This weekend’s round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park will feature a special tribute to Scottish ace Robert MacGregor McIntyre. Bob, as his fans affectionately knew him, was most famous for his win in the 1957 Senior race at the Isle of Man TT and his milestone achievement of recording the very first 100mph lap of the famous 37.73-mile Mountain Course.
McIntyre is fondly remembered and during his eleven-year career, when he rode for the factory Honda, Gilera, AJS, Bianchi and Norton teams, his achievements featured five motorcycle Grand Prix wins, including three wins at the Isle of Man TT races, and four victories at the North West 200. He also finished second in the 1957 500cc and 1962 250cc World Championships.
Last month marked the 60th anniversary since his passing, after he sadly succumbed to injuries sustained racing at the Cheshire circuit in August 1962. This weekend, his achievements will be recognised and paid tribute to with a display of the family-owned collection, which have been painstakingly restored, and cared for by engineer Mike Jones from the Isle of Man.
The collection will include two motorcycles that will feature on track with demonstration laps on both Saturday and Sunday. The first is his 1959 350 Manx Norton, the very machine on which Bob made an on board video of riding around Oulton Park, called The Right Line. It also became a winning machine in 1959 where in the hand of Bob's teammate, and best friend, Alistair King, it won the 350cc North West 200.
The second machine from the collection that will be seen on track this weekend during the demonstration laps is the 1959 500 Manx Norton, the bike that Bob celebrated his 1959 Formula 1 TT victory on, with additional wins also that year at Scarborough, Oulton Park, Silverstone and Mallory Park.
The collection will also be featured within the trade area, allowing fans to get up close, with the record-breaking 1957 500 4 cylinder Gilera on display, the actual machine on which Bob McIntyre completed the first 100mph lap at the TT in 1957.
Photo: Paul Cook