User:Wannaberacer/sandbox
Nationality: Australian, Born: 21 July, 1942, Died: 20 July 2012 (aged 69), Sydney, NSW, Australia Occupation: Motoring writer, author, racer
Barry Lake (1942 – 2012) was an automotive journalist and historian, author, master storyteller and racing driver widely considered as one of the most talented and most knowledgeable writers in Australia. Hired by Max Stahl in September 1973, he started his career as assistant editor with Racing Car News until in June 1974 he joined Gabe Szatmary to kick off Chequered Flag. By the early 1980s, Barry had filled the seat as deputy editor of Motor (formerly Modern Motor) magazine [1] only to be elevated into the top chair as editor where he helped steer the magazine into one of its most highly reputable eras. He was an artisan, a stickler for detail and totally devoted to whatever project he was working on. After turning freelance in the mid-90s, he continued to contribute to Motor as well as a couple of Australia's largest newspapers until his late 60s.
He was also an avid racer and rallyist, competing in two London–Sydney Marathons and several Bathurst 1000 Endurance Classics[2] known at home as Australia's Great Race. In 1979, Barry was assigned as navigator for Holden’s entry in the Repco Round Australia Trial, a grueling 20,000 km cross-country rally. Teamed up with the flying Finn and Bathurst 1000 winner Rauno Aaltonen and Shekhar Mehta in the factory-backed Marlboro Holden Dealer Team Holden Dealer Team Barry managed to finish third in the Repco Trial. In 1988-89, he also did a stint as team manager for Le Mans winner Vern Schuppan's Omron Porsche racing team in Japan's Group C series.
Throughout his life, he accumulated what is believed to be the largest private collection of automotive and motor racing journals. Numbering in the thousands, the collection consumed most of the floor space at his Greenacre home in Sydney and the garage.
Away from all things cars, Barry’s great passion was ballroom dancing, something he pursued passionately. He went to Natalie Anne Beck’s dance classes in Sydney for almost 10 years and had private lessons for DanceSport competition.[3]
If world championships were handed out for storytelling, Barry would have been the Michael Schumacher of that genre.
Barry Lake passed away in Sydney after a long illness one day short of his 70th birthday. He is survived by his three children Gavin, Derek and Vanessa and is predeceased by his ex-wife Lynn who passed away in 2009.