Geoff Duke

Geoffrey Ernest ( Geoff ) Duke OBE ( born March 29, 1923 in St. Helens, Lancashire, England) is a former British motorcycle racer and six time World Champion.

Career

The name of Geoff Duke is synonymous with motor sport, because he dominated the motorcycle racing in the 1950s, six world championship titles and five times the heavy Tourist Trophy race on the Isle of Man won. Duke became famous when he won the 1949 Senior Clubmans TT and the Senior Manx Grand Prix. He became the first post-war superstar of motorcycle racing and was simply in the racing scene as "The Duke" ( " the Duke ", or " the boss, the chief " ) known.

He was romantically involved with the factory team at Norton TT races in 1950. He finished the " small class " (350 cm ³) as second and broke the lap and race records in the Senior TT, the large class with 500 - cc machines.

After winning three world titles for Norton, he surprised everyone by pulling in 1953 to Italy to Gilera. For Gilera he went three times in the World Championship in the 500cc class a king. His support for a driver strike for higher entry fees earned him a six -month ban, which destroyed the hopes of a fourth title in a row. In 1955 he was the first rider with (initially measured ) more than 100 miles lapped the TT- circuit in the hour, although the value was later corrected to 99.97 mph. As a result, the first round was 100 in 1957 to the racer Bob McIntyre awarded, as well as on Gilera. Duke was in this race does not start because of an injury. His last race was the 1959 Junior TT, which he finished in fourth place again on a Norton. In 1963, his team " Scuderia Duke" was formed to Gilera, to break the power of MV Agusta.

Duke gave a well distinguishable figure on the race track, as he was the first who wore one-piece leather suits - he had his native Schneider instructed to produce him the first of the now famous episode in the leather uniforms. He was born in 1951 " Sportsman of the Year ", won the " Segrave Trophy " of the RAC (Royal Automobile Club of British ) and in 1953 appointed to the Order of the British Empire.

On the Isle of Man, where he had moved out so many records and race wins, one point of the mountain circuit was named after him. Three sharp curves at mile marker 32 between Brandywell and Windy Corner ever since wearing the title of " Duke's ". The motorcycle racing federation Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM ) appointed him in 2002 as the "Grand Prix Legend ".

After his retirement from motorcycle racing Duke became a successful businessman.

Statistics

Title

Isle-of -Man TT victories

In the World Motorcycle Championship

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