Chequered Flag
One thing that Jack Ahearn and Mike Hailwood had in common was that they both regarded DEREK MINTER as their toughest rival. That may seem unusual given the depth of the competition these two faced, and the fact that Minter won only one World Championship race; the 1962 2500cc Isle of Man TT, but figures tell only part of the story. Minter, a truck driver, made his reputation at his local circuit in Kent, where he was known as the King of Brands (Hatch) and was wellnigh unbeatable on his Nortons. Although regarded as a British short circuit specialist, Minter raced successfully in Europe and in 1960 became the first rider to lap the TT course at over 100 mph on a single cylinder machine. An irascible temperament did him no favours when it came to gaining plum rides, and when he ignored orders from Honda and claimed his TT win against the works squad, he was shown the door. Minter died on January 2nd, 2015, aged 82.