Gary Hocking, Grand Prix motorcycle champion dies.
Born in Caerleon, near Newport, Monmouthshire, in south-east Wales, Hocking was brought up in South Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) learning to race on grass tracks as a teenager. He moved to Europe in 1958 and began racing for Manchester's Reg Deardon aboard 350cc and 500cc Norton Manx racers. In 1959 he was offered a ride for the East German MZ factory and he finished second in the 250cc championship. Impressed with his riding MV Augusta offered him full factory support for the 1960 season and he rewarded them for their belief in him finishing second in 125cc, 250cc and 350cc classes.
Following the retirement from motorcycle racing by defending champion, John Surtees in 1961, Hocking became MV Agusta's top rider and went on to claim dual World Championships in the 350cc and 500cc classes, in a dominating manner against little factory mounted opposition.
Gary Hocking was deeply affected by the death of his friend, Tom Phillis at the 1962 Isle of Man TT. After winning the Senior TT, he announced his retirement from motorcycle racing and returned to Rhodesia. He felt motorcycle racing was too dangerous and decided a career in auto racing would be safer.
Ironically, later that year he was killed during practice for the 1962 Natal Grand Prix. His car, a Lotus 24, went straight on a fast curve and somersaulted after hitting a ditch. There is speculation that he blacked out on the long back straight because he made no attempt to slow down or steer into the corner as the car carried on into the bank at full speed. He was 25 years old.
