OAM (1 October 1931 – 29 August 2009) was a racing driver from Australia. Born in Sydney, he was best known for touring car racing, winning the British Saloon Car Championship three times, and sports car racing driver but he was also a top flight open wheeler driver. He was European Formula 5000 champion, and participated in nine World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 11 July 1964. He scored no championship points. Gardner also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races and his results included a third placing at the 1965 Mediterranean Grand Prix at the Autodromo di Pergusa in Sicily, fourth in the 1965 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch and third in the 1971 International Gold Cup at Oulton Park. He participated each year in the open wheeler Tasman Series held in New Zealand and Australia during the European winter, and shared the grids with the likes of Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt and won the New Zealand Grand Prix. On his return to Australia he ran his own touring car racing team under several branded names, most notably JPS Team BMW and was BMW's factory Australian team for over a decade. The team won two Australian Touring Car Championships and the 1988 Bathurst 1000. The team was sold to the Morris family in the 1990s, becoming Paul Morris Motorsport with Gardner continuing to run the team until his retirement in 1998. The team also won the 1997 Bathurst 1000 and six Australian Super Touring Championships.

Gardner was an Australian champion surf boat rower in 1953, rowing for Whale Beach Surf Life Saving Club. The coach was Jack Uren, brother of politician Tom Uren.