Racing fatalities - Post World War Two - see below

Omobono TENNI - 1948 Berne Switzerland. Tommaso Omobono Tenni (July 24, 1905 - June 30, 1948) was an Italian motorcycle road racer. Nicknamed The Black Devil, he was a multiple Italian Motor Cycle champion, who raced to 47 victories for Moto Guzzi from 1933 till 1948, the year he died from an accident during practice for the Swiss GP. Omobono Tenni was born in Tirano, Lombardy. When he was 15, his family moved to Treviso, where he began an apprenticeship at a motorcycle workshop. At 19, he opened his own workshop and began his racing career. His first victory was in 1924, at the end of his teenage years. It was not until 1931 that members of his local club contributed so that he could purchase a Velocette 350 with which he finished in third place at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza followed by a victory at the Grand Prix Reale of Rome. In 1932, he won a race at Rapallo against Moto Guzzi's star rider, Pietro Ghersi. His performance earned him a spot on the Moto Guzzi team for the 1933 season. For the 1934 season, Moto Guzzi developed a new V twin 500 cc racer and Tenni rode it to victory at the Italian Grand Prix ahead of his team-mate Stanley Woods. He would go on to win the 1934 Italian 500 cc national championship. Tenni first travelled to the Isle of Man TT in 1935. For a newcomer, he performed remarkably well. He was lying in second to his team-mate Woods, when he crashed in a fog bank on the mountain section. It was here that he came to be dubbed the Black Devil referring both to the color of his hair and his diabolical riding style. He would again capture the 500 cc Italian National Championship in 1935. The highlight of his career was winning the Lightweight at the 1937 Isle of Man TT, becoming the first Italian to win the TT. In 1937 he also won the 250cc European Championship. He suffered serious injuries in the 1938 and 1940 seasons then his racing career was put on hold by World War II. After the war, he began racing again, claiming his fourth Italian 500 cc championship in 1947. He put in a respectable performance at the 1948 Isle of Man TT where he set the race's fastest lap and led the race before mechanical difficulties forced him back to ninth place. Omobono Tenni had 47 victories racing for Moto Guzzi in the period from 1933 to 1948. 

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Dario AMBROSINI - French  GP 250 1951, Albi. Dario Ambrosini (March 7, 1918 in Cesena - July 15, 1951 in Albi) was an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who competed for the Benelli factory racing team. He finished second to Bruno Ruffo in the inaugural FIM 250cc world championship in 1949. He returned in 1950 and claimed the 250cc world championship with three victories including one at the 1950 Isle of Man TT. Ambrosini was killed during official practice for the 1951 French Grand Prix at Albi.

(Thanks to Jan Ebeltjes for the pic) 

Ercole FRIGERIO - Swiss GP sidecars 18 May 1952, Berne. Ercole was injured in a crash on the 15th lap at Tenni Turn - named after Omobono Tenni, who lost his life in that spot in practice for the 1948 Grand Prix of Switzerland. Frigerio died later in hospital on the same day.  Ercole was second in the World Sidecar Championships in 1949, 1950 and 1951, behind Eric Oliver's Norton. He had won the Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten in 1951 He was also the Italian sidecar champion in 1948, 1949 and 1950. (Thanks to Jan Ebeltjes for the pic)

Geoff WALKER - IOM - 12 June 1953 - Geoff Walker crashed at Kerrowmoar in the 1953 Tourist Trophy Senior race. The fatal accident happened on the fifth lap when his footrest ground causing the bike to crash at speed. Geoff Walker was  from Tasmania, in Launceston. The previous day, Geoff had phoned home to Tasmania to make arrangements to buy a new Norton on which he intended racing the rest of the season in Europe. Geoff, who was staying at Mount Rule, is buried at Braddan Cemetery.

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Pic: velobanjogent.blogspot.com.au)

Leslie GRAHAM - Senior TT - 12 June 1953, Isle of Man - Robert Leslie (Les) Graham DFC (14 September 1911 in Wallasey - 12 June 1953) was a British motorcycle road racer who competed in the 1930s and 1940s. He won the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle racing 500 cc World Championship in 1949. Les Graham started racing at Liverpool's Stanley Speedway on dirt. In 1929 he entered a race on the Park Hall Oswestry circuit, riding a second hand Dot-JAP, and came second to Henry Pinnington on an AJS. For the next few years he raced a succession of Rudge hybrids with varying success. In 1936 he managed to purchase a near new 250 cc OHC OK-Supreme cheaply, because it had dropped a valve. He rebuilt it, and entered it in the 1936 Ulster Grand Prix. After completing a lap of the Clady Circuit, the big end seized. He rebuilt it for 1937, and entered Northern Ireland's North West 200, and lead the Lightweights for a while until he came off. He remounted, joined the field, and was running third behind a couple of Excelsiors, when the valve gear broke. He rebuilt the engine again, and won his next race at Donington Park. He then entered the Ulster Grand Prix, and came fourth. After this he was approached by John Humphries (the son of OK-Supreme's founder) to join the firm, and was given a job assembling the OHC engines. OK-Supreme produced short track racers with JAP engines. Les Graham, Andy McKay, and John Humphries soon became known as the Midlands trio of OK-JAP riders. In summer of 1938 they raced in the South Eastern Championships on Layhams Farm "mountain mile" grass track. Les took the 20 lap Matchless Trophy, setting a record in the process, despite never having competed on that track before. He came 12th in the 1938 Isle of Man TT Lightweight on an OK-Supreme. In 1939 he entered the IOM TT riding a Rudge engine Chris Tattersal St. Annes (CTS), and was running fourth on the second last lap, when the gearbox broke. Jock West was watching the race, and signed Les up to ride a Velo in 1940, but the War intervened, and that did not happen. Graham served as a pilot in the RAF during World War II. He was assigned to the 166 Squadron from 1940, flying Lancaster bombers over Germany. He attained the rank of Flight Lieutenant and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in December 1944 for bravery.[2] Afterwards, he flew with Transport Command, until he was demobilised in 1946.He had an invitation from Wing Commander J.M. ("Jock") West, OBE, to join sales and competition at Associated Motorcycles (AMC). Afterwards, he returned to racing in the late 1940s as a member of the AJS factory racing team. He competed privately at the first post war Cadwell Park meeting, on a Norton 350, and won. In 1947, on an AJS Porcupine, he managed 9th place in the Senior Isle of Man TT. In 1948 he managed a seventh in the Junior, but did not finish in the Senior. That year at Montlhery, Jock West, Les Graham, and French rider Georges Monneret broke 18 world records at speeds between 107 and 111 mph. The Motorcycle World Championships were first held in 1949, a year before the beginning of the four-wheeler Formula One World Championship. Les was the first winner of the prestigious 500 cc class, riding an AJS Porcupine. The Championship began with Graham leading by 90 seconds in the 1st round, at the 1949 Isle of Man TT. With only a few miles to go, the magneto drive sheared and he pushed home to finish 9th. He won round 2 at Bremgarten in Switzerland and set fastest lap (in year 1 fastest laps counted for 1 point). Round 3 was the Dutch TT where he finished 2nd to Nello Pagani. He failed to finish in round 4 at Spa in Belgium. Round 5 was the Ulster Grand Prix in which he was victorious and collected the fastest lap. The final round was held at Monza in Italy where local hero Nello Pagani on a Gilera won. A rider's best three finishes counted. Graham had 2 wins & a second, Pagani had 2 wins & a 3rd. Graham took the title even though Pagani's overall score was higher. In 1950, Graham finished 3rd behind Italian Umberto Masetti (Gilera) and new star Geoff Duke (Norton) of England. He also competed in the 1950 International Six Days Trial held in Wales on an AJS 350. In 1951, Count Domenico Agusta approached Graham to ride for MV Agusta. Frustrated by a lack of development with the AJS, he joined the Italian team to ride and develop their 500 cc four-cylinder machines. Graham failed to score points for MV in the 500 cc class. While the MVs were very powerful, the handling was not as well sorted, and the bikes were considered a "handful". Agusta were not competing in the 350 cc class, so Graham rode a Velocette MkVIII KTT 350 in competition, finishing 6th in class and winning the Swiss Grand Prix. He also finished 8th in the 125 cc class in 1951. For 1952, Graham began with no points in round 1 in Switzerland, 2nd in the Isle of Man TT though a missed gear change and subsequent loss of power undoubtedly robbed him of a win. Reg Armstrong (Ireland), riding a factory Norton took victory, a very lucky one with Armstrong's chain breaking as he crossed the finish line, with Les Graham 33.4 seconds behind. He failed to score points in the Dutch TT or the Belgian GP. He finished 4th with the fastest lap at Solitude in West Germany. He suffered another non-finish but fastest lap in the Ulster (Tyre tread problems with his Dunlops). He followed this with MV Agusta's first ever 500 cc win plus the fastest lap in front of an enthusiastic Italian crowd at Monza. This was followed by a second win in Spain. He finished the season second to Gilera's Umberto Masetti in the championship. In the 250 cc class, he finished 3rd using Velocette and Benelli machines and claimed 4th in the 125 cc class for MV Agusta. For 1953, Graham was the pre-season favorite and tipped to win the championship again. Alas, this was not to be. On the Thursday, he finally won an Isle of Man TT, winning the Lightweight 125 cc class for MV. In the Friday's Senior TT, he lost control of his bike at high speed, as he took the rise after the bottom of Bray Hill, and was killed instantly. Carlo Bandirola and the rest of the MV racing team withdrew from the Championship that year as a mark of respect.

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Ernie RING - Belgian GP - 5 July 1953 - Spa. Ernie crashed his twin-cylinder AJS at the Côte de Burnenville on the third lap, being instantly killed.  Ernie had previously ridden at the IOM and also in GP events in West Germany and Ulster in 1952.

Gordon LAING - Belgian 350 GP 4 July 1954 - known as "Manxie" by friends, Gordon lost his life on a wet day during the 1954 Belgian Grand Prix, held at Spa-Francorchamps. Gordon,  25yo from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, had joined the Norton Team two weeks before, having his debut in the World Motorcycle Championship at the Ulster Grand Prix held at Dundrod. Gordon Laing tried to stay with Ray Amm who was battling for the lead with Kavanagh. While running in third place, Gordon Laing crashed at the flat-out La Carriére bend on his second lap. He was killed instantly. Fergus Anderson who was riding behind Laing at the time of his crash, lost five positions entering the pits to report the accident to the marshals. He eventually finished second in the race riding a Moto Guzzi, behind another Australian rider, his team mate Ken Kavanagh who was the winner.

Ruppert HOLLAUS - Italian  GP 125 1954, Monza (Thanks to Peter Osborn for the pic). Rupert Hollaus (4 September 1931 in Traisen - 11 September 1954) was an Austrian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who competed for the NSU factory racing team. He is the only Austrian to win a road racing World Championship. Hollaus began his Grand Prix career in the 1953 season. In the 1954 season, he dominated the 125cc class by winning the first four Grands Prix. Later that same year, he was killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Hollaus became the first posthumous World Champion in 1954, in the 125cc class and was runner up to his NSU team-mate, Werner Haas, in the 250cc class.

