Classic Racer 174 July/August 2015

INSIDE: DAVE HISCOCK

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MARLBORO SERIES TO THE MOUNTAIN #174

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David Jefferies

V&M YAMAHA tested

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The 1974 West German GP | Classic Archive - Racing at Biggin Hill | Silvio Grassetti The forgotten Italian Stallion | Classic Sport - The season begins | And all the regulars...

WHAT’S INSIDE CLASSIC RACER REGULARS _010

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE Geoff sporting an impressive laurel wreath after victory at Berne, Switzerland, in 1952.

Paddock Gossip Keep up top speed

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Above:Two Dukes; Geoff explains theTT to The Duke of Edinburgh.

Right:Team Scuderia Gilera is launched with riders Derek Minter, left, and John Hartle in their leathers.

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Below:Two greats together – John Surtees and Geoff Duke before the Silverstone Formula Junior car race in 1960.

Readers Write

GEOFF DUKE OBE

Your opinion matters

Legend

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Geoff Duke OBE

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Sammy Tanner

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Dave Hiscock

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Silvio Grassetti

A pictorial tribute

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G

eoff Duke died on May 1 in the Isle of Man aged 92. With his forward thinking, and incredible talent, Geoff single-handedly changed the face of road racing, and when he hung up his leathers he used the same ethos to carve a successful business.

Born in St Helens, Lancashire, Geoff was drawn to motorcycling from a very young age, despite his parents’ objections and after he volunteered for military service in 1942 he ended up as a motorcycle instructor. After the war he had a spell at BSA before going to Norton as a trials rider, his first love.

After making his road racing debut, in the 1948 Junior Manx Grand Prix, his road race career quickly gained pace with factory rides for BMW, Norton, Gilera, NSU, and Benelli, ultimately resulting in six TT wins and six World Championships, Geoff becoming the first rider to win three 500cc titles back to back. And but for his support of the privateers’ strike for better terms at Assen who knows how many more he could have won.

A major car race accident, in a Formula 1 Cooper car in Sweden, caused by mechanical failure, resulted in serious injuries and an end to Geoff’s four wheel career. In 1963 Geoff ran Scuderia Gilera, a private team using ex-factory machinery.

Moving to the Isle of Man he entered into a variety of businesses ventures including launching the first roll-on roll-off ferry service from Douglas, and of course the Duke Video business which thrives to this day.

Classic Racer sends sincere sympathy to Geoff’s family and close friends.

Clearly this is just a brief snapshot of a true legend in which I have tried to let the images tell the story, but I the next issue of Classic Racer Bruce Cox, a long-time family friend of the Duke’s, will bring us a full length feature on the life and times of one of the greatest sporting heroes ever.

Malc Wheeler

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The Flying Flea

Marlboro to Mountain

Forgotten Italian stallion

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MARCH 29, 1923 – MAY 1, 2015

_06 Geoff Duke OBE celebrated in a pictorial tribute from Mortons Archive.

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RRAACER EEVENT VENT

THE 1974 WEST GERMAN GRAND PRIX

The organization of the German Nürburgring Grand Prix was never very popular with the riders. As the so-called Eifelrennen traditionally hosted motorcycle and automobile racing on the same weekend, safety demands became problematic.

Words and photographs: Jan & Hetty Burgers.

A Grand Prix in name alone

V and M Yamaha Sir Alan in the hot seat

The 1974 West German GP Rider power speaks

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Racing at Biggin Hill A dip into Nick Nicholls’ archive

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Stafford Show

The complete field of the 500cc is off! Seven riders competed and only four made it to the finish.

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Breaking all records

_22 Jan Burgers remembers the 1974 West German Grand Prix and the riders strike.

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Sport Down Under

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BHR Mallory

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Irish Classic Scene

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RRAACER PPEOPLE EOPLE

SAMMY

Texan Sammy Tanner had a long successful career racing motorcycles, but Sammy’s main goal was to follow his friend, A. J. Foyt, into race cars and compete in the Indianapolis 500.

TANNER

Words and Photographs: Norm DeWitt

The Flying Flea Words: Norm DeWitt Photographs: Sammy Tanner and Norm DeWitt

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ON THE COVER

SammyTanner brought his white leathers andTriumph to Laconia in 1959.

David Jefferies’ V and M TT-winning Yamaha

round Houston there were a number of talented youngsters trying to make their mark in motorsports. Among these was a young racer who was destined to win the Indianapolis 500 (four times driving, once more as owner), the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Daytona 500.

