A South African legend returns to TT races

Paddy will participate in the Lap of Honour at the centenary, an event that pays tribute to past heroes of the TT.

Driver contended in 18 TT races over the period 1958 through 1965; competing in both the Junior (350cc) and Senior (500cc) events every year. In 1961 he stood out amongst other competitors as one of the few that ran in all four races (125cc, 250cc, 350cc, and 500cc).

His best finish in the senior TT was a sixth place in 1959. During eight years of competition on the island he was a regular top ten finisher in both the Junior and Senior events.

In this time he struck up a firm friendship with Mike Hailwood and the two traveled together as they campaigned on the European Circuit. In 1965 he finished third in the 500cc World Championship on a Matchless G50 behind Mike Hailwood and Giaciamo Agostini, who were on new generation multi-cylinder machines.

The motorcycle that Paddy will ride on the Isle of Man is a 1958 Manx Norton (500cc) previously owned by Joe Potts who used to enter Bob McIntyre in the TT and events in Europe.

This famous marque has the distinction of being the first motorcycle to achieve a 100 mile-an-hour lap of the TT circuit that winds its way through the villages of the Isle of Man on roads closed to normal traffic for the event. While no finite history is available for the bike that Paddy will ride, it is possible that this machine is the one that first lapped the island circuit at the magic ‘ton'.

In addition to his ride in the celebrations, Paddy has also been invited by the Earl of March to participate in the motorcycle event at the Goodwood Festival of Speed which takes place from the 22 - 24 June 2007.

This will be his second appearance at the festival. He rode there in 1998 on a BMW Rennsport when Goodwood commemorated BMW's 75th anniversary.