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Double World Motocross Champion Jeff Smith is the guest of
honour at the 2011 Off Road Show at Telford on February 12/13th.
The much admired British exile jets over the Atlantic from Wachau
in Wisconsin. Not only will Jeff be the centrepiece of a talk on his life on the stage at 1pm on both Saturday
and Sunday, but will also present the awards to the British Scrambles Champions of 2010 on Sunday. Even better, on the previous
evening there is a dinner for 200 people being organised in his honour at the Holiday Inn hotel just 50 yards from the show
(see separate 'Jeff Smith dinner' page).
Jeff, champion of the world in both 1964 and 1965, ranks as the all time off road legend
alongside the immortal Belgian’s Joel Robert and Roger de Coster, the Flying Finn Heikki Mikkola, and the mighty Swedish
duo of Rolf Tibblin and Torsten Hallman. But unlike any of the others Jeff has continued to race since he left the UK in 1972.
Indeed he still competes regularly in the States, travelling enormous distances across the east/ west divide.
Recently Don Rickman spent a fortnight with him during which they travelled to a meeting and reckoned that Jeff drove 1200
miles to get to it before commenting that such travelling was quite normal.
But in comparing greatness did any of his rivals win SIDT Gold medals? Or did any win two British
Trials titles or their National motocross championship nine times? Throw in a Scottish Six days win, Scott Trial and
British Experts wins and ask whether any motorcyclist, of any generation, anywhere in the world, comes even remotely close.
“As an impressionable teenager he was certainly my hero”, said show organiser Alan Wright. “His regular
ability to time his onslaught on the leader of the race on that final lap was spellbinding. Even now I could listen to his
stories all day. Nobody can tell a story like Jeff”.
Colin Dommett will have the task of introducing him each day and many of Jeff's contemporaries
are confirmed to be at the show to listen.
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Few people have the chance to manage the
career of a true legend of motocross but Dave Grant was so privileged,
and not just for one, but for three such stars - Graham Noyce, Danny ‘Magoo’ Chandler and Stefan Everts . The
extrovert and unbelievable talent of both Noyce and Magoo. In complete contrast the supreme, professionalism, and dedication
of Stefan .Understandably he has a book full of memories of the incidents of each of them and will recall a few on stage as
one of the Celebrated Guests.
In 1971 he took a 17 year old Noyce to the Maico factory for them
to sign him up, he was best man at Graham’s wedding and saw him through the Honda years to his world crown in 1979.
In
1985 he was instrumental in bringing the wild American Danny Chandler to Europe. Danny was already well
known as ‘Magoo’ as a result of his ‘crash or win’ riding that wowed him to the crowds and aligned
him to the cartoon character of that name. But when Danny was on the track, lightning struck and thunder clapped. The crowds
went ballistic. Problem was he just spent too much time flying off the track!
Says
Dave, “ Magoo didn’t have a cornering style. He didn’t need one. His approach was to go faster than humanly
possible down the straights and then worry about finding a way round the next corner before rocketing down the next straight.
When Danny stayed on the bike this ‘bullet train’ attack was unbeatable. No one could get near him on a straight
and no one knew where he was going to go in the next corner. Don’t even ask about jumps! His limit was only ever discovered
when his bike was laying on the track. He was the wild child. It was like holding a red hot rock in your hand. Forever in
my mind are images of him flying, almost paragliding, down every Banzai hill on a circuit before tackling the next uphill
in lunar orbit! His mentor was Brad Lackey. Brad knew Danny wasn’t the greatest motocross champion that ever lived,
but knew equally well he was certainly the fastest ! No
one has ever repeated his infamous four Moto wins in the same year at Gaildorf and Wohlen in the Moto Cross and Trophee des
Nations competitions. Sadly the tragedy that paralysed him as he crashed over the finishing line at Bercy, Paris in 1985 lost
the sport an amazing character. Before his death on May 4th 2010 at the age of just 50 his wish was not to have
a big funeral but to have a race named after him. That’s why I have donated a trophy in his name which I will bring
to the show. It’s for the winning national team in the Veterans Motocross des Nations competition held
at Farleigh Castle each September.”
Dave will talk about Magoo’s 1985
season, his wildly inflammatory words to Alec Wright and Georges Jobe that lost him his Factory Kawasaki
ride, and his grand prix success on a KTM that rocked the Japanese stranglehold, held on the world motocross scene for 5 long
years .
He will also recall the years of Stefan Everts and his trip to Tahiti with Noyce, De
Coster, Carlqvist and Magoo. After steering his stars to world glory Dave also worked extremely closely with the President
of Youthstream, Guiseppe Luongo, the controversial force behind world motocross. Finally he will comment on why Honda have not won a single motocross championship since 2000 when he managed Stefan
to success, before simply walking away and sensationally quitting the sport.
The history of
motocross from Dave Grant’s own recollections is at 3.30 pm on both Saturday and Sunday !
Brilliant
engineer Peter Williams is the Star Guest at the show. TT and Grand Prix winner in the 70’s, Peter
is the son of Associated Motorcycles race supremo Jack and was soon using his degree in mechanical engineering to come up
with radical designs on the track. His best early result was on the 500cc Arter Matchless in the 1967 world title series which
he led for 2 months before the faster MV and Honda in the hands of Ago and Hailwood took over. Even so
4th place was something to be proud of. British Champion in 1970, winner of the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix in ‘71 are amongst his career
highlights. They were topped by his IOM TT win of 1973 on the 750 John Player Norton of which he was both the designer and
rider. The bikes concept was ahead of its time. Alloy wheels and disc brakes were then a novelty. On the same bike he made
best performance in the 1973 Anglo/American match races, compensating for the engine’s lack of power by using its superior
handling and sleek design and his invariable ten/tenths approach. If you have heard Peter speak publically you’ll
be an ardent follower already. Indeed he is well practiced as in the seventies he presented the intelligent face of motorcycling
giving open lectures at universities around the country. A brilliant boffin cum racer who has a god-given ability to make
even the most technical function sound interesting. His description of his racing career and its cruel end is riveting stuff,
especially his forensic examination of several second places in the IOM.
RG Suzuki fanatic Steve Wheatman brings along
a selection of racers from a fantastic collection, which he will talk about on stage. Full factory bikes ridden by Uncini,
Lucchinelli and Barry Sheene are amongst them and one of them will be started up at the show for all to hear.
Commentator Jim Reynolds will be asking the question of just why anyone would want 23 RG Suzuki Team bikes.
Other attractions include a “big
surprise” from the Phil Morris stable. A celebration display by Mike Morris of John Coopers historic Ago beating Race
of the Year win at Mallory including “Coops” winning Rocket 3. A stage appearance by the grand
old man of Road Racing Stan Dibben, world champion passenger with Eric Oliver in 1953 and still as sharp as a razor in his
recall of life “in the fifties” and his part in Donald Campbell’s successful world land speed record at
Lake Eyre in 1964. Club stands from the major players and a hundred racers from the early days up to the
millennium gives entertainment aplenty in the warmth of two February days in the International Centre.
Contact Alan Wright 01789 751422
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