Ray Amm

Ray Amm
Ray Amm
Nationality	Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia
Died	11 April 1955 (aged 27); Imola, Italy
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years	1951 - 1954
First race	1951 350 cc Isle of Man TT
Last race	1954 350 cc Nations Grand Prix
First win	1952 350 cc Nations Grand Prix
Last win	1954 350 cc German Grand Prix
Team(s)	Norton, MV Agusta

William Raymond Amm (10 December 1927 – 11 April 1955) was a

Rhodesian professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.^[1] He competed in the FIM motorcycle Grand Prix world championships from 1951 to 1954. Amm was a six-time Grand Prix race winner including three victories at the Isle of Man TT

when, he died in 1955 after an accident during a race in Italy.

Biography

Born in

Port Elizabeth 200 Motor-Cycle Race in South Africa and despite breaking the lap-record he finished in 17th place when the clutch started to slip. Again entering the 1950 Port Elizabeth 200, Amm finished in 1st place for the 500 cc race and set a new lap record of 95.86 mph. Another win followed in the 500 cc class for the 1951 Port Elizabeth 2000 Race despite suffering carburation problems. After these successes the Salisbury Motor-Cycle Club helped with his passage to compete in Europe.^[3]

Racing in Europe

After ordering two Norton Manx motorcycles before leaving Rhodesia for the 1951 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, Amm discovered on arriving in Europe that they would not be delivered until the start of practice for the 1951 Isle of Man TT Races. To practice on short circuits before the Manx Nortons where delivered, a 'hack' 7R AJS motorcycle was purchased and Ray Amm won the 350 cc class at a Peveril M.C. & L.C.C. meeting in the Isle of Man.

The two Manx Nortons arrived on the first day of practice for the 1951 Isle of Man TT Races. Despite trouble with a gear lever finished in 9th place for the 1951 Junior TT Race at an average race speed of 81.59 mph. After a 20-minute delay, Amm finished in 28th place for the 1951 Senior TT Race at an average race speed of 75.42 mph. For the 1952 Isle of Man TT Race, Amm crashed at Braddan Bridge on lap 3 of the Junior Race. This was followed by a 3rd place in the 1952 Senior TT Race at an average race speed of 92.40 mph, a race that was won by Reg Armstrong for Norton.

Norton Team 1952-1954

For the

Monza

in Italy.

For the 1953 racing season, Amm debuted the controversial

Eric Oliver to set further speed records.^[3]

Again riding for the works Norton in

Windy Corner

on lap 4, the visibility was down to 20 yards and a decision was made to stop the race because of the conditions. This allowed Amm, due to refuel at the TT Grandstand on lap 4, to win the highly controversial 1954 Senior TT Race in 1 hour, 42 minutes and 46.8 seconds at an average race speed of 88.12 mph.

1954 Isle of Man Senior TT 500 cc final standings

Friday 18 June 1954 - 4 Laps (150.92 Miles) Mountain Course.

Place	Rider	Country	Machine	Speed	Time
1	Ray Amm	Rhodesia	Norton	88.12 mph	1:42.46.8
2	Geoff Duke	United Kingdom	Gilera	87.19 mph	1:43.52.6
3	Jack Brett	United Kingdom	Norton	86.04 mph	1:45.15.2

The next event after the

Solitudering. At the end of the 1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season Amm finished in 2nd place in both the 350 cc and 500 cc classifications behind world champions Fergus Anderson and Geoff Duke.^[2]

1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 500 cc Standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Geoff Duke		United Kingdom	Gilera	40	5
2	Ray Amm	93	Rhodesia	Norton	20	1
3	Ken Kavanagh		Australia	Moto Guzzi	16	0

1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 350 cc Standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Fergus Anderson		United Kingdom	Moto Guzzi	38	4
2	Ray Amm		Rhodesia	Norton	22	2
3	Rod Coleman	33	New Zealand	AJS	20	1

Moving to MV Agusta Team 1955

Despite many offers Amm finally moved from the works Norton motorcycles to the factory

Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy. Riding a 350cc four-cylinder MV Agusta in the Coppa d'Oro Shell Race, Amm lost control at the Rivazza Corner as he pursued Kavanagh and crashed in slippery conditions and died of his injuries on the way to hospital.^[2]

Race results

TT Race Victories

Year	Race & Capacity	Motorcycle	Average Speed
1953	Junior 350 cc	Norton	90.52 mph
1953	Senior 500 cc	Norton	93.85 mph
1954	Senior 500 cc	Norton	88.12 mph

TT Career Summary

Finishing Position	1st	3rd	9th	28th	DNF
Number of times	3	1	1	1	2

FIM Motor-Cycle Grand Prix Results [1]

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6
Points	8	6	4	3	2	1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Class	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Points	Rank	Wins
1951	350 cc	Norton	ESP -	SUI -	IOM 9	BEL -	NED -	FRA -	ULS -	NAT -		0	-	0
1951	500 cc	Norton	ESP -	SUI -	IOM 28	BEL -	NED -	FRA -	ULS -	NAT -		0	-	0
1952	350 cc	Norton	SUI 6	IOM NC	NED 2	BEL 2	GER -	ULS -	NAT 1			21	3rd	1
1952	500 cc	Norton	SUI 6	IOM 3	NED -	BEL 3	GER -	ULS -	NAT -	ESP 9		9	10th	0
1953	350 cc	Norton	IOM 1	NED 2	BEL 3	GER -	FRA -	ULS -	SUI -	NAT -	ESP -	18	3rd	1
1953	500 cc	Norton	IOM 1	NED -	BEL 2	GER -	FRA -	ULS -	SUI -	NAT -	ESP -	14	5th	1
1954	350 cc	Norton	FRA -	IOM NC	ULS 1	BEL -	NED -	GER 1	SUI 3	NAT 5	ESP -	22	2nd	2
1954	500 cc	Norton	FRA -	IOM 1	ULS 1 †	BEL -	NED -	GER 2	SUI 2	NAT -	ESP -	20	2nd	1

† The 500 cc race was stopped by bad weather, and the FIM excluded the race from the World Championship.

^[8]

Sources

^ ^a ^b "Ray Amm career statistics at MotoGP.com". motogp.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Ray Amm at motorsport memorial". motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
^ ^a ^b TT Special Page 15. 12 June 1954 edited by G.S.Davison
^ page 69 A Motorcourse History of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races 1907-1989 By Nick Harris.
^ Official TT Race Guide 2004 page 43
^ ^a ^b Island Racer 2004 page 115
^ Isle of Man Weekly Times dated 19 June 1954
^ 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd

External links

TT database rider profile^{[permanent dead link]} iomtt.com
TT database TT results^{[permanent dead link]} iomtt.com

[Ray_Amm_career_statistics_at_MotoGP.com-1] "Ray Amm career statistics at MotoGP.com". motogp.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.

[Ray_Amm_at_motorsport_memorial-2] "Ray Amm at motorsport memorial". motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 19 December 2015.

[TT_Special'_Page_15._12-3] TT Special Page 15. 12 June 1954 edited by G.S.Davison

[4] 69 A Motorcourse History of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races 1907-1989 By Nick Harris.

[5] Official TT Race Guide 2004 page 43

[Island_Racer_2004_page_115-6] Island Racer 2004 page 115

[7] Isle of Man Weekly Times dated 19 June 1954

[8] 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd

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