AJ Foyt says: “I hadTriumphs, a 30cu in and a 40cu in on a half-mile dirt track in the early 50s, racing on the weekends for fun, there was no money. I won my share of races on the bikes... the ones like you bought in the showroom, took the fenders off it, and stripped them all down.

“We’d put like a little James tank on them, took the motor and ported it, then put dual carburetors on it. I’d get reground stock cams from Cue Cams; it wasn’t just a stock bike. It was Herb Stelter’s Triumph dealership that I rode out of, and I think SammyTanner rode for them too.”

SammyTanner takes up the story: “I was about 13 in 1953 and the ironworker guy down the street had a Harley. He would go to Playland Park in Houston,Texas and they had a quarter mile asphalt high bank track, and he and his mom invited me to come along.

“AJ Foyt was one of the guys that I really liked, but his dad told him he had too good a future in auto racing to be messing with these motorcycles.”

AJ Foyt: “It (racing the cars) was the path of least resistance. My daddy had midgets and I worked on them a lot. I built my own stock car and

raced that until I was old enough to race midgets, and that’s how it all came about. What my deal was, was that my wife’s brother would come over when I was out of town racing. He’d know when I would go out of town and come over wanting to ride the bike. He had wrecks on it and got hurt a couple of times. My wife sold my bike to a damn yard man for $100, could have killed her."

Sammy got his first bike in 1954, a James with the 125cc Villiers engine. “There was just a couple of us kids doing ‘two stake races’, with two stakes at each end. Herb Stelter’s son Winston was really good, I was 14 and it really hurt for this nine year old kid to beat me.

“When I was 16, Herb let me ride theTR6, and I was maybe 4ft 11in. I did it enough so that Herb Stelter offered me a sponsored ride, earning 100% of what I won, and a truck to get to the races.Well, I turned him down, and told him that I couldn’t get my mom to sign the application.

“Two or three years before Carroll Resweber was a top rider and he was talking with Everett Brashear at a race in Dallas. Carroll turned around and looked at me and said ‘God, this is a mile tracker right here! I’m going to put you on my bike at Springfield.’ I was so gullible that I believed him, as I thought I had a ride waiting with Resweber.

“I had this aluminium helmet with a drawstring, one size fits all. I’m showing this to my mom and I dropped it.When I picked it up, I noticed the top was dented in, right after I’d told my mom not to worry about me as now I’ve got this safety helmet.”

““II DID DID IT IT ENOUGH ENOUGH SO SO THAT THAT HERB HERB STELTER STELTER OFFERED OFFERED ME ME A SSPONSORED PONSORED RIDE, RIDE, EARNING EARNING 100% 100% OF OF WHAT WHAT I WON.” WON.”

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_30 Norm DeWitt charts the life of SammyTanner through a rough and tumble career.

CCLASSIC LLAASSIC RACER RRAACER MACHINE MACHINE

KING

July/August 2015 Issue 174

OF THE ROADS

VandMYamahaR1

With Yamaha’s R1 back in the news, having been completely revamped for 2015 it’s put the company back once more at the leading edge of sportbike design – a position it’s been in ever since reinventing the modern fourcylinder Superbike with the advent of the original R1 for 1998.

EDITOR

Malc Wheeler mwheeler@mortons.co.uk Tim Hartley thartley@mortons.co.uk

PUBLISHER

Words: Alan Cathcart Photographs: Kel Edge

“IT STILL DIDN’T STOP HIM BEING PHOTOGRAPHED PULLING FIFTH GEAR WHEELIES AT 140MPH THROUGH KIRK MICHAEL.”

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE Jan Burgers, Norm DeWitt, Alan Cathcart, Terry Stevenson, Julie Wheeler, Nick Nicholls, Jeffrey Zani, Hamish Cooper, Russ Lee, Mike Yiend, and Mark McCloskey DESIGNER REPROGRAPHICS

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Jefferies achieved so much in career cut short. Alan Cathcart rides his _38 David V and M Yamaha.

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER PEOPLE PEOPLE

DAVE HISCOCK From Marlboro to the Mountain

The New Zealand Marlboro Series gave the locals the chance to pit themselves against some of the best European riders of the era, who enjoyed a winter Down Under. It also inspired many to cross to Europe. Dave Hiscock was one of them.

Terry Stevenson tells his story.

Words and Photographs: Terry Stevenson

Holly Munro Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield

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Dave Hiscock travelled round the globe to go racing. Terry Stevenson _48 Kiwi tells the story.

