John Trevor Blokdyk (30 November 1935 – 19 March 1995)[1] was a South African motorcycle speedway rider[2] and Formula One driver who participated in two World Championship Grands Prix, although qualifying for only one.[3] He earned 6 caps for the South Africa national speedway team.[4]
Career
Blokdyk rode in speedway in Britain in the late 1950s and early 1960s for Poole Pirates and Ipswich Witches.[5] In 1962 he signed for Leicester Hunters but after one match for the team announced that he was quitting speedway to concentrate on motor racing.[5]
Blokdyk competed in Formula One for the first time in the non-Championship Rand Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1961, in a Cooper, but spun out early on.[6] He was more successful at his next race, the Natal Grand Prix at Westmead, where he finished eighth.[7]
In late 1962, Blokdyk went to Europe to pursue a career in Formula Junior and was soon a front-runner, until he ran short of finances and returned to South Africa.[3] In 1963 he started his only World Championship race at East London, driving a three-year-old Cooper-Maserati prepared by Scuderia Lupini, and coming in 12th.[7] He also finished third in the Mozambique Grand Prix in 1963 and 1964.[1]
Later in 1965 he continued in European Formula 3, and suffered serious pelvic and leg injuries in a crash at Albi which ended his season.[3] On his return in 1966, he finished sixth at Rouen-Les-Essarts, and continued to race in Europe in F3 until 1969, before returning permanently to compete in South Africa.[3] On his retirement he became a farmer, but died following a heart attack aged 59.[7]