Ray AMM - 1955 Imola. William Raymond Amm (10 December 1927 – 11 April 1955) was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, was a famous post-war motorcycle racer famous for two motorcycle Grand Prix wins and 3 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races in his career. After signing for the 1955 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season to ride for MV Agusta, Ray Amm was killed in his first race for MV Agusta in Italy in 1955.  For the 1952 Dutch TT, Ray Amm was a full member of the Norton team and was second to Geoff Duke in the 350cc Dutch TT and retired from the 500 cc race. At the 1952 German Grand Prix held at Solitude, Ray Amm crashed and broke a leg, returning later in the 1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season to win the 350 cc class for the 1952 Nations Grand Prix held at Monza in Italy. For the 1953 racing season, Ray Amm debuted the controversial Norton Kneeler 350cc motorcycle at the 1953 North West 200 Race. Despite overheating problems the Norton Kneeler with the nickname the "Amm Sandwich" or "Silver-Fish", Ray Amm finished in 9th place in the 350 cc class that was eventually won by Bob McIntyre at an average race speed of 86.86 mph. Despite testing the Norton Kneeler for practice for the 1953 Isle of Man TT Races, Ray Amm reverted back to the non-steamlined Norton motorcycles due to handling problems with cross-winds on the Mountain Section of the course and also opposition by the TT Race Scrutineers. It proved a good choice as Ray Amm won the 1953 Junior TT Race at an average race speed of 90.52 mph from Ken Kavanagh in 2nd place and Fergus Anderson in 3rd place. Another win in the 1953 Senior TT Race for Ray Amm at an average race speed of 93.85 mph completed a prestigious Junior/Senior TT double win for the works Norton team. Following Ray Amm during the 1953 Senior TT Race, Geoff Duke commented on Ray Amm's distinctive riding style;- "After I had caught and passed Ray Amm on the Norton, he passed me at Ballugh when I missed a gearchange! Then there was the frightening experience of following him to the end of the lap, Ray could be pretty lurid when he was trying!" A fall at the 1953 French Grand Prix at Rouen in the 350cc class broke a collar-bone and brought about a premature end to championship ambitions for Ray Amm for the 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. However, Ray Amm returned to the abortive Norton Kneeler project in November 1953 to set a number of world speed records at Montlhéry, France rasing the hour speed endurance record to a distance of 133.70 miles. Also at Montlhéry in November 1953, Ray Amm shared a streamlined Norton Sidecar outfit with Eric Oliver to set further speed records. Again riding for the works Norton in 1954 Isle of Man TT Races, despite leading the 1954 Junior TT a retirement on lap 5 for Ray Amm, allows Rod Coleman to become the first New Zealander to win a TT Race at an average race speed of 91.51 mph. The 1954 Senior TT race was delayed due to weather conditions and reduced visibility on the Mountain Section of the course. The race is held after a short delay and starts at mid-day. Despite the conditions, Geoff Duke riding the works Gilera and leads Ray Amm riding for Norton by 14 seconds on lap 1. On the second lap, Geoff Duke laps in 26 minutes and 23 seconds at an average speed of 86.97 mph and Ray Amm laps at an average speed of 86.49 to reduce the lead to just 2 seconds. Further heavy rain and low cloud on the Mountain Section reduces speed further and on lap 2 and Ray Amm uses "feet-down" tactics on the slower corners. Then Geoff Duke decides to refuel on lap 3 and Ray Amm in second place goes straight through without stopping and now leads Geoff Duke by 32 seconds. At the Windy Corner on lap 4, the visibility is down to 20 yards and a decision is made to stop the race because of the conditions. This allowed Ray Amm, due to refuel at the TT Grandstand on lap 4, to win the highly controversial 1954 Senior TT Race in 1 hour, 42 minutes and 46.8 seconds at an average race speed of 88.12 mph. The next event after the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races was the Ulster Grand Prix held at the Dundrod Circuit in Northern Ireland. In an event that was much affected by rain, Ray Amm won the 350 cc Ulster Grand Prix at an average race speed of 83.47 mph from Jack Brett in 2nd place and Bob McIntyre in 3rd place. The 500 cc Ulster Grand Prix was reduced from 27 laps to 15 laps due to heavy rain and again the race was won by Ray Amm at an average race speed of 83.87 mph, although later these result was excluded from the World Championship by the FIM. A further Grand Prix win in 1954 follows for Ray Amm with another 350 cc victory at the German Grand Prix held at Solitudering. At the end of the 1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season Ray Amm finished in 2nd place in both the 350 cc and 500 cc classifications behind world champions Fergus Anderson and Geoff Duke. Despite many offers Ray Amm finally moved from the works Norton motorcycles to the factory MV Agusta racing team. The debut race for Ray Amm and MV Agusta was to be the 1955 Easter Monday race meeting at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy. Riding a 350cc four-cylinder MV Agusta in the Coppa d'Oro Shell Race, Ray Amm lost control at the Rivazza Corner as he pursued Kavanagh and crashed in slippery conditions and died of his injuries on the way to hospital.

Hans BALTISBERGER - 1956 - Brünn. Hans Baltisberger (born September 16, 1924, Betzingen, Germany - August 26, 1956 ) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Germany. His best year was in 1954 when he finished the season in fifth place in the 250cc world championship. Baltisberger was killed while riding a 250cc NSU motorcycle at the 1956 Czechoslovakian Grand Prix, a non-championship event at the Masaryk Circuit in Brno.

Fergus ANDERSON - Floreffe Belgium - 1956. 

Fergus Kenrick Anderson (February 9, 1909 – May 6, 1956) was a two-time Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion. A Scot, he was one of the first riders from Great Britain to make his living racing motorcycles on the European continent. In 1950 he signed with Moto Guzzi and competed in the 250cc class. He convinced Moto Guzzi to build a 350cc bike, initially of 320cc but later a proper full 350. He raced to the 1953 world championship in the bike's first year of competition. He repeated this feat as 350cc champion again in 1954. His 350cc world championship wins were the first by a non-British bike. He retired from racing to become Moto Guzzi's team manager, but quit over a dispute over having a freer hand at running the team. He returned to racing and was offered a ride by the BMW factory. He was killed in 1956 after being thrown from his bike at a race in Belgium at Floreffe.

Charlie Salt's light weight Earl's forked 1951 BSA

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Roberto COLOMBO - Belgian GP 125 1957, Spa. Roberto Colombo (January 5, 1927, in Casatenovo - July 6, 1957, in Francorchamps) was an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who competed for the MV Agusta factory racing team. His best seasons were 1956 and 1957 when he finished fourth in the 250cc world championship. Colombo was killed during practice for the 1957 Belgian Grand Prix.

(Thanks to Jan Ebeltjes for the pic)

Keith CAMPBELL - Cadours France 13 Jul 1958

Keith Ronald Campbell (b.2 October 1931 in Melbourne) was a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Australia. Keith Campbell grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran with the ambition to be a champion racing motor cyclist. He became Australia's first motorcycling world champion when he won the 1957 FIM 350cc world championship as a member of the Moto Guzzi factory racing team. He married Geraldine, the sister-in-law of Britain’s championship rider Geoff Duke and came back to Australia on his honeymoon in December 1957. He returned to Europe as the star rider at the 500cc Grand Prix de Cadours near Toulouse in France. According to a newspaper report, in trials he had beaten all records for the circuit, lapping at 71.5 miles an hour. He was leading the race when he failed to round a bend known as Cox’s Corner, crashed and was killed instantly. His cause of death was said to be a fractured skull. This same corner claimed the life of Frenchman Raymond Sommer in 1952 and the circuit is named in his honour. 

 Bob BROWN - German GP 1960, Solitude  Bob Brown (9 May 1930 in Sydney - 23 July 1960 at Solituderennen) was an Australian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best season was in 1959 when he finished in third place in both the 350cc and 500cc world championships. Brown was killed during practice for the 1960 West German Grand Prix.

Dickie DALE - April 1961 Nurburgring Germany. Richard H. Dale (25 April 1927 - 30 April 1961) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer born in Wyberton near Boston, Lincolnshire, England. He competed in the inaugural 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. Dale was a victor in the 1951 North West 200. His best seasons were 1955 and 1956 when he finished in second place in the 350cc world championship, both times behind his Moto Guzzi team-mate Bill Lomas. Dale also competed in the 500cc class aboard Moto Guzzi's famous V8 Grand Prix bike. He died on the way to hospital after crashing during the 1961 Eifelrennen race at Nürburgring, Germany.

Ralph RENSEN - TT 16 June 1961, Isle of Man. Ralph was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He finished the 1961 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season in sixth place in the 350cc world championship. Rensen was killed whilst competing in the 1961 Isle of Man Senior Tourist Trophy, aged 28 years.

(Thanks to Jan Ebeltjes for the pic)

 Ron MILES - Ulster GP - 9 Aug 1961 - Dundrod - crashed in practice for the Ulster Grand Prix riding a 350 Norton.

Tom PHILLIS - Junior TT 1962, Isle of Man  (pic here). Thomas Edward Phillis (9 April 1934 in Sydney – 6 June 1962) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In 1961, he won Honda's first championship race when he took the 1961 125cc Spanish Grand Prix. He went on to win the FIM 1961 125cc World Championship. This was also Honda's first world championship. Phillis was married to Betty and they had two children, Debra and Braddan. He died while competing in the 1962 Isle of Man TT. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered at the TT race course startline. The defending 500 cc world champion, Gary Hocking, was so affected by the death of his friend that he immediately retired from motorcycle competition.

Bob MCINTYRE - Oulton Park 1962

 He is most famously associated with the Isle of Man TT race, where he was the first to record a 100mph (160 km/hr) lap. Robert MacGregor McIntyre (28 November 1928 Scotstoun, Glasgow - 15 August 1962) was a Scottish motorcycle racer famous for five motorcycle Grand Prix wins which included three wins at the Isle of Man TT Races, and four victories in the North West 200. In 1957, owing to personal intervention by injured Gilera works rider Geoff Duke, McIntyre was offered a ride on the four cylinder Gileras for the Isle of Man TT. Race week began with the Junior TT. He broke the lap record with a 97.42 mph (156.78 km/h) and his race average was 94.99 mph (152.87 km/h). In celebration of the Golden Jubilee, the Senior was run over eight laps, a race of 302 miles (486 km). The Gileras had pannier fuel tanks built into the side of the fairings to carry extra fuel. The extra fuel weight didn't stop him from making a 99.99 mph (160.92 km/h) first lap. The second lap saw 101.03 mph (162.59 km/h), and the fourth lap was the fastest at 101.12 mph (162.74 km/h). He caught up to, and overtook 1956 World Champion, John Surtees who was riding an MV Agusta 500. McIntyre went on to win, after racing for three hours, two minutes and fifty-seven seconds. This was Bob McIntyre's best TT. The 1957 World Championship looked to be within reach, but a crash at Assen, in the Dutch TT meant he was out of action for a couple of months. He did come second in the 500 cc Ulster Grand Prix, and won the 350 cc Nations Grand Prix at Monza. His team mate Libero Liberati won the 500 cc World Championship that year, with Bob McIntyre coming second. Bob was third in the 350 cc World Championship as well.
At the end of 1957 the Italian teams quit Grand Prix racing citing increasing costs. In November 1957, with racing over, Gilera had McIntyre ride a 350 cc racer around the banked Monza circuit in an attempt to break the one hour speed record, and he averaged 141 mph (227 km/h) on the bumpy Monza surface. This record was not bettered until 1964, and then by Mike Hailwood at 144.8 on an MV Agusta, on the track at Daytona. In the 1961 Isle of Man TT Lightweight he raised the lap record to 99.58 mph (160.26 km/h), and had a strong lead, when his engine seized, ending his race. Riding a Norton in the Senior TT he came second. He won the 1961 250cc Ulster Grand Prix. In the 1962 Isle of Man Lightweight TT, he raised the lap record to 99.61, and then retired with electrical problems. He also rode in Grand Prix races on Honda and Bianchi, making the podium in Holland, Belgium, and East Germany. In 1962 McIntyre finished second in the Spanish and French Grands Prix, while he had a non-start in the 500 Senior TT and mechanical problems in both the 250 and 350 cc events. He went on to win the Belgium GP at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes, his last victory on the World stage. McIntyre still competed in non-championship events, and it was at one such event at Oulton Park, Cheshire in August 1962 that he won the 250 cc race, and then started in the 500 cc race on his Manx Norton. After a bad start in poor conditions, he fought his way to the front before crashing, and sustaining serious injuries. After nine days in hospital, he died, an outstanding racer, and a great loss to the motorcycling world.

