Neil Crang

Neil Robin Crang (31 December 1949 – 20 July 2020) was an Australian racing driver. Crang notably competed in the World Sportscar Championship, entering five 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1980s.

Neil Crang
Nationality	Australian
Full name	Neil Robin Crang
Born	(1949-12-31)December 31, 1949 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	July 20, 2020(2020-07-20) (aged 70) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Retired	1988
World Sportscar Championship
Years active	1980-1988
Teams	Angelo Pallavicini Chevron Cars Spice Engineering Cosmik Racing Team Lee-Davey Dune Motorsport Roy Baker Racing
Starts	29
Wins	0
Poles	0
Fastest laps	0
Previous series
1983, 1985 1982- 1983 1982	Thundersports Series British Formula Atlantic Australian Drivers Championship
Awards
1985	International Gold Cup

Racing career

Crang began competitively racing after he had moved to Geneva. Crang teamed up with Ian Taylor and Mario Hytten to enter the Brands Hatch 6h, on the calendar of the World Manufacturers’ Championship in 1980. The team finished 15th overall, and third in their Super 2000 category. Later in the year, Crang teamed up with Angela Pallavicini to race his Porsche 934 at the Dijon 1000Kms.^[1] They would go on to compete at Daytona, Sebring, Silverstone and Brands Hatch in 1981 along with John Sheldon competed - but failed to finish - the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans.^[2]

Crang competed for two seasons in the British Formula Atlantic championship, notably finishing 4th at the 1982 Macau Grand Prix.^[3] Crang in the meantime had acquired a stake in Tiga, the race constructor, and helped create a Group C race car he would compete in a number of races in 1983 with Gordon Spice and Ray Bellm.^[4] The three would go on to compete in a full season of the World Sportscar Championship in 1984, winning five races in the Junior Group C category. At the end of the season, Crang left the Tiga team and race sporadically in the championships. He won the 1985 Oulton Park International Gold Cup alongside Tim Lee-Davey.^[5][6] Crang competed in his final race at the 1988 Sandown Park Supersprint 360km driving a Porsche 962 with former teammate Lee-Davey.^[7][8][9]

Personal life

Crang was born in Melbourne and studied Economics and Politics at Monash University. He moved to Geneva to work as a grain trader for Cargill. Married to Dianne, Crang had four children Charles, Malcolm, Olivia and Samantha. He passed away after suffering from cancer in July 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.^[10][11]

Crang was elected as a member of the British Racing Drivers Club in 1985.^[7]

Racing record

Crang drove the 181 Tiga GC287 at his final 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1987

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1982	Chevron Racing	Martin Birrane John Sheldon	Chevron B36	Gr.6 S 2.0	57	DNF	DNF
1984	Spice Tiga Racing	Gordon Spice Ray Bellm	Tiga GC84	Gr.C2	69	DNF	DNF
1985	Spice Engineering	Tim Lee-Davey Tony Lanfranchi	Tiga GC84	Gr.C2	226	NC	NC
1986	Cosmik Racing Promotions	Raymond Touroul Costas Los	March 84G	Gr.C1	169	DSQ	DSQ
1987	Dune Motorsport	Jean Kruker Duncan Bain	Tiga GC287	Gr.C2	260	DNF	DNF