Dennis Leech

Dennis Herbert Leech (born 6 April 1943 in Sidmouth) is a British former racing driver. Most of his racing career was spent driving saloon cars, mainly as a privateer in the British Touring Car Championship. He also entered selected rounds of the British Formula One Championship between 1978 and 1980. His most competitive years in the BTCC came in the 1980s, where he was often a front runner in his Class A 3.5 litre Rover Vitesse. In 1987, he finished as runner-up in his class, finishing sixth overall in his ageing Rover. His final year in the BTCC came in 1992, entering his own-built Ford Sierra.

Leech was the record holder for the longest period between wins in the BTCC, with nearly 18 years between his first two wins in 1969 and his last win in 1987, until Rob Huff broke this record in 2024.

Racing record

Complete British Saloon / Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pts Class 1969 Dennis Leech Ford Falcon Sprint BRH SIL SNE THR SILRet CRYovr:11†cls:3† MALovr:2†cls:1† CRORet SILovr:2cls:2 OULovr:1cls:1 BRHovr:1cls:1 BRHovr:2cls:2 10th 40 3rd 1970 Dennis Leech Ford Mustang Boss 302 BRH SNE THR SIL CRYRet† SILovr:2cls:2 SIL CROovr:10cls:3 BRHRet OULovr:3cls:3 BRHovr:2cls:2 BRHovr:23cls:3 11th 24 3rd 1971 Castrol-Leechtune Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302 BRHovr:5cls:4 SNEovr:4†cls:3† THRovr:3cls:3 SILovr:4cls:3 CRYDNS† SILDNS CRORet SILRet OULovr:5cls:4 BRHovr:2cls:1 MALDSQ† BRHRet 14th 21 4th 1972 Dennis Leech Ford Mustang Boss 429 BRH OULovr:3cls:3 THRovr:4cls:3 SILovr:9cls:6 CRYDNS† BRHovr:7cls:3 OULRet SIL MAL BRHNC 22nd 13 5th 1973 Dennis Leech Ford Mustang Boss 429 BRH SIL THR THR SILovr:14cls:3 INGovr:?cls:2 BRHRet† SIL BRH 17th 10 3rd 1981 Dennis Leech Ford Capri III 3.0S MAL SILovr:?cls:? OULovr:12†cls:11† THRovr:?cls:? BRHovr:?†cls:?† SIL SIL DONovr:13†cls:11† BRHovr:10cls:6 THRRet SIL 44th 1 16th 1982 Dennis Leech Rover 3500 S SILovr:6cls:6 MAL OULovr:4†cls:4† THRovr:8cls:7 THRovr:5cls:5 SILovr:8cls:8 DONRet BRHRet DON BRH SILRet 30th 6 8th 1983 Dennis Leech Rover Vitesse SIL OUL THR BRHovr:4cls:3 THRRet SILRet DONovr:9cls:6 SILRet DON BRH SIL 22nd 5 10th 1984 Dennis Leech Rover Vitesse DONovr:7cls:7 SILRet OUL THR THR SILovr:8cls:8 SNE BRHRet BRH DON SIL NC 0 NC 1985 Dennis Leech Rover Vitesse SIL OUL THR DON THR SIL DON SILovr:15cls:7 SNE BRH BRHRet SILovr:3cls:3 25th 4 9th 1986 Dennis Leech Rover Vitesse SILovr:2cls:2 THRRet SILDNS DONDNS BRHovr:4cls:4 SNE BRH DON SILDNS 17th 10 5th 1987 Dennis Leech Rover Vitesse SILovr:2cls:2 OUL THRovr:1cls:1 THRovr:4cls:4 SILovr:2cls:2 SILovr:7cls:6 BRHovr:2cls:2 SNEovr:4cls:4 DONovr:3cls:2 OULovr:6cls:4 DONovr:16cls:6 SILRet 6th 44 2nd 1988 Dennis Leech Rover Vitesse SIL OUL THRRet DONovr:11cls:9 THRRet SILovr:14cls:11 SILovr:17cls:12 BRHovr:12cls:9 SNE BRH BIR DON SIL NC 0 NC 1990 Judge Developments Ford Sierra RS500 OUL DON THR SILDNS OULovr:10cls:8 SILovr:7cls:7 BRH SNE BRHovr:19cls:7 BIRDNS DONRet THRDNS SIL 26th 11 10th 1991 Judge Developments Ford Sierra RS500 SIL16 SNE14 DON8 THRRet SIL BRH SIL DON1 DON2 OUL BRH1 BRH2 DON THR SIL 20th 3 1992 Judge Developments Ford Sierra RS Cosworth SIL THR OUL SNE BRH DON1 DON2 SILRet KNO1 KNO2 PEM17 BRH115 BRH215 DON13 SIL15 NC 0 † Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

Complete European F5000 Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pts 1975 Dennis Leech Chevron B24 Chevrolet 5.0 V8 BRH OUL BRH SIL ZOL ZAN THR SNE MAL THR BRH OUL SIL SNE MAL BRH 26th 9

Complete Shellsport International Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts 1976 Dennis Leech Chevron B28 Chevrolet 5.0 V8 MAL SNE OUL BRH THR BRH MAL SNE BRH THR OUL BRH BRH 24th 11 1977 Dennis Leech Chevron B28 Chevrolet 5.0 V8 MAL SNE OUL BRH MAL THR BRH OUL MAL DON BRH THR SNE BRH 20th 10

Complete British Formula One Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pts 1978 Dennis Leech March 761 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 OUL BRH SNE MAL ZAN DON THR OUL MAL BRH THR SNE NC 0 1979 Dennis Leech McLaren M23 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ZOL OUL BRH MAL SNE THR ZAN DON OUL NOG MAL BRH THR SNE SIL NC 0 1980 Dennis Leech McLaren M23 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 OUL BRH SIL MAL THR MNZ MAL SNE BRH THR OUL SIL NC 0