Nationality British | Name Stuart Graham | |
Born 9 January 1942 (age 82) ( 1942-01-09 ) | ||
Animalistic mma stuart graham vs will cairns
Biography: Stuart Graham (born 9 January 1942) is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Saloon car racing specialist.
Contents
He is the son of the 1949 500cc world champion, Leslie Graham.
Stuart Graham, a winner on both two and four wheels has enjoyed a successful and unusual racing career.
Born into a racing family, Stuart's father was 1949 500cc World Champion and IOM TT winner Les Graham,sadly tragedy struck when Les suffered a fatal accident in the 1953 IOM TT riding an MV Agusta. However this did not subsequently deter Stuart from following his own racing dreams..
Racing m/cycles from 1961-1970, Stuart progressed from 250 Aermacchi, to 350 AJS 7R & 500 Matchless G50 racing in his first IOM TT in 1964.Following increasing success and experience in 1965, a full time professional season in World Championship GP's was planned for 1966. So Stuart and his young wife Margaret set off on their ambitious continental GP travels.
Impressive performances in the early GP'of that year, including 2nd to Agostini in the 500cc Belgian GP at Spa,soon earned him a place in the factory Honda team as teammate to Mike Hailwood on the fabulous 250cc Honda six cyl. Quite an achievement for his first year in GP's. Several good races included 2nd to Hailwood in the TT, and in Finland, other similar results at Ulster and Monza were thwarted by mechanical problems. A memorable year, and a great start to his professional works career, whilst also mastering the daunting GP road circuits .
For 1967,Stuart joined Suzuki to ride their amazing 50&125cc 2 strokes,and enjoyed a successful year, adapting well to these complex high revving machines, highlights included a wonderfully emotional victory in the 50cc TT, after narrowly losing out to Phil Read in the 125 TT, and also winning the Finnish GP at Imatra, the final GP in Japan, saw Stuart 2nd on the 50,and taking the all new V4 125 to an excellent 2nd to Bill Ivy in its first race. 3rd in both 50&125 W/Champs was reward for a consistently successful first year with Suzuki, and with a continuing contract, things looked very promising for 1968.
Sadly Suzuki's sudden withdrawal from GP racing along with Honda and other Japanese manufacturers, was a big blow to the sport, and meant that Stuart's W/Champ ambitions remained unfulfilled. After a couple of successful winning years racing the 125 Suzuki supplied to him by the factory, in non Champ international events, including World Endurance records on a 250 Suzuki on the old banked circuit at Monza, and a final win on a 500 Suzuki in the famous Irish NW200 in 1970, Stuart retired from 2 wheel racing to establish a garage business.
However,having achieved IOM TT success to emulate his late father, raced for the Honda and Suzuki factory teams on amazing machinery, winning GP's;and many races, during a special era,he can look back on a satisfying and rewarding m/cycle career.
By 1973,Stuart had embarked on a second very successful career in car racing, winning races in his first season in Touring cars. By 1974, Stuart's big V8 Chevrolet Camaro, with engines prepared by his brother Chris, sponsored by Brut aftershave, whom Stuart had introduced to motorsport, was the car to beat in the British Championships, and when he won the prestigious RAC Tourist Trophy race,became the first person since Freddie Dixon pre-war, to win both bike and car TT's. To repeat the victory in 1975 achieved a unique record. Stuart also won the Tarmac British Champion Driver award in '74 and '75. Throughout the 1970's Stuart continued to win Touring car races, titles and awards in UK, Europe and overseas, in 5.7 & 7.5 litre Camaros and then as a Ford works driver in Faberge Brut and Castrol sponsored 3 litre Capri's.
Retiring in 1980,to concentrate on his expanding motor business, including a Honda car dealership, Stuart felt his racing aspirations satisfied. But a few years later, the offer of a sponsored Lola T70 GT a car he had long admired, in selected Historic GT events in UK and overseas, proved too tempting. More wins and successes followed, and as the International Historic racing scene grew, so the opportunities continued, including Alfa Tipo 33,then 50's sports cars Cooper Monaco, and Lister Chevrolet proving Stuart's versatility in cars of various eras.
Now into his 7th decade, Stuart still enjoys invitations to drive and race some wonderful cars at prestigious events such as Goodwood, Silverstone and Le Mans, recently adding the RAC Historic TT to his list of wins, and also the occasional opportunity to don his old leathers to demo/parade on a m/cycle, especially an exotic 1960's multi cylinder gem from Japan.
Only a select few have made a successful transition from 2 to 4 wheels, and especially winning TT's in both disciplines, Stuart has achieved a pretty unique record.
Personal Life: Stuart lives in Cheshire with his ever supportive wife Margaret, their surviving daughter Joanne, her elder sister Victoria tragically succumbed to illness at the tender age of 27, continues the family connections with motorsport, working with Mercedes F1.