Morrie LOW (NZ) - 8 August 1964 - Schauinsland Hill-climb. New Zealander rider Morrie Low was killed in an accident whilst practicing for the ADAC-Bergpreis at the Freiburg - Schauinsland hillclimb. Morrie was riding an AJS 350.

Ramon TORRAS - Killed Spanish GP 1965, Comarruga, Spain. Ramon Torras Figueras (Barcelona, December 22, 1942 – Coma-ruga May 30, 1965) was a Catalan Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Spain. Torras was born in Barcelona. His best year was 1965, when he finished in eighth place in the 250cc world championship.

Florian CAMATHIAS - sidecar crash Brands Hatch - Oct 1965. Florian Camathias was born in Wittenbach (San Gallo), Switzerland, and was a leading sidecar racer. In 1945 he finished 3rd in the 500cc solo class at Losanna. In 1953 he achieved his first sidecar race win, and the following year saw him riding for Gilera, winning in Barcelona and finishing 7th in the World Championships. By 1955, he was on a BMW, winning the French GP and winning the Swiss Championship. He came 5th in the 1956 World Championship. 1958 saw him take his first GP win at Assen, Holland. In 1961 his passenger was killed at Modena, and he cut back on his racing.1963 saw him win his one and only TT race - one of his proudest moments.1964 saw him try a Gilera outfit again but he soon returned to his BMW, and in 1965 won the French GP again. 

Brian DUFFY: (no pic available) - IOM TT 28 August 1966 - Yamaha seized on the Mountain - Duffy a veteran 47 year old racer was killed instantly.

Toshio FUJII - TT 26 August 1966, Isle of Man - Kawasaki 125. The 1965 Hutchinson 100 Melano Trophy winner on a 50cc works Suzuki, Toshio crashed in practice on his first visit to the island. Toshio Fujii came with the factory Kawasaki team in 1966, having had the factory's first European outing at the West German GP. Toshio Fujii was an official Kawasaki entry on a 125cc water cooled twin. Unfortunately he died after the practice crash at May Hill. 

Fritz SCHEIDEGGER - sidecar - 26 Mar 1967 (pic here and here). Whilst in the lead at Mallory Park Fritz was killed instantly after crashing at the Hairpin. The crash occurred when his brake lever broke and despite trying to reduce speed using the hand-brake and gearbox he was unable to recover and avoid a massive spill. 

Fritz was from Switzerland and owned a service station and workshop in Langenthal. He  became the Swiss national sidecar champion four times from 1956. In 1958 he raced  in the World Sidecar Championship and was highly competitive. In 1965 Scheidegger and Robinson won their first World Championship. The following year Fritz won again. By the end of 1966 he announced his retirement from racing but then he decided to go on for another year. The Easter meeting at Mallory Park was the first race of the season.

Josef SCHILLINGER - Belgian GP sidecars - 7 Jul 1968, Spa - The 1968 sidecar Grand Prix de Belgique featured a very competitive race between the BMW outfits of Johann Attenberger and his passenger Josef Schillinger and Georg Auerbacher and his passenger Hermann Hahn. Attenberger lost control on the last lap at full speed down the Masta Straight, hit the corner of a house and then crashed into a pine tree. The twooutfits may have collided before the crash. Unfortunately, Attenberger and Schillinger were killed instantly. Attenberger and Schillinger had won the Dutch TT at Assen just one week earlier, and were leading the World Sidecar Championship.
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John HARTLE - 31 Aug 1968 Scarborough (click on thumbnail and also pic here and here and here).  

Puch 262 RS

Alois HOFER - 8 Sep 1968 - Gaisburg Germany (pic courtesy Helmut Ohner). In a tragic accident the Austrian rider Alois Hofer from Graz, crashed his two-cylinder Puch Type 262 RS in the 1968 Gaisberg hillclimb. The accident itself seemed insinificant but the bike caught fire and the flames engulfed Alois causing him fatal injury. Albin Sterbenz and the very talented mechanic and racing driver Alois Hofer had set out to design a competitive twin-cylinder racing bike in order to later on build a good production model from it, deserves its own chapter in the Puch racing sport history. Unfortunately this chapter is also the saddest one, because it marked not only the end of the company’s engagement in racing, but racing also claimed the life of Alois Hofer, born 1933. The twin-cylinder engine consisted of two conjoined 125M engines. After a lot of work they finally obtained 50 PS in the performance test, a tremendous result at that time. It was mounted in a tubular frame patterned after the Norton Featherbed  frame. For the transmission a 6-gear transmission unit was used since the bike was primarily raced in hillclimbs. Many national races were won in 1968 but this year was also fatal for Alois Hofer. A crash that was relatively harmless cost him his life when his racing leathers caught fire. This caused Puch to withdraw from racing and it was also the end of races on the Gaisberg. A sad tale indeed.

Bill IVY - East German GP 350 1969, Sachsenring. William David Ivy (27 August 1942–12 July 1969) was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Maidstone, Kent. Ivy started racing motorbikes at Brands Hatch in 1959. He raced in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship towards the end of 1965, where he finished fourth in two 125 cc races and third in a 250 cc race. In 1966, he raced for the works Yamaha team, won the first race of the year at the Montjuich Circuit in Spain, and took three more wins—not enough, however, to beat Swiss rider Luigi Taveri, who beat Ivy to the title by six points.

In 1967, Ivy dominated the 125 cc championship: he won eight out of twelve races to claim the World Championship by 16 points over Phil Read. On top of this, he won two 250 cc races in France and Belgium.

In 1968, Ivy and teammate Phil Read controlled both the 125 and 250 cc championships. In the process Ivy also became the first 125cc rider to lap the famous Isle Of Man TT Mountain Course at over 100 mph. As the season progressed, Yamaha ordered them to win one title each, with Ivy scheduled to win the 250 cc championship and Read the 125 cc championship.[1] After securing the 125 cc title, Read ignored Yamaha's orders to tie with Ivy on points. The tie break was decided on overall race times, and Read took the title. Ivy announced his retirement from motorcycle racing, stating he would race Formula Two cars during the next season. Despite showing some impressive results in Formula Two, he was enticed back to motorcycling by an offer from Jawa in 1969 to race their 350 cc motorcycle. The season started promising, as he took two second places behind Giacomo Agostini. However, during practice for the fifth race, on the Sachsenring in East Germany, Ivy was touring back to the paddock with his helmet resting on the tank when his motorcycle's engine seized. He was thrown from the bike, sustained massive head injuries, and died in hospital.

Frantisek BOCEK - Czech GP 350 - 21 July 1969, Brno. Coming only one week after the death of Bill Ivy, the loss of Frantisek was the last straw for Jawa's international hopes. František Boček - Ivy's team mate at Jawa - was killed on the third lap of the 350 race. František Boček collided with János Drapál and Herbert Denzler, both on Aermacchi machines. All three fell and Boček suffered severa head injuries when he struck a wall.

Jack was my teacher in 1961 when I started in the racing school and he became one of my very best friends and we did go to racing together for many years. He crashed in Tampere in Finland 1969 in the 500 race on a Matchless G-50. The right picture is before the start that race. I was on his side at the start and his engine did not stop owing to his Amal GP carb had worn out threads on the topring of the carb. I told him to engage a gear a stop the engine, and then I told him “be careful”. However he crashed and died because of this or possibly a miscalculation. There was a heavy braking after the backstraight and on a film of the accident he is lying down behind the screen when he should have started braking. I did buy his crashed bike to find out what happened but could not find anything wrong with the bike. Jack was a very good rider and in the East-German GP 1969 he finished 9^th in the 500 on his Matchless". Submitted by Bo Granath. Click on image to enlarge.

Robin FITTON - German GP - 12 July 1970, Nürburgring (click on thumbnail to enlarge). Edwin Robin Fitton (b. Leeds, 1928) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Leeds, West Yorkshire. Fitton's racing career commenced in 1951. His first victory was the Munster 100 handicap in Cork, Ireland on 14 July 51, riding a BSA 350. Fitton was an active member of the "Continental Circus" for an incredible 19 seasons. His best season was in 1968 when he finished the year in fourth place in the 500cc world championship. Fitton was sadly killed at the Nürburgring during practice for the 1970 West German Grand Prix. During Saturday practice he crashed heavily at the Wipperman section of the Nürburgring. Unfortunately steel guardrails had been installed on this corner. Fitton lost a leg in the accident and also suffered serious head injuries. He was airlifted to hospital in Bonn; but died in the afternoon.
(More pics here 1, 2, 3 , 4)

Santiago HERRERO - Lightweight TT June 10 1970, Isle of Man (pic here and here). Santiago Herrero (b. May 9, 1943) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was born in Madrid, Spain. At the age of 12 Santiago Herrero bought his first motorcycle. In 1962, he obtained his racing license, competing on a Derbi and doing his own maintenance. He soon moved up to a Bultaco Tralla 125 and caught the eye of Luis Bejarano, the owner of Lube (a Spanish motorcycle marque) who recognized Herrero's talent. Bejarano offered him a job in the company's competition department. In 1964, Herrero finished in third place in the 125cc Spanish National Championship and in 1965, he finished in second. Unfortunately, the Lube marque ran into financial difficulties and went out of business. Herrero decided to go into business for himself, running a motorcycle repair shop in Bilbao. He purchased a Bultaco and competed as a privateer. Around this period, Eduardo Giró, lead designer of the Ossa motorcycle company developed a revolutionary bike with a monocoque chassis. Recognizing Herrero's riding talent as well as his mechanical skills, Giró offered him a job to develop the Ossa 250cc race bike. Together they won the 250cc Spanish National Championship in 1967. In 1968, he would move up to compete in the 250cc Grand Prix world championship. Although the single cylinder Ossa had 20 HP less than the powerful V4 Yamahas of Phil Read and Bill Ivy, the Ossa was 45 pounds lighter and its monocoque frame was much stiffer, giving it superior agility. The Yamahas swept the championship but, Herrero left no doubt that the little Ossa was quick and dependable. He finished seventh in the championship and claimed a third place in the final race of the season at Monza. He would once again take the 250cc Spanish National Championship. 1969 would be a big year for Herrero. He began the year winning his first Grand Prix at the opening race of the season in front of his countrymen at Jarama. After retiring from the German Grand Prix with mechanical problems, he returned with a victory at Le Mans. He followed this with third place at the Isle of Man TT, a considerable accomplishment considering his horsepower deficit on the infamous Snaefell Mountain Course. He triumphed again at Spa and was leading the championship points race when he was beset by bad luck. He crashed in the rain at the Ulster Grand Prix and suffered a broken left arm. Most observers considered his championship hopes dashed, but Herrero showed true grit by coming back to finish in a remarkable fifth place at Imola. At last race of the season in Yugoslavia, he held a one point lead in the championship. He started the race in the lead but crashed on the seventh lap, ending his championship hopes. He would finish third in the World Championship. He repeated as Spanish 250cc champion for a third consecutive year. Herrero got the 1970 season off to a promising start. Although, he retired from the first race of the season in Germany, he finished in second in France and took a victory in Yugoslavia. The Grand Prix circus then moved to the treacherous Isle of Man venue for the 1970 Isle of Man TT. Herrero crashed at the 13th Milestone (Westwood Corner) on 8 June 1970, losing control of his motorcycle on melted tar during the sixth and final lap of the 250cc Lightweight TT. Despite a previous setback at Braddan Bridge when he went up the slip road and crashed, breaking his windscreen, he had battled back up to third place. Stan Woods, who had originally been reported to have collided with Herrero, actually crashed while trying to avoid him. As a result of the accident, Woods suffered a broken ankle and two broken collar-bones. Herrero died of irreversible shock and from his injuries two days later. He was 27 years old. The cause of the accident was described by Stanley Wood as "may have been melting tar on the bend." His loss affected the Ossa factory so much that they abandoned racing altogether. Spain had lost one of their first racing heroes.

