Max Stewart

{{short description|Australian racing driver}} {{sources needed|date=May 2026}} {{About||the British judoka|Max Stewart (judoka)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2012}} [[File:Max Stewart Waggott TC4V 4 Graham Ruckert.jpg|thumb|Max Stewart in the Alec Mildren Racing-entered Mildren Waggott TC4V at Lakeside International Raceway in 1971]] '''Malcolm Clarke Stewart''' (14 March 1935<ref>[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/stewart-malcolm-clarke-max-11770 Stewart, Malcolm Clarke (Max) (1935–1977), adb.anu.edu.au]. Retrieved 29 April 2017</ref> – 20 March 1977) was an Australian racing driver. He was known as the "Jolly Green Giant" for his disposition and height.

Stewart was born in Orange, New South Wales. He began his motorsport career racing motorcycles, being selected to represent Australia at the 1955 Isle of Man TT, but withdrew due to work commitments. After racing Karts and touring cars, he moved to open wheelers in 1965 with much success, winning the 1967 and 1968 Australian One and a Half Litre Championships. Stewart was selected to drive for Alec Mildren Racing, and went on to win the 1969 and 1970 Australian Formula 2 Championships driving a 1.6-litre Mildren Waggott. In 1970, he competed in a 2-litre Mildren Waggott in which he ran strongly in the 1970 Tasman Series with a number of podiums, and finished second to Jackie Stewart in the 1970 JAF Grand Prix for Formula Libre cars.<ref>[http://www.formula2.net/F270_27.htm J.A.F. Grand Prix 1970, www.formula2.net]. Retrieved 29 April 2017</ref> He also won the 1971 Australian Drivers' Championship and the 1972 Singapore Grand Prix.

Stewart later raced a Lola T330, winning the 1974 Australian Drivers' Championship and the 1974 Australian Grand Prix. He then developed an initially troublesome Lola T400, winning the 1975 Australian Grand Prix and the 1975 Toby Lee Series. He led the 1976 Australian Grand Prix from Vern Schuppan and John Goss until he retired a few laps from the end.

Stewart lost his life on 20 March 1977, the day after being critically injured in an accident while practicing at Calder Park Raceway, near Melbourne. During a very wet practice session, an unsighted Stewart in his Lola had run into the back of Vern Schuppan's Elfin MR8.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19770321&printsec=frontpage&hl=en "Race star killed by track smash"], by Chris de Fraga, ''The Age'' (Melbourne), March 21, 1977, p. 1 ("Max Stewart, one of Australia's oldest and most experienced motor racing drivers, died yesterday following an accident at Calder raceway on Saturday.")</ref><ref>[https://www.pressreader.com/australia/australian-muscle-car/20220101/281883006730515 Thunder Strikes - F5000 vs S5000]</ref>

==Career results== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- ! Year ! Championship / Series ! Position ! Car ! Entrant |- | 1965 | Australian Formula 2 Championship | align="center" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2nd | Rennmax Ford | |- | 1967 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" | 5th | Rennmax BN1 Ford | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1967 | Australian 1½ Litre Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st | Rennmax BN1 Ford | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1968 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" | 6th | Rennmax BN2 Ford | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1968 | Australian 1½ Litre Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st | Rennmax BN2 Ford | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1969 | Tasman Series |align="center" | 13th | Mildren Alfa Romeo 1.6 L | Alec Mildren Racing |- | 1969 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffdf9f;" | 3rd | Mildren Waggott TC4V | Alec Mildren Racing |- | 1969 | Australian Formula 2 Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st | Mildren Waggott TC4V | Alec Mildren Racing |- | 1970 | Tasman Series |align="center" style="background:#ffdf9f;" | 3rd | Mildren Waggott TC4V | Alec Mildren Racing |- | 1970 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2nd | Mildren Waggott TC4V | Alec Mildren Racing |- | 1970 | Australian Formula 2 Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st | Mildren Waggott TC4V | Alec Mildren Racing |- | 1971 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st | Mildren Waggott TC4V | Alec Mildren Racing <br> Max Stewart Motors |- | 1972 | Tasman Series |align="center" | 9th | Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1972 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" | 6th | Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1973 | Tasman Series |align="center" | 6th | Lola T330 Chevrolet | Lola Cars Ltd |- | 1973 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" | 7th | Lola T330 Chevrolet | Seiko Service Centre |- | 1973 | SCCA L&M Championship |align="center" | 12th<ref name=myf5000_P1>[http://www.myf5000.com/files/73_p1.pdf ''1973 SCCA L&M Championship Review (Part 1)'', www.myf5000.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806054349/https://www.myf5000.com/files/73_p1.pdf |date=6 August 2022 }} Retrieved on 26 April 2014</ref> | Lola T330 Chevrolet<ref name=myf5000_P1/> | Stewart Motors<ref name=myf5000_P1/> |- | 1974 | Tasman Series |align="center" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2nd | Lola T330 Chevrolet | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1974 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st | Lola T330 Chevrolet | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1974 | Australian Formula 2 Championship |align="center" | 12th | March 722 Ford | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1975 | Tasman Series |align="center" | 10th | Lola T400 Chevrolet | Max Stewart Motors |- | 1975 | Australian Drivers' Championship |align="center" style="background:#ffdf9f;" | 3rd | Lola T400 Chevrolet | Sharp Racing Team |- | 1975 | Toby Lee Formula 5000 Series |align="center" style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st | Lola T400 Chevrolet | |- | 1976 | Australian Drivers' Championship | align="center" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2nd | Lola T400 Chevrolet | |- | 1977 | Rothmans International Series |align="center" | 4th | Lola T400 Chevrolet | Max Stewart |- |}

{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box | before = Leo Geoghegan | title = Winner of the Australian Drivers' Championship | years = 1971 | after = Frank Matich}} {{succession box | before = Frank Matich | title = Winner of the Australian Drivers' Championship | years = 1974 | after = John McCormack}} {{succession box | before = Graeme McRae | title = Winner of the Australian Grand Prix | years = 1974 and 1975| after = John Goss}} {{s-end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Max}} Category:1935 births Category:1977 deaths Category:Accidental deaths in Victoria (state) Category:Australian Formula 2 drivers Category:Racing drivers from New South Wales Category:Racing drivers who died while racing Category:Sport deaths in Australia Category:Sportspeople from Orange, New South Wales Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen