Jack Findlay
Jack Findlay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Findlay circa 1973/74 working on a Suzuki TR500 watercooled twin
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Australian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cyril John Findlay (5 February 1935 – 19 May 2007) was an Australian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is noted for having one of the longest racing careers in Grand Prix history spanning 20 years. He competed at the highest level despite racing as a privateer - that is, not as a contracted member of a factory team - throughout most of his racing career.
Findlay was born in Mooroopna, Victoria, roughly 120 miles north of Melbourne. He began racing aged 15, two years under age, taking the name "Jack" so he could use the identification documents of his father, John 'Jock' Findlay, a Scottish immigrant to Australia.[1][2] After leaving school, he worked as a trainee accountant at Commonwealth Bank of Australia until 1957.[2]
He moved to England in 1958 to race, got a job at the BSA factory in Birmingham, and joined the Grand Prix circuit with a 350cc Norton Manx.[2] He competed in his first Isle of Man TT in 1959. He competed on the Grand Prix circuit from 1958 to 1978.
His best championship result was in 1968 when he rode a Matchless to finish second behind Giacomo Agostini in the 500cc class.[3] In 1971 he won his first race for Suzuki at the Ulster Grand Prix. It was also Suzuki's first 500cc Grand Prix victory.[2] His greatest victory came in 1973 when he won the Isle of Man Senior TT after 15 years of trying.[4] He rode Suzuki TR500s in 1973 and 1974. In 1974, he was a member of the Suzuki factory racing team and helped develop the RG500, with Barry Sheene and Paul Smart. In 1975, he defeated Barry Sheene for the FIM Formula 750 championship.[5] An accident that fractured his skull curtailed his racing career, and he retired in 1978. A further high-speed accident in 1987 stopped him riding motorcycles.
He married Dominique Monneret, the widow of Georges Monneret, and made his domestic base in France and has a son, Gregory Findlay. He was appointed Grand Prix technical director by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme in 1992, retaining the post until he retired in 2001. He was assisted by his fluency in French and Italian.
A bronze statue of Findlay on a TT-winning Suzuki by Philip Mune was unveiled in July 2006, in a park in his hometown that was renamed the Jack Findlay Reserve.
Motorcycle Grand Prix results [3][4]
Points system from 1950 to 1968:
Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Points | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Points system from 1969 onwards:
Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Class | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Points | Rank | Wins |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1958 | 500cc | Norton | IOM - |
NED - |
BEL - |
GER 12 |
SWE - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
0 | - | 0 | ||||||
1959 | 350cc | Norton | FRA - |
IOM NC |
GER - |
SWE - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
0 | - | 0 | |||||||
