Derek Minter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Derek Minter |
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Minter pictured before his retirement from mainstream motorcycle racing in 1967
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| Nationality | British | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 April 1932 Ickham, Kent, England |
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| Died | 2 January 2015 (aged 82) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Derek Minter (born April 27, 1932 – died January 2, 2015) was a famous English motorcycle racer. He competed in exciting Grand Prix races and on shorter tracks. Derek was born in Ickham, Kent, England. He was a very skilled rider who raced many different types of motorcycles from 1955 to 1967.
His best year was in 1958. He finished fifth in the 500 cc World Championship. In 1960, Minter won the North West 200 race in Northern Ireland. Then, in 1962, he won the 250 cc Lightweight TT at the famous Isle of Man TT race.
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Growing Up and Starting to Race
Derek Minter was born in a small village called Ickham. He went to primary school in Littlebourne and then secondary school in Sturry. At school, he learned how to grow fruits and vegetables. He also worked on a local fruit farm during his school holidays.
Derek started his first job as an apprentice electrician. But he also worked evenings and weekends on a farm. He did this to earn extra money to buy his first motorcycle in 1948. It was a 350 cc BSA, which he also used for off-road riding.
After serving in the Royal Air Force, Derek worked for a motorcycle dealer named Ray Hallet. Ray Hallet was also a racer. Derek went with him to the Isle of Man as his mechanic for a big race. Hallet then gave Derek a CB34 500 cc BSA Gold Star motorcycle to race. This bike was made lighter for racing, but it still looked like a regular road bike.
Minter started racing the Gold Star in 1955. He first entered races for less experienced riders. Soon, he moved up to races with expert riders. In these races, he competed against bikes like Manx Nortons. His racing in 1956 impressed Ron Harris, who imported MV Agusta motorcycles. Ron hired Derek as a car mechanic and created a racing team for him. Derek then got to race 350 cc and 500 cc Manx Nortons.
Racing Success in the Middle Years
Derek Minter continued to be very successful. In 1960, he became the first rider to complete a lap of the Isle of Man TT course at over 100 miles per hour on a single-cylinder motorcycle. This amazing achievement led him to ride for other famous motorcycle brands like Bianchi, Moto Morini, and MZ.
In 1962, Derek won the 250 cc TT race. He rode a Honda 4 motorcycle provided by Honda Ltd. Over the years, he learned that racing as a "guest" rider for different teams often earned him more money than being part of one factory team.
For the 1963 racing season, Derek Minter joined Geoff Duke's Scuderia Gilera team. His new teammate was John Hartle. The team planned to use older Gilera bikes from the 1950s. These bikes were still very fast with new tire technology. The team wanted to challenge the top rider, Mike Hailwood, who rode for MV Agusta. They had early wins at Silverstone and Brands Hatch in the UK, and Imola in Italy.
In May 1963, while racing at Brands Hatch, Derek Minter had a serious accident. He was badly injured. Another rider involved in the accident, Dave Downer, sadly passed away.
While Derek was recovering, another rider named Phil Read temporarily took his place in the Gilera team. In June, at the Isle of Man TT, the team finished second and third. At the Dutch TT in Assen, they won first and second place.
Minter recovered quickly from his injuries. He returned to racing at Oulton Park and then rejoined his team for the Ulster GP in August. There, Gilera again finished second and third. In the East German GP, Minter finished second. The Scuderia Duke team stopped racing at the end of 1963.
Final Years of Racing
Derek Minter went on to win many more races. He rode Manx Nortons, a 250 cc Cotton Telstar, and later Seeley 350s and 500s. He retired from professional road racing in 1967.
After he stopped racing, Derek Minter worked in the road transport industry. He owned and drove a large truck, often delivering trailers from Europe to places across the UK. His home was near the Dover ferry terminal in Kent.
In the 1990s, he returned to the tracks for fun. He rode classic motorcycles in special events. However, an accident at Darley Moor in 2000 finally ended his sport-riding career. Derek Minter passed away in 2015.
Legacy and "The King of Brands"
Derek Minter was one of the first motorcycle racers to wear colored racing leathers. He wore a green suit during the 1966 season. He was also often featured in advertisements for Lewis Leathers in the 1960s.
At the Brands Hatch racing circuit, a part of the track called the Portobello Straight was renamed the Derek Minter Straight. Derek was so successful and popular at Brands Hatch that the famous commentator Murray Walker called him "The King of Brands." This unofficial title later became the name of an actual racing event at the circuit.
See also
In Spanish: Derek Minter para niños
