Graham Noyce

Graham Noyce (born 18 February 1957) is an English former professional motocross racer. He was the 1979 500cc motocross world champion.

Graham Noyce
NationalityBritish
BornFebruary 18, 1957 (1957-02-18) (age 63)
Motocross career
Years active1975-1984
TeamsMaico, Honda
Championships500cc- 1979
Wins6

Motocross career

Growing up in Fair Oak, Hampshire, England, Noyce was encouraged by his father to start riding motorcycles at the age of 6.[1] He won the British Schoolboy motocross championship at the age of 14 riding a 125cc Zündapp.[1] Noyce left Wyvern County Secondary School at the age of 15 to become an apprentice tool maker for the Rickman brothers, noted British motorcycle frame builders.[1] The Rickman brothers also provided him with a 250cc Montesa on which to compete with.[1]

After winning support races at the 1974 British motocross Grand Prix, Noyce was offered a contract to race for the Maico factory racing team.[1] In 1975, he competed in the British motocross championships as well as selected 125cc world championship Grand Prix races.[1] He finished the season ranked 17th in the 125cc motocross world championship.[2] He moved up to the premier 500cc class in 1976 and won his first Grand Prix race at the British motocross Grand Prix and finished the season ranked a respectable 4th place in the final world championship standings.[3][4] Despite falling to 8th place in the 1977 world championship, his riding talent earned him a place on the Honda factory racing team for the 1978 season.[5][6][7]

In 1979, Noyce claimed the F.I.M. 500cc motocross world championship by defeating a strong field of riders that included his Honda teammate, André Malherbe, as well as Roger De Coster and Gerrit Wolsink riding for Suzuki, Brad Lackey with Kawasaki and Heikki Mikkola with Yamaha.[8][9][10] He became the first British rider to win a 500cc motocross world championship since Jeff Smith won the title in 1965.[10][11][12]

Noyce was still competing in 2007, winning the over 50 race at Polesworth.[13]

Noyce was still competing in 2019 and racing at Farleigh Castle 6-7 July 2019

References

  1. Melling, Frank (1977), "Introducing Our Next World Champ" (PDF), Motorcycle Mechanics, EMAP
  2. "1975 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  3. "1976 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  4. "1976 500cc motocross world championship". akejonsson.com. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  5. "1977 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  6. "1977 500cc motocross world championship". jwvanessen.com. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  7. "History MXGP". hondaracingcorporation.com. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  8. "1979 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  9. "1979 500cc motocross world championship final standings". jwvanessen.com. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  10. Noyce makes his mark with run for the title. American Motorcyclist. Books.Google.com. September 1979. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  11. Skelton, Richard (2013). Motorcycling in the 1970s. Books.Google.com. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  12. "Graham Noyce career profile". bestsports.com. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  13. "Noyce takes a bite". Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
Preceded by
Heikki Mikkola
F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Champion
1979
Succeeded by
André Malherbe
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