500cc | Norton | FRA - |
IOM NC |
GER - |
NED - |
BEL - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
0 | - | 0 | |||||||
1960 | 500cc | Norton | FRA - |
IOM - |
NED 11 |
BEL - |
GER 12 |
ULS 13 |
NAT 8 |
0 | - | 0 | ||||||
1961 | 500cc | Norton | GER - |
FRA - |
IOM DNS |
NED DNS |
BEL 8 |
DDR 5 |
ULS 8 |
NAT 6 |
SWE NC |
ARG - |
3 | 20th | 0 | |||
1962 | 350cc | Norton | IOM NC |
NED - |
ULS - |
DDR - |
NAT - |
FIN - |
0 | - | 0 | |||||||
500cc | Norton | IOM NC |
NED 12 |
BEL 5 |
ULS NC |
DDR NC |
NAT - |
FIN - |
ARG - |
2 | 21st | 0 | ||||||
1963 | 250cc | Mondial | ESP - |
GER - |
IOM NC |
NED - |
BEL - |
ULS 5 |
DDR - |
NAT - |
ARG - |
JPN - |
2 | 18th | 0 | |||
500cc | Norton | IOM NC |
NED - |
BEL 9 |
ULS NC |
DDR 5 |
FIN - |
NAT 2 |
ARG - |
8 | 8th | 0 | ||||||
1964 | 350cc | AJS | IOM NC |
NED - |
GER - |
DDR - |
ULS - |
FIN - |
NAT - |
JPN - |
0 | - | 0 | |||||
500cc | Matchless | USA NC |
IOM 13 |
NED - |
BEL 5 |
GER 8 |
DDR - |
ULS - |
FIN 9 |
NAT 5 |
4 | 14th | 0 | |||||
1965 | 125cc | Yamaha | USA - |
GER - |
ESP 8 |
FRA - |
IOM - |
NED - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
ULS - |
FIN - |
NAT - |
JPN - |
0 | - | 0 | |
250cc | DMW | USA - |
GER - |
ESP - |
FRA - |
IOM 10 |
NED - |
BEL - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
ULS - |
FIN - |
NAT - |
JPN - |
0 | - | 0 | |
350cc | AJS | GER - |
IOM NC |
NED - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
ULS - |
FIN - |
NAT - |
JPN - |
0 | - | 0 | |||||
500cc | Matchless | USA - |
GER 4 |
IOM 10 |
NED 11 |
BEL 12 |
DDR 11 |
CZE 9 |
ULS 4 |
FIN 5 |
NAT 8 |
8 | 7th | 0 | ||||
1966 | 50cc | Bridgestone | ESP - |
GER - |
NED - |
IOM NC |
NAT - |
JPN 6 |
1 | 13th | 0 | |||||||
125cc | Bultaco | ESP - |
GER - |
NED - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
FIN - |
ULS - |
IOM NC |
NAT - |
JPN - |
0 | - | 0 | ||||
250cc | Bultaco | ESP 4 |
GER - |
FRA - |
NED - |
BEL - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
FIN 4 |
ULS - |
IOM 5 |
NAT 4 |
JPN 4 |
14 | 7th | 0 | ||
500cc | Matchless | GER - |
NED 6 |
BEL NC |
DDR 2 |
CZE 4 |
FIN 3 |
ULS 4 |
IOM 8 |
NAT 3 |
20 | 3rd | 0 | |||||
1967 | 250cc | Bultaco | ESP - |
GER 4 |
FRA - |
IOM - |
NED - |
BEL - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
FIN - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
CAN - |
JPN - |
3 | 14th | 0 |
500cc | Matchless | GER 3 |
IOM DNS |
NED - |
BEL 4 |
DDR 3 |
CZE DNS |
FIN - |
ULS 3 |
NAT 9 |
CAN - |
15 | 5th | 0 | ||||
1968 | 250cc | Bultaco | GER 5 |
ESP - |
IOM NC |
NED - |
BEL - |
DDR 6 |
CZE - |
FIN - |
ULS - |
NAT 5 |
5 | 9th | 0 | |||
350cc | Aermacchi | GER - |
IOM 6 |
NED - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
1 | 18th | 0 | |||||||
500cc | Matchless | GER NC |
ESP 2 |
IOM NC |
NED 2 |
BEL 2 |
DDR 3 |
CZE 2 |
FIN 2 |
ULS 5 |
NAT NC |
34 | 2nd | 0 | ||||
1969 | 250cc | Yamaha | ESP - |
GER - |
FRA - |
IOM NC |
NED - |
BEL 7 |
DDR - |
CZE - |
FIN - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
YUG - |
4 | 33rd | 0 | |
350cc | Yamaha | ESP 5 |
GER 4 |
IOM 3 |
NED 5 |
DDR - |
CZE - |
FIN 7 |
ULS - |
NAT - |
YUG - |
34 | 6th | 0 | ||||
500cc | Linto | ESP NC |
GER 3 |
FRA NC |
IOM NC |
