Today in motorcycle history, April 23, 1972
Motorcycle history is made when Paul Smart wins the first major Formula 750 race to run in Europe, a 200-mile roadrace held at Imola, Italy, on Ducati's new 750.
Racing in North America for what seemed like a peasants wage, Paul Smart needed a new gig.
"My wife Maggie phoned me and said that she'd got this ride for me on a Ducati at Imola. All that I knew about Ducati was that they made out of date singles, and I didn't even know where Imola was, but Ducati paid my airfare and there was £500 wages, win or lose, so I was up for it.
"To be honest, I didn't care what the bike was going to be like. We just needed the money to live. I later found out that the Ducati ride had been offered around before I got it and supposedly some riders had refused it because the bike was unknown and the money wasn't very good but as I have said, I didn't care. £500 was a lot of money for us and I was going to race the bloody thing no matter what it was."
The attitude of that time was to win you would need to beat the guys on the John Player Nortons, plus some of the old Triumph/BSA riders like Ray Pickrell, John Cooper, Tony Jefferies and Percy Tait. The press knew that Giacomo Agostini was entered on a 750cc MV Agusta and expected him to run good. MV had put a huge effort into getting one of their new 750's ready for this event. When Ducati pulled in it got everyone's attention...
Ducati had prepared eight bikes for the race. Paul Smart, Bruno Spaggiari, Ermanno Giuliano, and Alan Dunscombe were secured as riders. The bikes had the new factory frames and 750 engines, and all were prepared in a very short time. Wherever possible the bike was lightened, and new 40 mm Dell'Orto carburetors with accelerator pumps were used. These engines delivered 80 hp at 8,500 rpm. But, could they last for 200 miles...
Could they ever! Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari crossed the finish one-two. The party began, the entire city of Bologna celebrated.
"Ducati had also promised me the bike if I won and, with my past experience of manufacturers' promises, I didn't believe them. But I was wrong and sure enough they did give me the bike and I've still got it today and it's now on display in the Ducati museum in Bologna."
In 2006, Ducati produced a 1000cc limited-edition Paul Smart 1000 LE, in recognition of the 1972 Imola win.
April 23, 1972 was also Paul Smart's 29th birthday.
