Reg Armstrong
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reg Armstrong was born to Irish parents in 1926 in Liverpool. They returned to Dublin within a few years. Reg Armstrong didn't have a privileged background, but his father started a successful motor factoring business in Dublin and supported Reg's early motorcycle racing as much as he could.
Contents |
[edit] Early Days
A cousin, Harry Lindsay taught him to ride during the Emergency and both rode 16H Nortons. Both joined the Defence Forces, with the petrol ration a prime consideration.
In 1946, Reg rode a pre-war Manx Norton at the Bangor Castle races in Northern Ireland. His was fifth in his second race, a handicap event, the Mid-Antrim 150, and then failed to finish at the Skerries 100. He put in an entry for the 1946 Manx but was refused as his 18th birthday was on the same day as the race.
He borrowed a 500 cc engine and put it into his Norton, and entered the 1947 Senior Manx race without success.
[edit] A Success
In the 1948 Skerries 100 he rode a Tommy Arter AJS 7R to success, boosting his confidence enough to purchase a Triumph GP, with the help of his cousin Harry. He set fastest lap for at the Cookstown 100 on that Triumph, at 74.79 mph, and at the 1949 Cookstown 100 raised it to 75.84 mph. [1]
[edit] Riding for AJS
AJS soon invited him to ride a Porcupine at Ansty, and he managed to come fourth. AJS then signed him for the 1949 350 cc GP World Championship season. Reg took fourth in the Swiss GP, fifth at Belgium, fifth in Holland, third at the Ulster GP, sixth at Monza, and crashed at Silverstone. Freddie Frith was 350 cc Champion, and Reg came second.
[edit] Riding for Velocette
Reg came sixth in the Senior TT on a Velocette.
[edit] Back with AJS
He came sixth in the 500 cc class, and seventh in the 350 cc class for the 1951 GP World Championship, and was then offered a place for the 1952 season on the Norton team. He then went to Switzerland with Stanley Woods, where both injured themselves skiing, and Reg stayed for two months till his fractured tibia healed.
[edit] Riding for Norton
Reg won his first ride for Norton, the 500 cc class in the Leinster 200. He then won the German GP, and the Manx Senior race. It was Reg's most successful season so far, coming third in the 500 cc 1952 GP World Championship, and second in the 350 cc.
[edit] Riding for NSU and Gilera
In the Irish Republic, Reg was now the agent for NSU and Honda. From 1953 to 1955 Reg rode successfully for Gilera and NSU.
In the 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season he came second on a Gilera in the 500 cc class, and second in the 250 cc class on a NSU.
In the 1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season he came fifth on a Gilera in the 500 cc class, and ninth in the 250 cc class on a NSU.
In the 1955 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season he came second on a Gilera in the 500 cc class.
In the 1956 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season he came fifth on a Gilera in the 500 cc class, but growing business interests demanded more of his time and he announced his retirement from motorcycle racing.
Reg did continue in the sport as an entrant of NSU machines, a number of famous riders racing on his machines for the next few seasons.
[edit] Honda Team Manager
In 1962 Honda asked Reg to become their team manager. They won three World Championships that year and two more the following year. By now, however, Reg's Ringsend plant ceased assembling NSUs and changed over to Opels, Reg now being the Irish agent for them.
In 1964 Reg tried his hand at car racing driving with limited success.
He became a good clay pigeon shooter, representing Ireland in the 1978 World Championships, held in Korea.
In November, 1979 the 52 year old Reg died in an accident while returning to his Ashford home. [2]
[edit] See also
- 1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
- 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
- 1952 Isle of Man TT
