We regret to report the passing of a legend in South African motor sport - Spotti Woodhead passed away on Saturday
Spotti was a very special character on the local rally scene since the 1960s and was best known as a rally navigator winning the South African rally navigators championship in 1975. Spotti also won the Star SCC Rally Championships in 1981 and 1982 as a driver and more recently became a true force to be reckoned with on the Total Economy Run.
Spotti was an Economy Run expert competing most years since the event's inception in 1977, winning the competition outright for for the first time in 1984 and taking overall least fuel used, overall Index of Fuel Efficiency honors and numerous class wins in other years in a variety of marques.
Spotti's most recent success was his overall Index of Fuel Efficiency award in our Citroen team in the 2008 Run in a Citroen C4 Picasso. I worked with Spotti on several occasions and we were privileged to have him aboard - he won every time time he drove with us including in 2007 when Spotti, Willie Nel and I swept the board to take Overall, Petrol and Diesel as well as Index awards for Citroen.
Spotti also drove one of the most incredible South African fuel distance records among many others when he drove a Citroen C1 from Johannesburg to Durban and back on a single 41-litre tank of diesel in 2007.
But besides his many, many rally victories reading notes, driving (and even on occasion doing both solo!) Spotti will be remembered for his encyclopedic memory of all aspects of the sport he loved and how he shared all of it so freely with anyone who was prepared to listen.
I for one will miss this special little man's incredible knowledge and in-depth conversations and wonderful company.
Rest in Peace Spotti - you will be sorely missed.
- Michele Lupini
