ford fairlane 1961
Gary Hocking: World Motorcycle Champion- In Memoriam.
In 2005 I asseverative to make a webpage for my hero in the motorcycle and Way 1 motor racing world, Gary Hocking.
As a effect I received quite a good amount of feedback which I posted on a earth-shaking 'feedback' webpage.
I am very happy to account that both webpages have received many visitors and for a great time "Remembering Gary Hocking" was at the top of the first search folio for information about him in Google's search motor.
Since his 70th birthday in September 2007 I haven't posted any new info but today I'm reminding other fans that 1958 was the ceremonial year in which he started his racing pursuit and so, in 2008 and 50 years on, we still recall him with fondness.
On Sunday, 19th Oct 2008, I heard from a fan who lives in Singapore who wrote the following:
"Sweetheart Annez,
In about 1961, I was 11 years old living with my Dad in Durban. (He was the well loved Hammond organist , Dennis van Rooyen).
One weekend during drill holidays, a relative wih a mechanical behind the scenes attended a braai at our house. With him, was a in reality nice looking and shy young man (Gary Hocking). I only just couldnt believe it when the relative told us that this guy was the just ecstatic champion motorcyclist.! Imagine Valentino Rossi pitching up unexpectedly at a exclusive home. Needless to say, myself and a few friends were in total number awe and I do remember him being such a fabulous unasuming mortal physically. We got autographs and had brief chats. I told every kid I knew that Gary Hocking was my buddy!
I was dejected to hear of his fatal accident in 1962. The related told us that Gary would have been world champ at F1.
I also recollect him saying that Gary had run off and hit a tree.
So sad. What a hair-splitting guy he was. All those years ago. So young.
Thanks for your riposte
Regards
Lynton van Rooyen
Singapore
Thanks for dropping by, Lynton, and, as I told you, my Mom was a big fan of your Dad's music!
########
I have other older messages which I will also pay out with whoever is paying this blog entry a befall..
"Hi Ann,
You don’t know me from a crow - I too lived in ZA for many years, but like so many of that sad boonies’s citizens, I decided that the escalating wrong and corruption did not make the place excellent enough to die for.
I came across your Gary Hocking placement and may be able to help in some small way - for a start, I was the motoring rewriter of The Star, but many years after my predecessor put you in raise with Socks; my own tenure stretched from 1988 - 1994.
I’m also a furious motorcyclist and am glad to say that everyone in my family rides too - my better half has several road and off-road bikes, teeth of breaking her back racing a Ducati at Zwartkops (related Pretoria) in 1986, our daughter(10) has three off-passage bikes and is a polished rider, both my brothers, my sister, both sisters-in-law, pal-in-law and even my 66-year-old step-mother all have motorcycles of varying measure.
Furthermore, my wife is from Rhodesia - and although we met later in CapeTown, I volunteered for, and served in, the Rhodesian army during the bush-war; lamentably, we soldiers won all the battles but politicians distraught us the war, and the then-terrorist leader Mugabe continues to terrorise unblemished civilians to this day.
While at The Star, I met a man called Alan Harris, a former Rhodesian motorcycle racer, who was then the newspaper’s Works Boss; he was a friend and colleague of Socks Hocking, as they went to Europe at about the same every so often.
Alan took his home-tuned Velocette with him to England and whack the factory’s works riders; he was signed up on the catch sight of and a replica of his bike was produced for on sale - it became the Velocette Thruxton - but of course, he received no appreciation - or royalties!
Alan raced at the Isle of Man several times but crashed into trees while racing a Greeves, breaking his back and ending his racing business.
However,he kept his old Velocette and I have had the pleasure of riding with him, on foot-race-tracks and on much bigger, more modern bikes - and watching Alan bump off away from me!
Alan often mentioned his compeer Gary.
Another contact may be harder to tinge, but Doug Pearson worked with Gary at Rhodesia Railways; Doug had many engaging anecdotes from their time as apprentices together.
In fine, I read that it was possible that Gary had blacked out as a consequence of an illness that he acquired from swimming in African rivers; I’m minded not to believe that, as the most likely water-borne infirmity, Bilharzia,makes you very ill before it causes you to wicked out - and had Gary been that ill, no-one would have let him come within 50 feet of a racing car….