16 | 13th | 0 | ||||||||||
Aermacchi | NED 5 |
BEL NC |
DDR NC |
CZE DNS |
FIN NC |
ULS NC |
NAT DNS |
YUG - |
||||||||||
1970 | 250cc | Yamaha | GER - |
FRA - |
YUG - |
IOM 14 |
NED - |
BEL - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
FIN - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
ESP - |
0 | - | 0 | |
350cc | Yamaha | GER - |
YUG - |
IOM NC |
NED - |
DDR 6 |
CZE 7 |
FIN - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
ESP - |
9 | 20th | 0 | ||||
500cc | Seeley | GER - |
FRA NC |
YUG 4 |
IOM 4 |
NED NC |
BEL NC |
DDR 12 |
FIN - |
ULS 4 |
NAT - |
ESP - |
24 | 8th | 0 | |||
1971 | 250cc | Yamaha | AUT - |
GER - |
IOM 13 |
NED - |
BEL - |
DDR - |
CZE - |
SWE - |
FIN - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
ESP - |
0 | - | 0 | |
350cc | Yamaha | AUT - |
GER - |
IOM NC |
NED - |
DDR - |
TCH - |
SWE - |
FIN - |
ULS - |
NAT - |
ESP 6 |
5 | 32nd | 0 | |||
500cc | Suzuki | AUT 4 |
GER NC |
IOM - |
NED NC |
BEL 3 |
DDR - |
SWE 10 |
FIN 5 |
ULS 1 |
NAT 5 |
ESP 6 |
50 | 5th | 1 | |||
1972 | 350cc | Yamaha | GER - |
FRA - |
AUT - |
NAT - |
IOM 4 |
YUG - |
NED 7 |
DDR - |
CZE - |
SWE 6 |
FIN - |
ESP - |
41 | 9th | 0 | |
500cc | Jada | GER 7 |
FRA - |
AUT - |
NAT NC |
IOM NC |
YUG - |
NED 6 |
BEL NC |
DDR 5 |
CZE 2 |
SWE NC |
FIN - |
ESP 3 |
31 | 8th | 0 | |
1973 | 500cc | Suzuki | FRA 10 |
AUT - |
GER - |
IOM 1 |
YUG - |
NED 5 |
BEL 3 |
CZE 5 |
SWE - |
FIN NC |
ESP - |
38 | 5th | 1 | ||
1974 | 500cc | Suzuki | FRA 12 |
GER NC |
AUT 4 |
NAT 4 |
IOM NC |
NED NC |
BEL 5 |
SWE NC |
FIN 4 |
CZE 7 |
34 | 5th | 0 | |||
1975 | 500cc | Yamaha | FRA - |
AUT NC |
GER 10 |
NAT NC |
IOM - |
NED NC |
BEL 3 |
SWE 9 |
FIN 3 |
CZE - |
23 | 10th | 0 | |||
1976 | 350cc | Yamaha | FRA - |
AUT - |
NAT - |
YUG - |
IOM 8 |
NED - |
FIN - |
CZE - |
GER - |
ESP - |
3 | 32nd | 0 | |||
500cc | Suzuki | FRA - |
AUT 8 |
NAT NC |
IOM NC |
NED 5 |
BEL NC |
SWE 2 |
FIN 7 |
CZE - |
GER - |
25 | 8th | 0 | ||||
1977 | 500cc | Suzuki | VEN - |
AUT 1 |
GER 13 |
NAT NC |
FRA - |
NED - |
BEL 9 |
SWE 14 |
FIN - |
CZE - |
GBR NC |
17 | 16th | 1 | ||
1978 | 500cc | Suzuki | VEN - |
ESP - |
AUT - |
FRA - |
NAT - |
NED NC |
BEL 15 |
SWE - |
FIN - |
GBR NC |
GER 18 |
0 | - | 0 |
Trivia
The psychedelic progressive rock band Gong composed a video and music memorial about Jack Findlay. The songs Oily Way, that has also been published on the Angel's Egg album, and Blues for Findlay, are often played during concerts. The Continental Circus film of 6 rolls contains music from the album, interviews with Findlay, and impressions from the race track and pits.
References
External links
- "Aussie ex-rider Findlay dies", Fox Sports, 20 May 2007
- Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, 4 June 2007
- Obituary, The Times, 12 June 2007
- Use dmy dates from October 2014
- Use Australian English from October 2014
- All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English
- 1935 births
- 2007 deaths
- People from Shepparton
- Sportspeople from Victoria (Australia)
- Australian motorcycle racers
- 125cc World Championship riders
- 250cc World Championship riders
- 350cc World Championship riders
- 500cc World Championship riders
- Isle of Man TT riders