Post by neil6147 on Dec 18, 2006 3:43:56 GMT 10
Late motorcycle champion honoured
A Scots world champion sportsman who died competing is to have a plaque to mark his achievements unveiled in East Lothian at the weekend.
Motorcyclist Jock Taylor was killed while sidecar-racing in Finland in 1982.
It has taken since then to set up a memorial which went up in his home village of Pencaitland on Saturday.
The sport includes a rider and a passenger, the latter carried in a streamlined attachment to the bike.
The 1980 World Sidecar Championship winner's other successes included breaking the lap record in the Isle of Man TT event, which became infamous for its crashes.
But in a contemporary interview he explained why he was still drawn to the island.
He said: "It is a tremendous place to come to, it is one of the few challenges left for motorcyclists nowadays."
It was in 1982 that Mr Taylor, who was rated a competitive yet safety-aware rider, was killed in Finland at the age of 28.
His sister, Sheila Davidson, who lives in Pencaitland, can still recall the details.
She said: "The weather had been very bad, it had been raining a lot and the circuit was actually a road but not a proper race circuit.
"He aquaplaned over the water, hit a post and when they were trying to get him out another outfit also aquaplaned and went into the back of him."
Members of the Pencaitland Community Council were responsible for instigating the addition of the Jock Taylor plaque to a stone cairn on the outskirts of the village.
Chairwoman Janet Basset said: "People coming in from the west side into our village will see this cairn with Pencaitland down the side and know we are very proud of him."
James Neil was an early sidecar passenger with Jock Taylor.
He said: "It was hard and fast most of the time. He was a fantastic driver. It was very exciting. It is a crying shame that he's not had the recognition he deserved."
Up to 200 people were expected to go to Saturday's commemoration.
They will include Jock Taylor's widow, Kate, fellow racers and biking fans.
Jock Taylor (March 9, 1954 - August 15, 1982) was a Scottish World Champion motorcycle sidecar racer.
Born in Pencaitland, East Lothian, the motorcycle sidecar racer Jock Taylor - with his passenger Benga Johansson - won the sidecar World Championship in 1980, winning 4 races, and finishing on the podium in all seven events.
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 under very wet conditions, Taylor and Johansson's bike slid off the road and collided with a telephone pole along the course. Taylor was killed in the accident. He is buried in the churchyard at Pencaitland.
THE JOCK TAYLOR MEMORIAL MEETING
WITH Jock being such an iconic figure to the racing fraternity, it was decided that the name of the Scottish World Sidecar champion should be kept close to all our hearts, so the annual Jock Taylor Trophy meeting was born. Jock truly enjoyed racing in front of his home fans, so the Knockhill circuit, in conjunction with the Kirkcaldy & District Motor Club, organised the event. In the past it has seen the calibre of riders such as Steve Webster, Derek Bayley and Barry Brindley all compete for the Jock Taylor Trophy. In recent years Scottish crews have regularly supported the event with Stuart Muldoon and Jock Skene always at the fore.
For the 2002 Jock Taylor Trophy, which celebrates its 20th anniversary, Saw the arrival of the European Sidecar championship for the first time. The organising club managed to get the leading Continental teams coming to Scotland on October 5 and 6 to do battle with the top British crews in what proved to be another fitting tribute to the memory of the late, great legend that will always be John Robert Taylor.
This is the memorial to the Alte Jock Taylor.
At the other end ofthe village of Pencaitland is the Grave Yard where Jock Taylor is laid to rest.
He is laid to rest not far from the gates to the grave yard.
Thanks to all involved for the information.
Jocky you were and always will be a true champion.
R.I.P.
Neil
A Scots world champion sportsman who died competing is to have a plaque to mark his achievements unveiled in East Lothian at the weekend.
Motorcyclist Jock Taylor was killed while sidecar-racing in Finland in 1982.
It has taken since then to set up a memorial which went up in his home village of Pencaitland on Saturday.
The sport includes a rider and a passenger, the latter carried in a streamlined attachment to the bike.
The 1980 World Sidecar Championship winner's other successes included breaking the lap record in the Isle of Man TT event, which became infamous for its crashes.
But in a contemporary interview he explained why he was still drawn to the island.
He said: "It is a tremendous place to come to, it is one of the few challenges left for motorcyclists nowadays."
It was in 1982 that Mr Taylor, who was rated a competitive yet safety-aware rider, was killed in Finland at the age of 28.
His sister, Sheila Davidson, who lives in Pencaitland, can still recall the details.
She said: "The weather had been very bad, it had been raining a lot and the circuit was actually a road but not a proper race circuit.
"He aquaplaned over the water, hit a post and when they were trying to get him out another outfit also aquaplaned and went into the back of him."
Members of the Pencaitland Community Council were responsible for instigating the addition of the Jock Taylor plaque to a stone cairn on the outskirts of the village.
Chairwoman Janet Basset said: "People coming in from the west side into our village will see this cairn with Pencaitland down the side and know we are very proud of him."
James Neil was an early sidecar passenger with Jock Taylor.
He said: "It was hard and fast most of the time. He was a fantastic driver. It was very exciting. It is a crying shame that he's not had the recognition he deserved."
Up to 200 people were expected to go to Saturday's commemoration.
They will include Jock Taylor's widow, Kate, fellow racers and biking fans.
Jock Taylor (March 9, 1954 - August 15, 1982) was a Scottish World Champion motorcycle sidecar racer.
Born in Pencaitland, East Lothian, the motorcycle sidecar racer Jock Taylor - with his passenger Benga Johansson - won the sidecar World Championship in 1980, winning 4 races, and finishing on the podium in all seven events.
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 under very wet conditions, Taylor and Johansson's bike slid off the road and collided with a telephone pole along the course. Taylor was killed in the accident. He is buried in the churchyard at Pencaitland.
THE JOCK TAYLOR MEMORIAL MEETING
WITH Jock being such an iconic figure to the racing fraternity, it was decided that the name of the Scottish World Sidecar champion should be kept close to all our hearts, so the annual Jock Taylor Trophy meeting was born. Jock truly enjoyed racing in front of his home fans, so the Knockhill circuit, in conjunction with the Kirkcaldy & District Motor Club, organised the event. In the past it has seen the calibre of riders such as Steve Webster, Derek Bayley and Barry Brindley all compete for the Jock Taylor Trophy. In recent years Scottish crews have regularly supported the event with Stuart Muldoon and Jock Skene always at the fore.
For the 2002 Jock Taylor Trophy, which celebrates its 20th anniversary, Saw the arrival of the European Sidecar championship for the first time. The organising club managed to get the leading Continental teams coming to Scotland on October 5 and 6 to do battle with the top British crews in what proved to be another fitting tribute to the memory of the late, great legend that will always be John Robert Taylor.
This is the memorial to the Alte Jock Taylor.
At the other end ofthe village of Pencaitland is the Grave Yard where Jock Taylor is laid to rest.
He is laid to rest not far from the gates to the grave yard.
Thanks to all involved for the information.
Jocky you were and always will be a true champion.
R.I.P.
Neil