Stuart Graham Racing CV:
1961. Started M/cycle racing age 19. 3rd in first race (Oulton)on Honda 125cc sports road bike.
1962-65. M/cycle racing in 125,250,350 & 500cc classes. International debuts in IOM TT & Ulster GP in '64,and also Dutch & Belgian GP's in '65.
1966. Full time professional in World Championship GP's on 350&500cc AJS & Matchless. By mid season lying 3rd in 500cc World Championship (to Hailwood & Agostini) invited to join Honda factory team as teammate to Mike Hailwood on 250cc 6cyl machines. 2nd in TT, Belgium,and Finland.
1967-68. Rider for Suzuki factory team in 50&125cc GP World Championships. wins in IOM TT,& Finland. 2nd in France,East Germany,Czechoslovakia,Ulster,Japan & IOM TT. 3rd in both 50cc & 125cc World Championships. Numerous International wins,rode 250 Suzuki to International endurance records at Monza.
1969. Started motor car garage business,whilst continuing to race Suzuki in selected International events.Winning 12 races.
1970. Retired from M/cycle racing after winning 500cc North West 200 in N.Ireland on Suzuki to concentrate on business.
1972. Raced 250cc Suzuki engined Karts for fun. Several wins.
1973. Started Production saloon car racing with 3 litre Capri. Won first race in Camaro lent by Les Leston at Oulton inc lap record. Purchased own Camaro and self prepared with brother Chris, won most of races for rest of season.
1974. Camaro in BTCC .Won most of races outright .Won RAC TT outright,achieving unique post war 2&4 wheel TT double. Introduced Faberge and Brut brand to motorsport sponsorship. Winner of Tarmac British Champion Driver award, and also a Grovewood Award.
1975. Continued to dominate the BTCC in 5.7 & 7.5 litre Camaros. Numerous wins and lap records. Won big class again ,missing outright Championship by 2 points.Won RAC TT again in ETC spec Camaro with 102 mph lap record. Won Tarmac British Champion Award for second year running.
1976. Camaros in both European Touring Car Championship and British Supersaloon series. Drove with ex F1 star Reine Wissel in ETC. Pole positions at Spa 24 hrs, Brno and Monza, 3rd overall in Kyalami 8 Hrs South Africa.
1977. Signed for Ford Motor Co.to run 3 litre Capris in BTCC. Continued with Faberge and Castrol sponsorship. Numerous wins in UK and France.
1978. Continued with Ford and Capris in BTCC and also in French TCC .Faberge and Castrol sponsorship. Spa 24Hrs with Brian Miur,(retired from 3rd at 19 hrs).Numerous wins in UK, France and Luxembourg. Also wins in BMW County Championship.
1979. Capris in BTCC .Faberge,Lee jeans and Castrol sponsorship. Also selected Belgian TCC events inc Spa 24 Hrs with Coca.Cola and Gitanes sponsorship.Wins in UK, Belgium and Germany.
1980. Retired from professional racing to concentrate on developing new Honda car dealership and expanded business commitments.
1981. Joined Board of BRDC at Silverstone.
1986. Drove John Beasley's Lola T70 Mk 3B in selected Atlantic Computers Historic GT Championship . Won GT class.
1987-89. Continued with the Lola in Historic GT and International Supersports in both UK and Europe and South Africa.Wins and class wins. Winning final race at Oulton.
1990. Retired to concentrate on expanding business commitments and directorships BRDC and Silverstone. Established the Historic Festival at Silverstone.
1996. Invited to race Bobby Bell's Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 at Thruxton.Won the race. Bobby offered his Lister Chevrolet for selected 50's Sports car events.
1997-2016. Selected Historic events in Lister Chevrolet, Healey 100S,Aston Martin DB4GT, Ferrari 225, Ferrari GTO,E Type,Cobra,Stingray,Galaxie,Jaguar etc at Goodwood Festival of Speed,and Revival.
Winner, Race of two Worlds at inaugural Rockingham event in Lister. LeMans Legends race in Healey 100S, Lister and Ferrari at Goodwood Brabham Honda BT18,and Honda RA272 and RA300 at Goodwood Festival of Speed. also riding 1960's Honda 250cc 6 cyl and 125cc 5 cyl.and other racing bikes. Winner,RAC Historic TT Silverstone, in DB4GT. (co driver R.Attwood) Winner,Freddie March trophy,Goodwood Revival,Healey 100S. (co.driver E.Pirro) Selected invitation bike demos for Honda both in UK and Europe.
Present: Still enjoy invitations to compete at Goodwood Festival and Revival each year,and also recent Goodwood Members meetings in Nigel Garrett's replica Brut 33 Camaro, along with appearances at various Historic 2 and 4 wheel events.
Personal interests include: Enjoying classic 300SL Mercedes, Having retired from business, can now spend more time on hobbies inc. tennis, golf and skiing. Looking after property investments.