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BILL IVY.
I first met Bill Ivy at, once again, in the pits at the ULSTER GRAND PRIX in1966. I had heard about him of course and read of his exploits, both at and away from the track. I just could not believe this man, two or three inches smaller than me, a fifteen year old was such a genius with a bike. Nervously, my mate and I asked for his autograph. I look back and think , why was I nervous? He may have been smaller in stature than Mike Hailwood but he became as big in my eyes. He stopped what he was doing, asked our names, did we ride bikes yet? 'We're not allowed on the roads yet.' I replied ' Just do a bit of scrambling and riding around the fields near where we live'. I added. ' Nought wrong with that,' he said ' that's the way I started.' He smiled. He then asked us where we were standing to watch the race. ' Just before you come on to the straight.' I said and pointed to our 'spot' a couple of hundred yards away 'as the crow flies', explaining how we had a good view on top of the scaffold 'Right.' He says ' I've got to get ready for the race. Keep a look out for me before the race won't you?'............ 'Sure we will.' We answered, slightly puzzled and we made our way back to our position before the marshalls closed the road. Soon the tanoy announced that the 125 race was about to start, reeling off all the rider's names. We could see the machines leave the pits, revving their engines to warm them up. Suddenly one of the Yamahas screamed away from the start line 'the wrong way round' and came to a halt directly below us. It was Bill. He looked up in our direction and waved and then wheelied back to the start line. You can imagine how we, two fifteen year old hero-worshippers felt. Anyone reading this that was there or thereabouts in 1966 and remembers this I and Nigel, my old mate, know it was US he was waving at. Mail me if you were there. I'll never forget Bill, small in stature but to me a BIG MAN.
Born in Kent, England, 1942 Bill began his racing on the grass track in 1958. Geoff Monty, Tom Kirby and Barry Sheene's father , Frank, sponsored him. Despite him being only five feet three inches tall, Bill proved he had a natural talent for handling bigger bikes. He did well around the British cicuits and in 1965 also showing well in the TT the same year. I t was this that led to a full-blown works contract with Yamaha in 1966 who had failed to show in 125cc bracket. Honda now had a challenge in this class and in the first season Bill finished second in the championships delighting Yamaha by winning the Japanese Grand Prix during that year. In 1967, showing incredible skill, Bill made the 125cc crown his own beating off stiff competition from Graham, Anscheidt, Katayama and his own team-mate Phil Read, who finished in second place a considerable sixteen points behind Bill. He did well in the 250 class as well this year, finishing third behind Hailwood and only four points behind Read. the following year was to be Bill's last full season on a bike. I do not wish to discuss the problems that occurred between Bill and his team-mate Phil Read and Yamaha this year suffice to say that I can see both sides of the story. Yamaha's plan was for Read to win the 125 and Bill to win the 250 especially so as both Honda and Suzuki had withdrawn from the Grand Prix scene. Team orders were the order of the day but human nature took over, no reflection on Phil Read I hasten to add, and friends became enemies. Bill announced his retirement from motor cycling. He was tempted back the following year, signing a contract with Java, the high spot being a tremendous battle with Agostini on the 350cc in the Dutch Grand Prix. Tragically, while practising for the German Grand Prix, less than a month later, he was killed on July 12th 1969. I cried when I heard the news. I can still see him now waving to us in 1966 prior to the start of the start of the Ulster Grand Prix.