USA SUBSCRIPTIONS CLASSIC RACER (USPS:706-150) is published bi-monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $30 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC RACER, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com Printed by William Gibbons & Sons,Wolverhampton ISSN No 1470-4463

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER AARCHIVE RCHIVE

CLASSIC C LASSIC ARCHIVE Racing at Biggin Hill

For the first of what we hope will be an occasional feature in Classic Racer, we delve in to the incredible archive of the late Nick Nicholls. Nick prepared the words for me, which go along with his previously unseen photographs, before he became too ill. Enjoy this great snapshot in time. Malc Wheeler

I

f you you m mention ention tthe he n name ame B Biggin iggin H Hill ill tthe he chances aare re n nearly early e everyone ver yone w will ill aassociate ssociate chances tthe he p place lace with with tthe he B Battle attle o off B Britain, ritain, aan n association association sstill till aalive l ve ttoday oday w with ith tthe he replica Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft by the old entrance gates.

No longer is the RAF in residence, the site having been sold awaiting redevelopment.

However, I understand part of the sale agreement is that the two replica aircraft remain as a permanent reminder of the part played by the aerodrome in the Battle of Britain.

There is, however, a motorcycling connection that a few readers may remember especially if they are the wrong side of 60. I refer to the three road

© Mortons Motorcycle Media, a division of Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

rrace ace m eetings tthat hat took took p lace there there iin n1 959. T he meetings place 1959.

The o rganisers w ere D ouble 5 5K ent cclub lub m ore ffamous amous organisers were Double 55 Kent more ffor or sscrambles crambles at at the the nearby nearby Jewels Jewels H Hill ill course. course.

Biggin Biggin H Hill ill w was as not not a typical typical airfield airfield circuit, circuit, measuring only one mile but the beauty of such a small track was several riders did not bother fitting fairings, a spectator and photographer’s joy, for example just look at the side view of Ned Minihan’s Matchless G50.

The photographs show safety was not given paramount importance with double roping and straw bales much in evidence; nobody would get away with that today at a road race and it is frightening to think of the sort of accident that could so easily have happened.

Jim Dakin, 124 MV Agusta, on his way to a 200cc class victory.

Words and Photographs: Brian ‘Nick’ Nicholls – Nick Nicholls Collection part of Mortons Archive

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MINIHAN, INIHAN, M MATCHLESS ATCHLESS W WON ON TTHE HE BBIG IG TTWELVE WELVE LLAP ““NED NED M AP 1000CC 1000CC RACE RACE OOFF TTHE HE DDAY AY AAFTER FTER GGINGER INGER PAYNE PAYNE WAS WAS EEXCLUDED XCLUDED FFOR OR LEAVING LEAVING TTHE HE CCOURSE OURSE IN IN THE THE PROCESS PROCESS OOFF A FULL FULL LLOCK OCK SSLIDE.” LIDE.”

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Wheeler takes an emotional trip through the archive and shares Nick’s _58 Malc words and images.

Independent publisher since 1885

CLASSIC RACER EVENT

THE 1974 WEST GERMAN GRAND PRIX A Grand Prix in name alone

22 ClassicRacer

The organization of the German N端rburgring Grand Prix was never very popular with the riders. As the so-called Eifelrennen traditionally hosted motorcycle and automobile racing on the same weekend, safety demands became problematic.

Words and photographs: Jan & Hetty Burgers.

The complete field of the 500cc is off! Seven riders competed and only four made it to the finish.

ClassicRacer 23

CLASSIC RACER MACHINE

38 ClassicRacer

KING

OF THE ROADS

VandMYamahaR1

With Yamaha’s R1 back in the news, having been completely revamped for 2015 it’s put the company back once more at the leading edge of sportbike design – a position it’s been in ever since reinventing the modern four-cylinder Superbike with the advent of the original R1 for 1998.

Words: Alan Cathcart Photographs: Kel Edge

“IT STILL DIDN’T STOP HIM BEING PHOTOGRAPHED PULLING FIFTH GEAR WHEELIES AT 140MPH THROUGH KIRK MICHAEL.”

ClassicRacer 39

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

48 ClassicRacer

DAVE HISCOCK From Marlboro to the Mountain

The New Zealand Marlboro Series gave the locals the chance to pit themselves against some of the best European riders of the era, who enjoyed a winter Down Under. It also inspired many to cross to Europe. Dave Hiscock was one of them.

Terry Stevenson tells his story.

Words and Photographs: Terry Stevenson

ClassicRacer 49

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

66 ClassicRacer

SILVIO GRASSETTI The Forgotten Italian Stallion Words Jeffery Zani Photographs Jeffrey Zani and Grassetti Collection

ClassicRacer 67

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