13 replies to this topic

[knickerbrook]

I am looking for the name of rider number 22 in the 1969 125cc TT.

Grateful if anyone can oblige!

 

Cheers,

 

Barry.

[ERIC63]

Fred Launchbury,125 Bultaco

[knickerbrook]

Hi Eric,

 

A belated "thank you" for your reply (sorry - but my broadband has been down for over a week!).

 

Cheers,

 

Barry.

[PJ52]

Was this the race when Fred was lying 3rd, up to arriving at Signpost Corner on the last lap, with double vision and chose the wrong image?     Apologies to all concerned if my memory is playing tricks.

[ERIC63]

I would think that is right.I won the programme in a raffle at Jurby Church when I was at last year's MGP.The programme has been filled in and shows Fred in 3rd.place on the last lap behind Dave Simmonds and Kel Carruthers.However,he's listed as a non finisher in the final results.

[tonyed]

I have '68, '70, '72, '73 all day trips for the 125/Senior.

 

'73 was especially relevant as it was to be my Manx GP debut.

 

Fred was, like so many, a stalwart of the TT only to 'run out of road' at Glentramping in '79   

[Revetts]

I think Fred did actually finish 3rd. but was excluded when his bike was scrutineered after the race and found to be oversize. ("by less than the volume of a teardrop" as was reported at the time) During the week Fred had suffered with engine seizures and had eased the damage out, inadvertantly making the cylinder oversize. He was devastated. As he said at the time, if he knew the bike was oversize he could have eased off, come 4th and nobody would ever have been any the wiser. I'm 100% sure Fred would never have bent the regulations.

[classic125]

That's correct the standard Bultaco is 124.9cc so going a few thou oversize put the engine oversize Fred knew he was oversize before the start but with no pitboards he had no idea he was 3rd until the finish. Fred was a good friend to me and my brother and was the main reason I finished both my 125 tts. Bill Kirkwood

[knickerbrook]

Bloody hell!

After all that, I have just realised that the rider I needed to identify in that race was NUMBER 28 and not 22 (Hope I'm not losing my marbles !).

So please Eric - would you mind having another look at the programme for me? (Number 28 - 1969 125cc race).

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Barry.

[ERIC63]

Hi Barry,

Number 28 is John Ringwood,125 MZ.Retired at Sulby Glen on the second lap(in second place at the end of lap one) according to a pencil note in the programme.

Edited by ERIC63, 20 January 2016 - 21:37.

[knickerbrook]

Thats great news Eric - thanks a lot!

 

It was the subject of an MZ rider photo-quiz on Facebook. Some said Derek Woodman, but I said Ringwood - so I'm vindicated !

(Little things please little minds, eh? ).   

[ERIC63]

Derek Woodman doesn't seem to have a 125 entry in 1969.He's down as having ridden a 250 Aermacchi and 500 Seeley.Non starter in the Junior race. 

[classic125]

John Ringwood was riding the ex Woodman MZ owned I believe by Tony Blain also ridden by Cyril Jones and strangely was prepared by Fred Launchbury  later the same bike put Fred in hospital when it seized at Castle Coombe. 

[tonyed]

Which only goes to prove that we are all related to one another and as our DNA is 99.9% the same as the next persons you'll probably find that Derek Woodman, John Ringwood and Fred Launchbury are the same person and that the MZ was probably a Yamaha.

 

Spooky ain't it