Brian STEENSON - TT 17 June 1970, Isle of Man - (photo supplied by Denis Paineau taken at Le Mans 1970 GP). Brian Steenson was a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best season was in 1968 when he finished the year in ninth place in the 350cc world championship. In 1969, Steenson finished second to Giacomo Agostini in the Isle of Man Junior TT. He was killed while competing in the 1970 Isle of Man TT on his Seeley 500. He was 23 years-old.

Herbert ANGERMAYER - 1971 - Austrian-Motorcycle-Trophy , Ziersdorf, Austria (pic courtesy Helmut Ohner). Herbert was killed in a crash at Gettsdorf whilst riding a 500 Linto on the Ziersdorf public road circuit in Niederösterreich Austria.

Rusty BRADLEY - Daytona 200 1971. 1971 was Bradley's first shot at the Daytona 200. Bradley, on a new H1-R Kawasaki, got a great start and was fifth or sixth as the field streamed down the banking for the first time. "I was drafting Dick Mann in that race," Bradley's teammate Frank Camillieri remembers. "I was three feet behind him and bikes all around me, top gear, at 155mph. I remember seeing someone go sliding as we went into (turn) one, but I didn't know until later that it was Rusty." After the incident, Camillieri chose to never race at Daytona again.

Bradley seemed to be trying to make a late-braking move going into turn one. Racer Don Emde was directly behind Bradley when he fell. "I saw the whole thing. I remember thinking as we crossed the finish line that first time around to take it easy. We all had full gas tanks and there was a lot of traffic. I was behind Kel Carruthers as we went into turn one and I just tried to keep some space between us. That's when Rusty came by me. Basically he just got caught up in traffic as the field compressed going into the turn. Rusty ran right into Kel Carruthers, right at about Kel's seat. Rusty went over the high-side and just started bouncing." It happened on the first lap of the race.

Bradley was immediately transported to a local Daytona Beach hospital. It has been said that Bradley was wearing a poorly-made helmet and died of massive head injuries. According to his family, this is untrue. They state that he suffered both aortic and spinal cord damage to his neck in the crash, that there was no blood flow to his brain. The doctors were powerless to help Bradley. Hours after a crash in his first expert race, he was taken off life support.

Christian RAVEL- Belgian GP  500 4 Jul 1971 - Spa-Francorchamps. Ravel lost control of his Kawasaki H1R  crashed at 240 kmh at Blanchimont. He was taken to Francorchamps' hospital but died shortly afterwards.  Christian Ravel was 22. In 1966 he won the 250 class of the French Motorcycle Championship, riding a Ducati and a Yamaha. The following year Ravel started his first World Championship event, the French GP held at Clermont-Ferrand.   In 1969 Ravel joined the Écurie Yamaha-Sonauto. Ravel was hired by Xavier Maugendre, the Kawasaki French dealer, to share a 500 Mach III motorcycle with Pierre-Louis Tébec in the 1000 Km of Le Mans. The couple won the race and Christian Ravel was signed up by Maugendre's Écurie Kawasaki-Baranne, as works rider for the next season, with Eric Offenstadt as team mate. In 1970 Ravel rode a Kawasaki H1R winning the 500 title in the French Motorcycle Championship.

Günther BARTUSCH - East German GP 1971, Sachsenring (pic here and here). Günter Bartusch from Freiberg, crashed riding a 300cc works MZ. He wasl on crutches when he started practice after a crash at Assen. He crashed on the first lap and was killed.

Gilberto PARLOTTI - Ultra-lightweight TT 1972, Isle of Man (pic here). Gilberto Parlotti (17 September 1940 – 9 June 1972) was born in Zero Branco, Treviso, Italy and was an Italian motorcycle racer competing in the FIM World Championship between 1969 and 1972 racing with Benelli, Derbi, Morbidelli and Tomos motorcycles. During the 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, after winning the first two 125cc races of the season in West Germany and France, Parlotti decided to race at the 1972 Isle of Man TT Races to take advantage of his main championship rival Angel Nieto's absence from the Isle of Man Mountain Course.[1] While lying in first place on the second lap during the 1972 125cc Ultra-Lightweight TT Race held in heavy rain, Gilberto Parlotti crashed his 125cc Morbidelli motorcycle at the Verandah section on the A18 Mountain Road and died from his injuries. The death of Gilberto Parolotti helped bring about the end of the Isle of Man TT Races as a world championship event. After his death, his close friend Giacomo Agostini announced he would never again race at the Isle of Man TT Races because he considered it too unsafe to be a part of the FIM World Motorcycle Championship calendar. At the time, the Isle of Man TT was the most prestigious race on the world championship calendar. Other top riders joined his boycott of the event and by 1976, the event was dropped from the Grand Prix championship schedule. 

Hans-Jürgen CUSNIK - 16 Jul 1972 - Czechoslovakian GP  sidecars (passenger) 1972, Brno. Heinz Luthringshauser lost control of his BMW sidecar outfit and crashed into a pole. Luthringshauser was only slightly injured, Hans-Jürgen Cusnik died on his way to Brno hospital.
Hans-Jürgen Cusnik, 22yo, was from Kaiserslautern West Germany.

Renzo PASOLINI - - Italian GP 250 1973, Monza. Renzo Pasolini (18 July 1938 – 20 May 1973), nicknamed "Paso", was a popular Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer in the 1960s and late 1970s.

His unpredictable and unrehearsed racing style made him a crowd favourite. Pasolini's rivalry with Giacomo Agostini divided motorcycling enthusiasts, and while Pasolini's style brought mixed results (ultimately preventing him from winning a world title), it earned him a place in the hearts of many fans. Pasolini was born in Rimini, the son of a motorcyclist. He began his motocross career in 1958, after having shown great interest in boxing as well. A smoker and incorrigible party-goer, he was an uncommon athlete, as was his approach to corners while racing—a dangerous combination of balance and speed which always made him seem about to fall off his bike. After performing well in motocross, Pasolini focussed on road racing while remaining active in other sports to keep physical form. In 1962, he debuted with the Aermacchi 175cc, when his two first-place finishes ahead of Giacomo Agostini spurred their long rivalry. Pasolini took a two-year break from racing to complete his military service and, while stationed in Sardinia, he met his future wife, Anna, with whom he would have two children, Sabrina and Renzo Stefano.

Pasolini resumed his racing career in 1964, racing Aermacchi 250cc and 350cc bikes at the senior level. In the 1965 Italian championship, Pasolini, racing a Benelli, finished second to Tarquinio Provini in the 250cc class and third in the 350cc class behind Giacomo Agostini and Giuseppe Mandorlini. 1966 was a year of varying results both domestically and internationally; most notable was the final race of the Italian championship, which Pasolini won on the then-new four-cylinder Benelli 500.
With a more competitive bike, Pasolini was able to rival the best, and this marked the start of a string of epic confrontations with Mike Hailwood, then riding a Honda, and the revival of his rivalry with Agostini, an MV Agusta rider. The 1968 season saw him second to Agostini in the 350cc championship, after having earned the 250cc and 350cc Italian titles.

1969 brought mixed results, causing Pasolini to lose out to Benelli teammate Kel Carruthers in the 250cc world championship. New regulations in the 250cc classification for the 1970 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season limited the category to two-cylinder bikes, which prompted the Benelli team to concentrate on the 350cc class. After a miserable season, Pasolini left Benelli and joined Aermacchi, fresh out of a merger with Harley-Davidson. Much of the 1971 season was lost to testing the Aermacchi/Harley-Davidson 250cc bike, which took much longer in development than had been anticipated. The resulting bike was not superior to most, and a number of up-and-coming racers increased competition; among them was Jarno Saarinen, to whom Pasolini lost the 250cc world championship in 1972 by a single point. Pasolini lost his life at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on 20 May 1973. The biker was not able to finish the 350cc race because of mechanical problems, withdrawing from competition with four laps to go, and fell during the first lap of the 250cc race. Jarno Saarinen, immediately behind him, was unable to avoid him and fell as well, causing a chain reaction ultimately involving twelve riders and resulting in Pasolini's and Saarinen's deaths. Much debate has surrounded the probable causes of the accident, with the most common explanation suggesting that a spill left on the track during the 350cc race (when Walter Villa's Benelli leaked on the penultimate lap, but the urge to collect championship points led the rider to continue racing despite the leak) likely caused the bike to slide. While it has been ascertained that race officials did neglect to order clean up of the track prior to the 250cc race—one rider, John Dodds, made his concerns known to authorities, only to be met with threats—Pasolini's fall and the damage sustained by his vehicle are consistent with an engine problem, likely a seizure of the pistons. 

In 1986, Ducati Motor Holding, then under the ownership of Cagiva, introduced the Ducati Paso, named after Pasolini and designed by Massimo Tamburini, co-founder of Bimota.

Jarno SAARINEN  - Italian GP 250 1973, Monza

In 1972 he won the World 250cc Championship and came 2nd in the 350cc class.

 In 1973 he won the Daytona 200. Jarno Karl Keimo Saarinen (December 11, 1945 in Turku, Finland – May 20, 1973 in Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy) was a Finnish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is the only Finn to win a road racing World Championship. Early in his career Saarinen won the Finnish ice track racing championship. Saarinen was also an accomplished motorcycle speedway racer. He had studied mechanical engineering and thus could modify his bike in addition to riding it. For example, in order for him to ride using his "hang-off" style, he lowered the handle bars and angled them downwards at an extreme angle. Saarinen began his Grand Prix career during the 1970 season, at the age of 25. He would finish in a respectable fourth place in the 250cc class, despite missing the last three races to return to his engineering degree studies - before the DNF at the Finnish TT he was tied for second. In 1971 Saarinen competed in both 250cc and 350cc classes. Saarinen won his first Grand Prix that year, claiming the 350cc class in Czechoslovakia. He finished third in 250cc World Championship and second in 350cc. His success didn't go unnoticed as Yamaha signed him to ride its TD3 and TR3 bikes, then pre-production TZs for the 1972 season. Saarinen delivered as expected, winning the 250cc World Championship. He finished second in 350cc World Championship, giving defending champion Giacomo Agostini a strong challenge.

Yamaha developed a new, four cylinder, two-stroke 500cc bike for the 1973 season and chose Saarinen to ride it. Finally, Saarinen was ready to challenge Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read in the 500cc class with competitive equipment. Saarinen's 1973 season started amazingly well, as he became the first European rider to win the prestigious Daytona 200 race in the United States on a TZ350 against much larger-capacity opposition. Returning to Europe, he jumped to an early lead in the Grand Prix championships by winning his first 500cc race, then the premier racing, class. His win was also the first win for the new, four cylinder Yamaha. Saarinen went on to win the first three 250cc rounds and the first two of three 500cc rounds, but his bike suffered a broken chain in the third. It seemed he was on the brink of running away with these titles, with the opportunity to complete in the 350cc class if or when the 250cc title was certain. However, the 1973 season ended in tragedy. On May 20, 1973, the fourth Grand Prix of the season was held at Monza near Milan, Italy. Despite the installation of new chicanes for cars during the previous year's Formula One season (one was placed before the Curva Grande and one at Vialone), they were not used for motorcycle racing at Monza. The second-placed Renzo Pasolini fell in front of Saarinen. He couldn't avoid the fallen rider and the resulting crash caused a multiple rider pile up. In all, 14 riders were embroiled in the mayhem that resulted. When the dust cleared, Jarno and Pasolini lay dead with many other riders seriously injured.

