Omar Martínez | |
Nationality: | Argentina |
Birth Date: | 1 January 1966 |
Birth Place: | Rosario del Tala, Entre Ríos Province |
Last Series: | Turismo Carretera |
Years Active: | 1994–2019 |
Starts: | 356 |
Wins: | 33 (Finals) |
Best Finish: | 1st |
Year: | 2004, 2015 |
Titles: | Turismo Carretera |
Title Years: | 2004, 2015 |
Omar Gurí Martínez (born January 1, 1966, in Rosario del Tala, Entre Ríos Province) is an Argentine racing driver. He competed in Turismo Carretera, TC2000, Top Race V6 and others. His nickname Gurí is a common Guaraní term used in his hometown to refer to a young boy.
Martínez started his career in domestical Formula Entrerriana in 1983, being vice-champion in 1985. Then he passed to Argentine Formula Renault. He clinched back-to-back both 1990 and 1991 Championships before joining the competitive Formula Three Sudamericana, where he was runner-up in 1994. Back to Argentine series, he started racing in Turismo Carretera and TC2000 in 1995, representing Ford in both championships.
In 1997, he crowned himself as Top Race champion by winning to Juan María Traverso in the final race. Traverso and himself were team-mates in 1998 TC 2000 season driving Hondas, and Martínez got his first title in that series.
Nevertheless, Gurí could not become Turismo Carretera champion until 2004, being four times vice-champion from 1999 to 2002. He has held since racing duels with drivers as Guillermo Ortelli and Traverso. He won the Konex Award Merit Diploma in 2010 as one of the five best Racing Drivers of the last decade in Argentina. He became TC champion again in 2015. Since 2018 he has been semi-retired.