Having said that, it occurs to me that I raced a 9-hour Persistence event inCape Town in 1992 with two other guys, while I was pain from tick-bitefever…
I hope that you are skilful to get in touch with both Alan and Doug - Alan is still riding, as I recently saw a model of him in Bike SA magazine.
Good Accident!
Steve Kealy
Writer & Business"
#######
"I used to work as a press cadet at the distinct race-tracks in Natal (KwaZulu-Natal) in the original 60's and had aces to these motorcycle greats of yesteryear.: Gary Hocking, Jim Redman, Phil Announce, Mike "The Bike" Hailwood, Jo Bonnier and others.
I withdrawal one race day at the famed Roy Hesketh Outline (Pietermaritzburg) where Jim Redman had just won his 250cc on a Four Cylinder Honda in the drizzle.
Similarly, Gary won his 350cc racetrack on an AJS in similar conditions. Phil Understand too won his 500cc class on an Matchless.
Then, the zip to overshadow all races took position the following day - where 1st, 2nd, 3rd were all taken by Gary Hocking, Jim Redman & Phil Look over on their respective machines.(They really difficulty to reintroduce a shoot-out between the various classes of motorcycles - for both the MotoGP and superbike categories)
I, as a absolute 13 year old kid tore off family on my BSA bicycle - imagining myself to be my hero - Gary Hocking - speeding finished the line line of cars creeping down the hill towards the Pietermaritzburg Durban intersection.
I had my loaf down, my arms bent in true motorcycle mode - the rain pelting me in my face - sans helmet, when a Ford Fairlane hurriedly broke away from it's lane and false me off the road. I awoke two days later in Greys Convalescent home with a fractured skull - half my visage - one bloody grit/mud-caked kedgeree.
Needless to say, I survived to not only venture to many ensuing motorcycle events in the Natal domain, but myself taking up motorcycle racing - albeit only on a 50cc Suzuki - which I set several lap-records on, as I had perfected two individual styles of cornering - still in use today.
I preceeded SA "Springbok" Superbike Sustain - Richard Borain (my neighbour) whom I inured to to ride circles around and fellow hometown leading man - Kork Ballington, but could not continue, due to monetary constraints. My coach and mechanic was none other than former SA Defender Jack Gray. His son too went on to become SA"Springbok" Superbike Guard.
And yes, I was on hand at Westmead when I saw Gary Hocking's Lotus fly upwards - before amazing the tree stumps. Being of the press-body of men, I found out about his death early on.
Even now, do my eyes becloud with tears, as I trul;y admired and loved this man - for I knew - had that gut sense of foreboding that he was destined to become World Formula 1 Champion as he had become Circle MotoGP Champion before.
owen 'mshengu' greenland
Washington, DC
(Struggling in The Diaspora)"
#######
"Thanks for placing that fairy tale of Gary Hocking on the web site.
I had no philosophy of the history behind that racing driver.
My dad was a 1935 ww II racing champ on 500 cc and I was born in Durban and then moved to Johannesburg in 1961 and I watched all the foreign races at Kyalami.
My epic chute to remember for ever was Jim Clark's last race - 1968 - will never cease to remember.
Gary Hocking sounds evocative. I conceive of about him.
Regrds
Luciano Pontiggia
The Hague - Netherlands"
#######
"Hi there,
What a wonderful situate you have on Gary Hocking.
My Dad - Bill James (William John James) was one of his mechanics and conquer friends back in Bulaway in the late 50's ahead of time 60's, he was not at the event at which Gary was killed, he did however enterprise from Bulawayo to the track to collect the car.
Dave "Squack" Harris, called my Dad yesterday regarding a get together down in Natal mid June '08, they have had a medallion made in memory of Gary and have invited my Dad to usher and say a few words.
Apparently, there will be some big names there ie. Jim Redman.
If you would like any other info, please let me conscious and I'll get my Dad involved.
Cheers
Ashleigh James"
#######
Well that's all I have for this but around!
It's been a pleasure hearing from everyone and I hope the get-together in June went well.
Tone free to send any more info or memories and I will station them on my Blog.
#######
Remembering Gary Hocking..
Gary Hocking Feedback..
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