Over the years, the crash has been subject to significant controversy. The original cause of the crash was attributed to a spill left on the track during the 350cc race when Walter Villa's Benelli began leaking on the penultimate lap. Race officials neglected to clean up the spillage prior to the 250cc race, and one rider, John Dodds, made his concerns known to authorities, only to meet with threats of ejection from the circuit by police. However, some articles have appeared showing photos of Pasolini's bike consistent with the bike having seized.Not only did this incident take the lives of the two top competitors, but after the race, the factory-teams of Suzuki, MV Agusta, Harley Davidson, and Yamaha all joined together to fight for better race conditions. Yamaha went even further by pulling out of racing the rest of the year to honour Saarinen's memory. However, only forty days later, three riders in a Juniors race were killed in the same turn. From that day until 1981, all motorcycle racing at Monza was banned. The tragedy saw the end of a racing regime which had not adjusted to changing times.

Jarno Saarinen's legacy continues to live on. There is still an active Saarinen fan club in Italy. The birth name Jarno became very popular in Italy of many newborn boys in the '70s. One of them is Jarno Trulli, the former Formula-1 driver. Saarinen remains the only Finn to have won a motorcycle road racing world championship, winning 15 Grand Prix during his career. In 2009, the F.I.M. inducted Saarinen into the MotoGP Hall of Fame.

 See tribute here: http://www.ozebook.com/jarno.htm

John CLARKE - TT 2 June 1973, Isle of Man (no pic available). John was from Whittlebury, near Towcester, Northants, England. John at The Bridge at Union Mills in the Lightweight Production race whilst riding his 250 Suzuki T20 Super Six. The machine was believed to have seized. John was riding in his first TT, but, he had raced in the Manx GP in 1971 and 1972. In 1972 co-riding with Lyn Jenkins in the Thruxton 500 on the T20 he had finished 3rd..

Leo COMMU - rode GPs in 1972 and 1973, died at Tubbergen ,Holland -23 May 1973 - Leo's TD2 250 Yamaha contacted Adri van de Broeke's bike at speed. Leo crashed, was gravely injured and sadly died later in hospital.

Eric PINER:  (no pic available) - Lightweight Manx Grand Prix, Douglas Corner, Kirk Michael - 5 Sep 1973. Eric was from Southall, Middlesex.  

Tom GOODFELLOW: - Mallory Park 27 May 1973 - Nigel crashed in the 750 British championship race on a Dearden Norton at Devil's Elbow, Mallory Park. (no pic available)

Kim NEWCOMBE - Silverstone, 1973. Kim Newcombe (2 January 1944 – 14 August 1973), was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from New Zealand. Born in the town of Nelson, Newcombe grew up in Auckland, then moved to Australia (first Brisbane, then Melbourne) in 1963, and subsequently moved to Europe in 1968. He competed in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship finishing second to Phil Read in the 1973 season.

Along with fellow racer, John Dodds, he developed a motorcycle using a two-stroke outboard motor designed by Dieter König. He and the König were the first to challenge the dominance of the MV Agustas after the departure of Honda from Grand Prix competition at the end of the 1967 season. In contrast to his main competitors, Newcombe was credited with the distinction of developing, building, maintaining, and riding the König machine in competition.

On 11 August 1973, Newcombe was seriously injured at a non-championship event at Silverstone at Stowe Corner. After taking his customary walk of the track prior to the event, Newcombe had requested that hay bales be positioned on the outside of Stowe Corner before the race but race officials refused, stating they were "not required". In the race itself, Newcombe slid off the circuit at that very corner, and collided with the concrete barrier. He died from his severe head injuries three days later. He was survived by his wife Janeen who was supporting him on tour, and their son Mark (aged four at the time).

Kim Newcombe's story was the subject of the award winning 2006 documentary Love, Speed and Loss directed by Justin Pemberton.

See tribute here: http://www.ozebook.com/konig.htm

Cal RAYBORN - died Pukekohe New Zealand Dec 1973. Calvin Rayborn II (February 20, 1940 – December 29, 1973 (aged 33)) was a top American motorcycle road racer in the 1960s and early 1970s. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Rayborn began riding motorcycles at an early age. He began his racing career in dirt track events in Southern California and in 1964, he began racing professionally in the A.M.A. Grand National Championship, a series which encompassed events in four distinctive dirt track disciplines plus road racing. Rayborn excelled at road racing, winning his first AMA national at Carlsbad, California in 1966. His prowess on road courses earned him a place on the Harley Davidson factory racing team. It was with Harley Davidson that he achieved his greatest success, winning two consecutive Daytona 200 victories in 1968 and 1969.[1] He also set two 1970 motorcycle land speed records. He accomplished a tremendous feat when he competed in the Trans-Atlantic Match Races in England in 1972.[2] The Trans-Atlantic Match Races pitted the best British riders against the top American road racers. On an outdated motorcycle with no experience on British race tracks, Rayborn won three of the six races.
At the end of 1973, it was apparent that the Harley Davidson team couldn't provide him with a competitive motorcycle, so Rayborn accepted an offer to race for the Suzuki factory. In late 1973, Rayborn travelled to New Zealand to compete in an auto racing event and to test ride a Suzuki. At the Pukekohe Park Raceway outside of Auckland, Rayborn was killed when he crashed after the bike's engine had seized, and his body slammed into a wall close to the track.
Rayborn was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

Phil HASLAM - Scarborough 7 Jul 1974. Phil Haslam was from Langley Mill, near Heanor, Derbyshire. He was famous for breaking the 100 mph barrier in the Manx Grand Prix. In fact in the 1973 Junior Manx, he lapped twice over the ton and set two practice laps at 102 mph. In 1973 he won the Grovewood award as one of the most promising riders of the season. He had started racing in 1969 with a 250 cc Suzuki production racer and soon became a consistent winner at club level. Died after crashing into a bridge on his Pharoah Yamaha TZ250  at Olivers Mount, Scarborough in June 1974. His bike faltered as he accelerated out of Mere  Hairpin. Phil raised his arm to indicate he was stopping when his handlebar was clipped by Derek Chatterton, sending Phil across the track and directly into the path of Steve Machin who hit Phil with tragic consequences.  

Steve MACHIN: - Cadwell - 26 July 1974.  The "Lincolnshire Imp". He had 4 GP starts, debuting in the 1971 Dutch TT at Assen, finishing 7th in the 125 cc class on a Padgett Yamaha. He achieved two 5th places in the 1971 Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod, Belfast, 350 and 250 cc classes. From 1970/72 he won the British Gold Star. During his career Steve raced Machin framed Yamahas. His brother Jack, built the Machin Frames. Steve Machin died testing his 250 cc Yamaha TD2 at Cadwell Park, after the gearbox seized on Park Straight.  Just 20 days before, he had won the 350 class at Oliver's Mount. During the 500 race on the same day Machin could not avoid Phil Haslam, who died in the incident. 

Billie NELSON - (November 2, 1941 - September 8, 1974) was a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best season was in 1969 when he finished the year in fourth place in the 500cc world championship. Nelson also passengered for Charlie Freeman on his Norton Manx sidecar racer in British and International races for a number of seasons in the 1960s. He was killed at the 1974 Yugoslavian Grand Prix held at the Opatija Circuit. Yugoslavian GP  250  (pic here and here and here). Billie Nelson (November 2, 1941 - September 8, 1974) was a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.

Peter McKINLEY: - TT 29 May 1975, Isle of Man

(photo by Graham Etheridge, Racebikepics). Peter McKinley crashed during practice for the Tourist Trophy at Milntown Cottage on a TZ700  Padgett Yamaha. 

Phil GURNER: - TT - 4 Jun 1975, Isle of Man. Phil crashed during the 1975 Senior Tourist Trophy. The accident happened at Milntown Cottage, in the same place where Peter McKinley was killed in practice.Phil was riding an over-bored Yamaha TZ350. 

Rolf THIELE - Dutch TT - 28 June 1975, Assen. Crashed his TZ250 Yamaha at "De Bult" with tragic consequences. 

(see www.oldracephotos.com for prints)

Otello BUSCHERINI - ItalianGP 1976, Mugello (pic here and here). Otello Buscherini (January 19, 1949 in Forlì - May 16, 1976 in Mugello) was an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best years were in 1973 when he won two Grand Prix races and in 1974 when he finished the season in fourth place in the 125cc world championship. Buscherini was killed during the 1976 Nations Grand Prix at Mugello. He won three Grand Prix races during his career.

Paolo TORDI - ItalianGP 16 May 1976, Mugello. 

Walter WORNER:  (no pic available) - TT 7 June 1976, Isle of Man. Walter was passenger to Siegfried Maier on a 500 Yamaha powered outfit in the Sidecar TT which crashed and burst into flames at Greeba Castle

Les KENNY - TT 12 June 1976, Isle of Man. Crashed in the 250cc Lightweight TT when his Yamaha seized at Union Mills.

 Pic from TZ350 and 250 website - by Chris Baker

Pat EVANS - Imola - 6 April 1977 - see photo tribute here. 

Pat crashed at 200 kph riding a Harris Yamaha TZ750 at the Tamburello corner of the 200 Miglia AGV Imola race

Mike PATRICK - Cadwell Park UK - 24 April 1977. Collided with another rider on Charlies Bend during Superbike Race.

(photo by Graham Etheridge, Racebikepics)

Hans STADELMANN - Austrian GP 350 1 May 1977, Salzburgring. Killed in controversial circumstances. Swiss rider Hans Stadelmann crashed when Franco Uncini fell and brought down Cecotto, Fernandez and Braun. Stadelmann crashed into the fallen bikes at speed. After Uncini's crash no yellow flags were displayed allowing Stadelmann to hit debris on the track. Even so no flags were shown. A number of riders stopped, grabbed the yellow flags and began waving furiously to warn of the risk. It took 8 more laps for the race to be stopped. After this debacle all the top riders of the 500 class refused to start the race. This disastrous race added to the tension with the FIM and raised rider concerns with track safety.

Phil BOSCO - Croft 17 Sep 1977. Midlands rider Phil Bosco was killed at the North East Racing Club's British Championshipon his 750 Yamaha. 

The Motosport Memorial site notes that "Phil Bosco had won the Cadwell Conquerer Golden Helmet just nineteen days before his death. He was the fifth holder to be killed along with  Geoff Barry,  Peter McKinley,  Billie Nelson, all killed in racing accidents and Ken Redfern, who died in a road accident in 1973. Coincidentally the race in which Phil Bosco was killed was just the "Ken Redfern Trophy". Following a request of Cadwell owner Chas Wilkinson, the Golden Helmet, which was considered a jinxed trophy, was buried alongside Phil Bosco's body at the King's Norton Cemetery in Birmingham".

(pic courtesy - Graham Etheridge)

Ulrich GRAF - Yugoslavian GP 50 - 19 June 1977, Opatija. Ulrich  crashed his Kreidler after suffering rear tyre failure. 

Giovanni ZIGIOTTO - Yugoslavian GP - 19 June 1977, Opatija. Zigiotto's Harley Davidson seized practice for the 250 class.  Giovanni was hit by Swedish rider Per-Edvard Carlsson who was following him. Ziggiotto passed away on 29 June 1977.

Geoff BARRY - Ulster - 1977 Killinchy 150. Geoff Barry was killed in a Killinchy 150 race crash in Ulster. He was leading the 1000 cc race when he crashed his 750 Yamaha at Tournagrough, a fast left-hander on the Dundrod circuit, near Belfast. The previous lap Barry had recorded the quikest Killinchy lap of 111.68 mph. 

Geoff Barry's most notable success was winning the 1000 cc class at the 1976 Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod.

In 1977 he had ridden with Tony Rutter in the Honda GB endurance team and also alongside Kork Ballington and Stu Avant. Barry was also a development rider with Barry Hart's Sparton Phoenix project.

 (Photo by Graham Etheridge, Racebikepics)

Johan BOSHOFF ("Bossie")- Kylami - 11 June 1977 - (entry contributed by Jon Ekerold). Johan Boshoff crashed his works BP Yamaha OW31 750 at Jukskei Sweep in Kyalami during practice for the Republic Trophy Races. He died in hospital in Johannesburg on 17 June 1977, aged 36.

