Top Men In Europe: Number Five

TOP MEN IN EUROPE: NUMBER FIVE

B. R. Nicholls

GARY HOCKING

"DETERMINATION PLUS” is a very necessary attribute to any potential World Champion and Gary has certainly the right qualification in that direction for he came to Europe to race motorcycles in 1958. Unlike others who have come here with that intention. Gary came with no machines — just a good line in salesmanship — and Reg Dearden, a keen racing sponsor, let Gary have a hike.

It took no time at all to show that he was made of the right stuff, his most successful meeting being the Czech Grand Prix where he won both 350 and 500 races. Then early in the 1959 season, still on a Norton, he was second to John Surtees in the 350 class of the French Grand Prix. Gary had arrived and his progress was noted by the East German M.Z. concern for whom he won the 250 class of the Ulster and Swedish Grands Prix: he was also second in the 125 class of the Ulster to another rising star, Mike Hailwood.

For 1960 the M.V. concern signed him and he made a successful start to the season by winning the 350 French G.P. and then taking the 250 T.T. after finishing second to Uhbiali in the 125 race. Since those days he has gone from strength to strength and it was a feature of his riding that he seldom fell off -this year's T.T., however, was a notable exception.

Double World Champion last year and with a good chance of retaining his crowns this year, Gary was honoured for his services to his country, Rhodesia, by the award of the M.B.E. recently. His lap of over 105 mph in the Isle of Man stamps him as one of the all-time greats in the sport of motorcycling. •