NOTICE OF DEATH - DAVID PREWITT (1940 - 2023)

With great regret we have to report the death last Friday of David Prewitt at the age of 83. An Associate Member since 1985, he had been in declining health for some time. Dave was in the motor trade in Birmingham when he was invited by his good friend John Fitzpatrick to join Fitz’s team which had been running cars in the US IMSA series and was setting up a base in Europe from which to run a team in the World Sports Car Championship. When the Porsche 956 was effectively outlawed by IMSA, Fitz switched his team’s focus to the European-based programme and invited Dave to become team manager.

It proved to be an ideal appointment. In Fitz’s words:

‘I am saddened by the loss of David. Although he didn’t know much about racing when he started with me, he turned out to be perfect. Very organised and level-headed and completely trustworthy. He never spoke ill of anyone, and he was probably a bit softer than [his wife] Val in business but she made sure that he wasn’t a soft touch’. 

Among the drivers for John Fitzpatrick Racing in those halcyon days of Group C in the World Sportscar Championship were David Hobbs, Guy Edwards, Rupert Keegan and Thierry Boutsen whilst at Le Mans in 1984 Hobbo was joined by Phillippe Streiff and Sarel van der Merwe, the trio finishing in third place overall. The following year Hobbo and Guy were joined by Jo Gartner and finished fourth overall. Other good results under Dave’s management included, in 1984, victory at the Norisring for Thierry, second place at Mosport for Hobbo, Rupert and Franz Konrad and third place in the Brands Hatch 1000 Ks for Rupert, Guy and Thierry.

At the end of 1986 Fitz closed his team and Dave set up his own operation GP Motorsport which, among various successes, won the C2 category of the German Supercup in 1989. Later he became European Race Co-ordinator for Saleen Allen Racing and represented Saleen on the FIA’s Manufacturers’ Commission. From late 1999 until early 2003 Dave was Team Manager for Skea Racing International, the team securing second place in the LM GT class of the 2000 Le Mans 24 Hours with a Porsche 996 GT3 R driven by Johnny Mowlem, Sascha Maassen and David Murry. From 2003 to 2011 Dave held team management and co-ordination roles with various sports car teams including Marcos, Russian Age Racing, Team Modena and Fullspeed Racing whilst in 2014 he ran two Chevrolet SS cars in the NASCAR Whelen series for Niki Lauda’s son Mathias and Christophe Bouchut. In 2015 he became Race Director of Team Jaguar Sport.

To his wife Valerie, his family and many friends in the sport, the BRDC offers its most sincere condolences. David's funeral will take place at 12.30pm on the 11 January at Robin Hood Crematorium, Streetsbrook Road, Shirley, Solihull B90 3NL, all Members are welcome.