Norman TRICOGLUS:  (no pic available) - Manx GP IOM - 3 September 1977. Englishman Norman Tricoglus died in practice session for the Senior Manx Grand Prix after crashing his 500 Yamaha at Rhencullen.

Graham WARING: - Oliver's Mount, Scarborough - Scarborough Gold Cup International - 10 Sep 1978 - Graham's Aunt, Rene Norton, has kindly supplied a photo of Graham (click to enlarge). Graham sadly died 2 weeks before his planned wedding.
Graham Waring's bike seized coming into the start straight during a race.

Mac HOBSON - IOM TT - 5 June 1978 - Mac Hobson and his passenger Kenny Birch were killed during the first lap of the 1978 Isle of Man TT when their sidecar crashed at Bray Hill. 

Kenny BIRCH - IOM TT 5 June 1978 - on the opening lap of the 1978 Sidecar TT on the Isle of Man, Hobson hit a manhole cover on Bray Hill at high speed and crashed.  Both Hobson and his passenger Kenny Birch were killed in the crash.  Shortly after Ernst Traschel passed the crash scene only to crash further down the road killing the four times Swiss Champion Ernst Trachsel.

Ernst TRASCHEL - IOM TT 5 June 1978 - crashed his sidecar at Bray Hill in the same race that calimed the lives of Mac Hobson and Kenny Birch.

(www.theimagefile.com)

Mike ADLER:  (no pic available) -  Isle of Man - 9 June 1978 - New Zealander Michael Adler crashed his 350  Yamaha at Glen Helen.

John WILLIAMS - 12 August 1978 - Ulster Grand Prix - His best season was 1975 when he finished in fifth place in the 500cc world championship on a Yamaha. Williams won his only world championship race in 1976 at the 500cc Belgian Grand Prix. He was a five-time winner of the North West 200 race in Northern Ireland. Williams died from injuries suffered while competing in the August 1978 Ulster Grand Prix in Northern Ireland.

Tom HERRON - NW200 Ulster - Coleraine - 26 May 1979 - Superbike race (pic here). Tom Herron struck a lamppost at Juniper Hill. Tom Herron was 3 times winner of the Isle of Man TT and 5 times winner of the Ulster Grand Prix.

Ron TOOMBS - Bathurst Australia -15 April 1979. "Toombsie" as he was known by friends and fans, was a successful and popular Australian rider in the 1960s and 70s. Well known for riding the "Green Meanie" Kawasaki 750. He retired from racing in 1975, after crashing at Sydney’s Amaroo Park Raceway.  4 years later he made a comeback, at forty-six to the Australian GP at Bathurst racing a brand new Yamaha TZ 350F. This also was the first time in his career that he raced on slick tyress. He was believed to have suffered a heart attack before striking a tree on the Mountain. His death stunned and saddened the Australian motorcycling and racing community. A memorial plaque to Ron Toombs was placed above Forrest's Elbow on the Mount Panorama circuit  near where he was killed. 

Olivier CHEVALLIER - Le Castellet - 6 April 1980 (pic here and here). Popular rider who was killed in the Moto Journal 200 race on the Paul Ricard circuiat the "Verrerie" bend. Olivier Chevallier (born February 6, 1949 in Vendôme) was a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from France. His best year was in 1977 when he finished in sixth place in the 350cc world championship. His only Grand Prix victory came at the 1976 350cc Yugoslavian Grand Prix at Opatija. Chevallier raced motorcycles designed and built by his brother Alain Chevallier.

Roger CORBETT: - IOM - 6 June 1980 (no pic of Roger available). crashed at Glen Helen during the Classic TT.

Mervyn ROBINSON -Northwest 200 at Mathers Cross - 10 May 1980. Crashed his Seeley framed 351cc Yamaha during the 500 race. 

Geoff FAWCETT - Cadwell 1980  (date uncertain)

(no pic of Geoff available)

Patrick PONS - British GP 500 1980, Silverstone (pic here). Patrick Pons (December 24, 1952 in Paris - August 10, 1980) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from France. His best year was in 1974 when he finished in third place in the 250cc and the 350cc world championships. Pons became the first Frenchman to win an F.I.M. world championship when he won the 1979 Formula 750 title. In 1980, he won the prestigious Daytona 200. He was killed in 1980 at the British Grand Prix.

Malcolm WHITE - British GP Sidecars 10 August 1980, Silverstone. Killed after colliding with the sidecar of Yvan Trolliet going into Woodcote Corner

Michel ROUGERIE - Yugoslavian GP 350 1981, Rijeka (pic here and here). Michel Rougerie (April 21, 1950 in Montreuil-sous-Bois - May 31, 1981 in Rijeka) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from France. His best year was in 1975 when he won the two races and finished in second place in the 250cc world championship behind his Harley Davidson team-mate Walter Villa. Rougerie actually scored more points than Villa that season, but because only the best six results of the season were counted, he lost the championship. He was killed in 1981 while competing at the Yugoslavian Grand Prix.

Ken BLAKE - Isle of Man TT, June 9 1981. Ken was killed during the 500 Tourist Trophy. His 350 Yamaha, fitted with a rear slick aquaplaned following a shower of rain at Ballagarey, five miles past the Douglas grandstand.  He achieved lasting fame on a Suzuki RG500 in 1976 when he beat MV World Champion Giacomo Agostini in the Australian Swann Series Australian 500 TT at Laverton Airbase. He made his European debut in 1978 on a works Honda at the Bol d'Or 24-hour race.  

Sauro PAZZAGLIA - during practice for the San Marino GP 14 Jul 1981, Imola (pic by Alois Ohner)

Dave POTTER - crashed 31 Aug 1981 at Oulton Park during a British Superbike Championship race. Died in hospital on 18 Sep 1981. Dave had won the 1972 British 750cc class on a Norton.  

Jock TAYLOR - Finnish GP sidecars 1982, Imatra (pic here). Jock Taylor (March 9, 1954 - August 15, 1982) was a Scottish World Champion motorcycle sidecar racer. John Robert Taylor was born in Pencaitland, East Lothian, and entered his first sidecar race at the age of 19, as the passenger to Kenny Andrews (1974). The following year he took part in his first race as a driver. Taylor was Scottish Sidecar Champion in 1977. Most of the races were held at Knockhill. He was British Sidecar Champion in 1979 and 1980 at Donington Park. In 1980, Taylor and his passenger Benga Johansson won 4 races, and finished on the podium in all seven events. He collected the only "Did Not Finish" of his sidecar TT career on the famous Isle of Man circuit in 1979. He went on to become a four-time TT winner. Two years later, Taylor and Johansson raised the sidecar lap record at the Isle of Man TT to 108.29 mph (ca. 175 km/h), a lap record which stood for 7 years. In the 1982 Finnish Grand Prix, held in Imatra under very wet conditions, Taylor and Johansson's bike slid off the road and collided with a telephone pole along the course. The emergency services were removing him from the wreckage when a second sidecar team slid into them. Taylor was killed in the second accident. He is buried in the cemetery at Pencaitland, and a memorial to him was erected in the village in December 2006. A memorial also stands in Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy, next to the old motorcycle racing circuit. One of Taylor’s sidecar outfits is on permanent display at the Donington Grand Prix Collection in Leicestershire, England.

John NEWBOLD - NW200 Coleraine Ulster 1982 (pic here and here). John Newbold (December 14, 1952 in Jacksdale - May 15, 1982 in Coleraine) was a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best season was in 1976 when he finished in fifth place in the 500cc world championship riding a Suzuki motorcycle. Newbold won his only world championship race in 1976 at the 500cc Czechoslovakian Grand Prix. He won the 1978 North West 200 race in Northern Ireland. Newbold died after crashing at the 1982 North West 200.

Iwao ISHIKAWA - French  GP 500 1983, Bugatti - on Tuesday 29 March 1983, Loris Reggiani and Iwao Ishikawa collided at the Virage de la Chapelle of the Bugatti circuit. Iwao died of his injuries.

Michel FRUTSCHI - French  GP 500 1983, Bugatti - Michel crashed at 220 km/h in lap 5 of the 500cc race of the French Grand Prix.  His head struck a fence pole and was taken unconscious to Le Mans Hospital where he died  on 3 April 1983.

Guido PACI - Imola 10 April 1983 - crashed at 240 km/h into the outside wall at the Villeneuve corner in Imola and was struck by his own bike, on the 5th lap of the 200 Mile race. (See another pic here).

Rolf RÜTTIMANN - Yugoslavian GP 125 1983, Rijeka -  crashed at about 160 km/h into the pit guardrail at Rijeka Circuit, Yugoslavia, during  the 125cc race of the Yugoslavian GP held on 12 June 1983.

(no pic of Rolf available)

Bob SMITH - Oliver's Mount Scarborough UK - 18 Sep 1983. After striking the fence in the hairpin Bob unfortunately was struck by other riders.

Neville HISCOCK - crashed at Killarney, South Africa 1983. Neville Hiscock (Born 27 March 1951; Died 13 February 1983 was a New Zealand motorcycle racer in the 1970s and 1980s. He raced competitively in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Neville Hiscock along with his equally skilled brother Dave Hiscock dominated the competitive racing circuits in New Zealand and Australia and was just starting to make a name for himself internationally when he was killed in South Africa while racing. He was currently leading the race, when he fell and suffered severe head injuries. He died soon after never having regained consciousness. Neville was killed on February 1983, at Killarney, near Cape Town. Shortly after his brother Dave Hiscock retired from competitive racing, and continued to live in South Africa for a number of years. Neville and his younger brother Dave Hiscock grew up in Stokes Valley, a suburb near Wellington, where they both rode an old BSA Bantam in grass paddocks, and later perfected their skills on the infamous Rimutaka hill climb nearby north of Upper Hutt. Neville and Dave began racing in 1972 at the Gracefield street circuit in Lower Hutt on Commando 750s. Neville finished in fifth place and Dave finished eighth. Neville's notable achievements include winning the Australian Castrol Six Hour in 1981 with his team rider D. Petersen riding a Suzuki GSX1100 and completing 314 laps and winning the New Zealand Castrol 6 Hour while teaming up with his brother in 1982 riding a Suzuki GSX1100 Katana. He also came 2nd in the South African 6 Hour Race[4] which prompted Suzuki to offer him full sponsorship for his last season before he died. (pic by Richard Reeve)

Peter HUBER (pic courtesy Helmut Ohner) - British GP 500 - 31 July 1983, Silverstone. See below.

Norman BROWN - British GP 500 -31 July 1983, Silverstone. Norman Brown (1960–1983) was a professional motorcycle road racer. Brown was born in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland where his father, Norman Brown senior, ran a public house: "The Star Bar", or "Brown's Bar", overlooking the Clanrye River and Newry Town Hall. Brown attended Newry High School. He won the 1982 "Classic race" in the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) and in 1983, he raised the TT lap record to 116.19 mph in the Senior Classic event for machines up to 1000cc. He was killed during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on 31 July 1983. When it began to rain he slowed, apparently due to mechanical problems. With greatly reduced speed he continued the lap to reach the pits. After exiting the Stowe he held to the outside line and was passed by multiple riders before being hit by Swiss rider (Peter Huber), whose view was obscured by the riders in front of him. The race was not stopped until multiple riders decided to enter the pits voluntarily. Both riders died as a consequence of their serious injuries.

Jack MIDDELBURG - Tolbert Netherlands 1984 (more pics here and here). Jack Middelburg (Naaldwijk, April 30, 1952 – Groningen, April 3, 1984) was a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. Together with Wil Hartog and Boet van Dulmen, he was part of a contingent of Dutch riders who competed at the highest levels of Grand Prix racing in the late 1970s. Middelburg never earned a factory-sponsored race bike, yet managed to post some impressive results. He became the second Dutchman to win the Dutch TT in 1980, and in 1981 he pulled off an unexpected upset when he defeated the defending world champion, Kenny Roberts at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. His best years were in 1979 and 1981, when he finished in seventh place in the 500cc world championships. Middelburg was the last privateer to win a motorcycle Grand Prix in the 500cc class. Middelburg was killed while competing in a road circuit race in Tolbert, Holland in 1984.

Kevin WRETTOM - Belgian GP 500 - 12 July 1984, Spa

Terry HASLAM - Assen Sidecar - 1984.  Terry Haslam was from Langley Mill, Nottinghamshire. Terry began to race after losing his road. He started racing a BSA sidecar outfit in 1976 before buying a Seymaz outfit in 1983. Terry and his passenger John Gainey crashed in the first practice session of the final round of the European Sidecar Championship at Assen, Netherlands on Friday 28 September 1984.  Terry Haslam died instantly, passenger John Gainey escaped with internal injuries.

(Pic supplied by Phillip Wain)

Lorenzo GHISELLI - 1985 - Imola (pic courtesy Helmut Ohner). On the tenth lap of the first round of the Italian Motorcycle Championship held in Imola on Saturday 13 April 1985 Lorenzo crashed his Suzuki at over 250 kmh at Villeneuve turn, the same spot where Guido Paci was killed two years before.  Lorenzo sadly succumbed to his injuries on 28 July 1985.

Mark SALLE - Brands Hatch - Oct 1985. Born in 1957 in Barking, Essex, Mark began his career riding 250cc and 350cc Yamahas at his local circuits, Brands Hatch and Snetterton.  On Sunday 20th October, 1985 at the Brands Hatch Powerbike International, the final race meeting of the year. In morning practice, Mark fell from his RG500 Suzuki and although uninjured in the fall, he was unfortunately struck by an oncoming rider as he tried to cross the track to safety.

Gene McDONNELL - Irish champion, tragically killed 4 June 1986 IOM TT when he struck a pony which had been frightened by a helicopter and somehow got onto the circuit.

Neil ROBINSON - British champion, killed Scarborough 13 Sep 1986. Crashed at Quarry Hills in practice.  Neil was the British 250 champion for 1983. He then raced in GP's on a 125 and later on a 500. He won the world F1 championship in 1989.

Alfred HECK - French GP sidecars 21 July 1988, Le Castellet

Steve HENSHAW - IOM 1300cc Production TT 1989

Phil MELLOR - (British champion, killed IOM TT 1989)

Ivan PALAZZESE - German GP 250 1989, Hockenheim. Iván Palazzese (2 January 1962 – 28 May 1989) was an Italian born Venezuelan Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In 1977, he became the youngest person at the time to stand on a Grand Prix podium, when he finished third behind Angel Nieto and Anton Mang at the 125cc Venezuelan Grand Prix at the age of 15.

Palazzese had his best year in 1982 when he won two 125cc Grands Prix and finished the season in third place, behind Angel Nieto and Eugenio Lazzarini. He was killed in a racing accident at the 1989 German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring. Palazzese was closely following Andreas Preining when the latter's motorcycle engine seized and abruptly slowed, causing Palazzese to collide with Preining and subsequently crashed. While Palazzese was picking himself up off the ground, he was struck by riders Bruno Bonhuil and Fabio Barchitta who both crashed. No marshals or doctors intervened. It was fellow rider Virginio Ferrari who stopped his bike and first came to Palazesse's aid but, Palazzese was already dead having sustained massive chest injuries. He was 27 years old. There is a monument erected in his honor in the Italian city of Alba Adriatica, where Palazzese was born.

Gerold FISCHER - 1990 St Wendel

Manfred STENGL -1992 - Isle of Man (pic courtesy Helmut Ohner)

Noboyuki WAKAI - Spanish GP 1993, Jerez

Ian KING - Irish champion, killed during the Temple 100 in Saintfield, Down, Northern Ireland 1994. Brian Reid was badly injured in the same accident, which put an end to his racing career.

Mark FARMER - Isle of Man TT practice riding a Britten - 1994

Simon PRIOR - German GP sidecars (passenger) 1994, Hockenheim

Yasutomo NAGAI - Assen SBK 1995

Robert HOLDEN (NZ) - IOM  31 May1996 - killed at Glen Helen on his Ducati 916 in practice for the 1996 TT. Robert Holden (1958–1996) was a motorcycle road racer from New Zealand. He was the most successful of all Ducati Supermono racers. In 1994 Holden placed second in the Isle of Man TT, then returned to the 1995 Isle of Man TT to win the singles title. Holden also won in Ireland's North West 200 Supermono class in 1995. Holden died the following year in practice at the Isle of Man TT while riding a Ducati 916.

Holden would ride up to 4 different machines stepping off his Superbike onto a 250 Production machine then straight onto a 600 sports production bike followed by 15 laps and his Rotax 250 GP bike, it seemed at the time that Holden's only rest was during the sidecar race. He was helped early on in his career by Steve Dundon from Wellington Motorcycle Centre the combination of Dundon's experience and technical skills and Holden's hard riding led to many NZ titles.One of Holden's more famous exploits was known as "The Holden Sign" incident. This happened at the Manfeild Autocourse in Feilding. While leading the Open Production Race on his 1135 GSX Suzuki, he crashed at 200 km/h, the bike slid and cartwheeled through a large sign advertising "Holden" cars. The whole incident was televised and was shown on the 6 o'clock news. Holden was unhurt and walked back to the pits to the applause of the crowd.

Later on in his career, Holden teamed up with retired Ducati racer turned team manager Dallas Rankine. The BMS team supplied Holden with eight-valve Ducati 916 motorcycles and a Ducati Supermono. Some of New Zealand's best racing was seen during the early nineties between Holden on the Ducati and Andrew Stroud on the famous Britten V1000. Holden's death at the Isle of Man in 1996 was a devastating loss for New Zealand racing. Dallas Rankine withdrew from all professional involvement in racing after losing his rider and close friend. The Robert Holden Memorial feature race at the famous Cemetery Circuit meeting in Wanganui, New Zealand is named in his honor.

Donny ROBINSON -  Irish champion, killed NW 200 1999

Simon BECK - Killed practice IOM TT 1999

Stu MURDOCH (NZ) - Junior TT at Isle of Man 1999

Owen McNALLY -  Irish champion, killed UGP 1999

Gavin LEE - Killed Southern 100 1999  [Top pic: copyright Robert Fishbeck]

Joey DUNLOP - Estonia 2000 (pic here). William Joseph "Joey" Dunlop, OBE MBE (25 February 1952 – 2 July 2000), was a world champion motorcyclist from Ballymoney in Northern Ireland, best known for road racing. Referred to throughout the sport as "Joey", in 2005 he was voted the fifth greatest motorcycling icon ever by Motorcycle News. His achievements include three hat-tricks at the Isle of Man TT meeting (1985, 1988 and 2000), where he won a record 26 races in total. During his career he won the Ulster Grand Prix 24 times. In 1986 he won a fifth consecutive TT Formula One world title.

He was awarded the MBE in 1986 for his services to the sport, and in 1996 he was awarded the OBE for his humanitarian work for children in Romanian orphanages. Dunlop would often load up his race transporter and deliver clothing and food to the trouble spots of Bosnia and Romania. His humanitarian work was done without drawing attention to himself.

Joey Dunlop died in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2000 while leading a 125cc race (he had already won the 750cc and 600cc events) on Pirita-Kose-Kloostrimetsa Circuit. He appeared to lose control of his bike in the wet conditions and was killed instantly on impact with trees. As a mark of respect, the Estonian government's official website was replaced with a tribute to Dunlop within hours of his death. Northern Ireland television carried live coverage of his funeral. Fifty thousand mourners, including bikers from all parts of Britain and Ireland and people from all backgrounds in N. Ireland, attended the funeral to Garryduff Presbyterian church and his burial in the adjoining graveyard.

The most successful overall rider at the annual TT races is awarded the "Joey Dunlop Cup". A memorial statue was erected in his home town of Ballymoney. On the Isle of Man, a statue of Dunlop astride a Honda overlooks the Bungalow Bend at Snaefell and the 26th milestone area of the TT course has been renamed "Joey's".

Gary DYNES - (Irish champion, killed North Monaghan 13 August 2000). On lap one of tThe 250 Junior race, of the North Monaghan Road Race meeting at Glaslough Andrew McLean was leading a pack of six bikes. Approaching Smithy corner he lost control of his Yamaha and fell into the path of the following riders. Five of them went down in the incident and the race was immediately stopped. Gary Dynes, Andrew McLean and Denis McCullough were very badly injured. Gary Dynes died at Craigavon Hospital from internal injuries. Denis McCullough sustained chest and head injuries, and recovered. Andy McLean died on the way to hospital.

Gary Dynes was from Magheralin in County Down. He won four consecutive 250  Irish Road Racing Championships and was leading the 2000 series at the time of the accident. He was subsequently awarded the Championship posthumously.

Eddie SINTON - Regal 600 race at the Carrowdore 100 road race on the Ards Peninsula, Northern Ireland - 2 Sep 2000. Eddie was from Tandragee, Armagh, Northern Ireland. 

(pic courtesy - http://www.roadracers.uk.com/eddie.htm)

Herbert GRAF - 13 September 2001 - Magny-Cours - World Endurance Race. Swiss rider Herbert Graf fell during practice for the Bol D'Or. Graf, 39yo, lost control of his bike at Estoril corner  He was to a specialized clinic in Dijon but sadly died during the night.

Günter STRASSER - 28 Dec 2002 - testing at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia (pic courtesy Helmut Ohner).  He was carrying out “winter tests” in preparation for the 2003 Austrian Superbike Championship. Strasser collided with a slower rider at the end of the start/finish straight and was killed in the subsequent fall..

Gary JESS -  Killed Ulster GP - Dundrod - 17 August 2002. Gary Jess, from Moira, County Down in Northern Ireland lost his life in an accident at Deer's Leap, during the opening lap of the Superbike race. Jess crashed his Yamaha 750 and was hit by a following competitor.

Daijiro KATO - Japanese MotoGP 2003, Suzuka. Daijiro Kato (July 4, 1976 - April 20, 2003) was a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and the 2001 World Champion in the 250cc class. Kato did not ride his first full Grand Prix season until 2000, when he started in the 250cc, riding a Honda.[1] He won four races that season (of which two in Japan), and placed third in the championship.[1] In 2001, he dominated the 250cc championship. He won no fewer than 11 races, a record in 250cc, and easily won the title.[1] In that season he set a new record for the most points in a single season in 250cc class with 322 points.

The following season, Kato moved up to the MotoGP class (formerly 500cc) racing for Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) in the Fortuna Gresini Racing team. Some strong performances on the Honda NSR500 two-stroke bike in the first half of the season including second place at the 2002 Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez circuit, meant he was given a full factory supported four-stroke Honda RC211V for the rest of the season; his best result on the RC211V was a second place at the Czech Grand Prix at Brno.

For 2003, Kato remained at the Gresini team, now with sponsorship from Telefónica movistar brought by new teammate Sete Gibernau joining from Suzuki. On April 6, 2003 during the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Kato crashed hard and sustained severe head, neck and chest injuries. He was estimated to have hit the wall near the Casio Triangle chicane of the circuit at around 125 mph (200 km/h). Kato spent two weeks in a coma following the accident before dying as a result of the injuries he sustained.

David JEFFERIES - IOM TT May 2003. Allan David Jefferies (18 September 1972 – 29 May 2003) was a British motorcycle racer. The son of Tony Jefferies, also a former Isle of Man TT winner in 1971, David Jefferies was born in Shipley, West Yorkshire, England. His uncle was fellow TT winner Nick Jeffries. David attended Salt Grammar School. Jefferies competed in a range of racing classes including the Grand Prix world championship in 1993, and the World Superbike Championship in 1993 and 1995. He was the British Superstock 1000 champion twice in the previous three years. Jeffries specialized in street courses, such as the Isle of Man TT and the North West 200, where he was a four-time winner. 

At the Isle of Man TT, Jeffries was the:
First rider to lap in excess of 125 miles per hour (201 km/h)
First to win three races during the week-long festival for three consecutive years
Set the absolute lap record for the Isle of Man TT course during the 2002 Senior TT at 17min 47sec, an average speed of 127.29 miles per hour (204.85 km/h)

Jeffries joined the newly formed TAS Suzuki team for the 2003 Isle of Man TT, competing on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Entering the Crosby Village section during Thursday afternoon practise, where speeds can reach 160 miles per hour (260 km/h), his bike hit a telegraph pole, and spun across the road. The following rider, Jim Moodie of Valmoto-Triumph, got entangled in the wreckage and telephone wires, causing injuries to his neck and throat. Both riders were airlifted to hospital in Douglas, but despite the immediate intervention of emergency crews, the massive injuries Jefferies suffered proved fatal. Moodie was retained overnight for observation, before release in the morning to a waiting plane to take him home to Scotland.The parade lap in honour of Jefferies took place at the end of the TT weekend. Thousands of bikes took part, filling the 37 mile course.

Peter JARMANN - IOM - 2 June 2003. Swiss rider Peter Järmann crashed near Parkfield Corner in the "Lap of Honour" parade riding a 1964 TSS Bultaco, which he had ridden peviously in the Pre-TT Classic races on the Billown Circuit near Castletown. 

Martin FARLEY - IOM - 25 Aug 2003. On the final lap of the Senior Newcomers race Martin Farley was killed when he crashed his 600 Yamaha at Alpine Cottage. He had just returned to racing after a 15 year break.

Kirk McCARTHY - Queensland Raceway - August 2004  Kirk Richard McCarthy (18 November 1966 – 15 August 2004) in Melbourne Victoria, Australia was an Australian motorcycle road racer who competed in several major championships both at home and internationally. He was killed in an Australian Superbike Championship race at Queensland Raceway in 2004. McCarthy began racing in the Australian Superbike Championship in 1992, for the Ansett Suzuki team. In 1994 he joined the crack Winfield Honda team, and went on to win the 1995 title. This earned him a factory Superbike World Championship ride with Suzuki for 1996, finishing 13th overall without a podium.[2] In 1998 he did five Supersport World Championship race's (one step below World Superbike, with less powerful machines) on a Castrol Honda finishing only one race in the points. A year in the German Superbike Championship for Suzuki, and two years back with Castrol Honda but in the British Supersport Championship, followed. In 2002 he won the AMA Pro Thunder series on a Ducati (having initially entered the season-opener as a one-off rider),[3] before he returned to Australia, running his family's farm alongside his racing commitments. He was 7th overall in the Australian Superbike Championship in 2003. He contested the 1997 500cc World Championship on a Red Bull Yamaha, (with a best result of 12th and best grid position of 18th.

Juergen OELSCHLAGER - 11 September 2004 - Oschersleben. Jürgen "Oeli" Oelschläger was struck by a following competitor when he highsided oin his Honda superbike. The accident happened during practice for the IDM (Internationale Deutsche Motorradmeisterschaft) championship at Oschersleben. He died fifteen days later - three days before his thirty-fifth birthday.

Andy WALLACE - Ulster GP - Dundrod, County Antrim, Northern Ireland - 21 August 2004. The 1000cc Production Race, first race of the 2004 Ulster Grand Prix motorcycle meeting was stopped on the first lap after a 5 bike pile up at Wheelers Corner. 25yo Wallace died at the scene.

Richard BRITTON - Irish champion, killed Ballybunion, Ireland - 18 September 2005. Richard Britton (1970 – 18 September 2005) was one of Ireland's leading motorcycle road racers before his death at Ballybunion road races. He was married to Maria and had one son, Loris, named after MotoGP star Loris Capirossi. Britton died on 18 September 2005 in a freak accident at a new Irish national road race at Ballybunion, Co Kerry, when the engine on his 250 machine seized. Britton was posthumously awarded Irish Motorcyclist of the Year, the highest honour in Irish motorcycling, on 6 November 2005.

Joakim KARLSSON - TT practice 30 May 2005. Joakim Karlsson was fatally injured in practice when his Superbike Suzuki crashed at Kirk Michael.  He was competing in his first TT. 

Gus SCOTT - IOM - 10 June 2005. During the second lap of the Senior TT race in the Isle of Man, newcomer rider Gus Ian Scott, 40-year-old from Kendal in Cumbria, a motor cycle journalist and road tester, was fatally injured in an incident that happened at Kirk Michael. Mrs. April Bolster from Kirk Michael, a race marshal also died of injuries suffered. According to witnesses, Mrs Bolster was crossing the road to attend to another rider when Scott collided with her. 

Don LEESON - IOM - 2 Sep 2005. Don Leeson crashed his 400 Honda at Quarry Bends during the 2005 Manx Grand Prix Ultra Lightweight race and died of his injuries. Don was well known in the Vintage Club scene and was an enthuiast for Suzuki two stroke machines. (Miss you Don, your passing was of great sadness).

Andy CALDECOTT - died Paris-Dakar - Jan 2006 Andy Caldecott (10 August 1964 – 9 January 2006) was an off road motorcycle racer born in Keith, South Australia. He won the Australian Safari Rally four times consecutively (2000–2003) and was a competitor in the Dakar Rally in 2004 (DNF), 2005 (6th), and 2006.  During the 2006 Dakar Rally he won the third stage, but later died from a neck injury when crashing during the ninth stage, 250 km into the 599 km special stage from Nouakchott to Kiffa. He was the 23rd death in the 28 years of the rally. Even though he pushed himself to the limits he was known for his easy going manner and humility. Prior to his death he had operated a motorcycle shop in Keith. He was married to wife, Tracey, who was expecting their second child and 4 year old caitlin. The local speedway was renamed in his honour.

Jun MAEDA - Japan - died of injuries received in collision in TT practice - IOM - 29 May 2006. Maeda was travelling slowly out of Union Mills when Carl Rennie approached at speed, with Seamus Greene behind. Rennie was able to avoid Maeda, but Greene collided with the Japanese rider on the Ballahutchin Straight. Greene suffered severe injuries and was taken to Walton Neurological Centre on Merseyside. Maeda was critically injured and died one week later on 6 June 2006 in Manchester Hospital.

Terry CRANE - Manx GP - 21 Aug 2006. Terry was killed in the opening practice session for the Manx GP. Forty-six-year-old farmer Terry Crane, from Santon, lost control of his 250cc Honda at the 33rd Milestone. He was taken to Noble's Hospital by rescue helicopter, but died soon afterwards. Mr Crane, 46, was married and leaves two sons.He was an amputee, racing with one leg.

Darran LINDSAY -  (Irish champion, killed Killalane 2006). Darran was fatally injured in an accident during practice for the Killalane Road Races on 09 September 2006. Lindsay was fatally injured after colliding with Ray Porter who was slowing down on a straight stretch of the Killalane circuit near Skerries. Lindsay was rushed to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where he was pronounced dead.Darran had previously won four Irish Championship titles.

Elmer SYMONS - Paris-Dakar - 9 January 2007. South African rider Elmer Symons was killed during the fourth stage of the 2007 Dakar Rally. According to the official release, the fatal accident happened 142 kms after the start of the stage, near the small village of Boumaine Dades, Morocco. It was the first Dakar Rally ride for Elmer.

Éric AUBIJOUX - Paris-Dakar - January 2007. Eric entered in the Super-Production class of the 2007 Dakar Rally with his Yamaha 450WRF. On 20 January 2007, during the 14th and penultimate stage Tambacounda-Dakar, Eric suffered a massive heart attack when he was about 15 kms from the finish-line at Dakar, Senegal. He fell and died on the spot.  Eric was taking part in his sixth Dakar.

 John DONNAN - Tandragee -  5 May 2007. Killed during the Supersport 600 race at the Tandragee 100 Road Race. He crashed along with another rider, Kevin Fitzpatrick on a Triumph, at the chicane  after hitting a straw bale which had been dislodged by another rider. He was thrown off the course and killed instantly.

(Pic courtesy - http://www.roadracers.uk.com)

Marc RAMSBOTHAM (GBR) - Tourist Trophy IOM - 8 June 2007 - crashed at the 26th milestone. He was killed instantly as his machine flew into the crowd beside the circuit. Spectators Dean Adrian Jacob, of Kidderminster in England and Gregory John Kenzig, 52, from Queensland in Australia also died in this tragic incident.

Ollie BRIDEWELL - Mallory Park UK - 20 July 2007. The fatal incident happened during practice during the British Superbike Championship held at Mallory Parkwet conditions. Ollie  was thrown from his bike suffering severe head injuries. 

Phillip HARRISON- 9 March 2008 - Pukekohe NZ. See incident below.

Derek HILL - 9 March 2008 - Pukekohe NZ. died at Pukekohe Park during the final lap of a 600 cc sports production race in the New Zealand Superbike Road Race Championships. Phil Harrison pulled off the track before the hairpin with a mechanical problem. He pulled back on to the track at the exact moment Derek Hill was overtaking him at an estimated speed of 250 kmh. Derek could not avoid the impact and the two riders were killed instantly.

(Pic -  www.tyrewarmers.co.nz)

 Martin FINNEGAN - Tandragee - 2008. killed in accident at Marlacoo Corner during the supersport 600 race at the Tandragee 100 races in Northern Ireland. Three spectators were also injured in the incident.

(Pic courtesy - http://www.roadracers.uk.com)

Robert DUNLOP - North West 200 at Mathers Cross - 2008

(Pic courtesy - http://www.roadracers.uk.com) Stephen Robert Dunlop (25 November 1960 – 15 May 2008) was a Northern Irish motorcycle racer and the younger brother of fellow road racer, the late Joey Dunlop, and like Joey he died after a crash while racing. On 15 May 2008 Dunlop died after suffering severe chest injuries in a crash during a practice session at the North West 200. The fatal accident happened in the 250cc qualifying as the riders approached the Mather's Cross section of the course. The engine on his motorcycle seized and as a result of mistakenly hitting the brake for the bike's front wheel, which was situated beside the clutch on his specially modified bike, he was subsequently thrown over the handlebars at approximately 160 mph. As he crashed, a following rider - Darren Burns - collided with him suffering a broken leg and concussion in the accident. Dunlop was taken to Causeway Hospital in Coleraine before succumbing to his injuries shortly after 22.00 local time. Dunlop had been racing in the 250cc class that year for the first time since the 1994 Isle of Man TT. His son Michael went on to win the race and dedicated the victory to his father.

Ecki BILLERMANN - and a marshall, were tragically killed in an accident during the German Endurance Championship 8 Hours race held at Most, Czech Replublic - Sep 2008

Richard GAMMON - Thunderbike rider - killed in highside Cadwell Park 20 Sep 2008 (photo by www.racingeye.net)

Gyles FAIRCLOUGH - Thunderbike rider crashed  Caldwell Park UK 16 Sep 2008 - died of injuries 22 Sep 2008

Dave OWEN - September 2008 - Maxton Mile USA. Dave was killed during the East Coast Timing Association's land speed race event at the Maxton Mile runaway, Maxton, North Carolina, United States. Owen crashed in the shutdown area after finishing a 215.9 mi/h pass.

Ben LIGHTOWLER - September 2008 - Brands Hatch. Ben from Harrogate, was participating in the final race meeting of the British Motorcycle Racing Club's 2008 Championships when he lost control of his bike at Paddock Hill. 

(Photo kindly supplied by his Mother)

(Rest in peace Marco, we will miss you)