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{{short description|Rhodesian motorcycle racer}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox motorcycle rider
{{Infobox motorcycle rider
|name = Ray Amm
|name = Ray Amm
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|GP Last race = [[1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1954]] 350 cc [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Nations Grand Prix]]
|GP Last race = [[1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1954]] 350 cc [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Nations Grand Prix]]
}}
}}
'''William Raymond Amm''' (10 December 1927 – 11 April 1955) was born in [[Salisbury Rhodesia|Salisbury]], [[Southern Rhodesia]], was a famous post-war [[motorcycle]] [[road racing|racer]] famous for two motorcycle Grand Prix wins and 3 wins at the [[Isle of Man TT]] Races in his career.<ref>''TT Special'' Page 14. 12 June 1954 edited by G.S.Davison</ref> After signing for the [[1955 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]] to ride for [[MV Agusta]], Ray Amm was killed in his first race for MV Agusta in [[Italy]] in 1955.
'''William Raymond Amm''' (10 December 1927 – 11 April 1955) was a [[White people in Zimbabwe|Rhodesian]] professional [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|Grand Prix]] motorcycle [[Road racing|road racer]].<ref name="Ray Amm career statistics at MotoGP.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/profiles/Ray+Amm |title=Ray Amm career statistics at MotoGP.com |publisher=motogp.com |accessdate=April 23, 2020 }}</ref> He competed in the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|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==
==Biography==
A motor-trader from Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia,<ref>[http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ms&n=1478 Ray Amm at Motorsport Memorial]</ref> Ray Amm started racing when he was 17&nbsp;years old. After the purchase of an [[AJS]] motorcycle shortly after the end of the [[Second World War]], Ray Amm started grass track-racing near Salisbury in Rhodesia and finished last in his first race. The next season the AJS motorcycle was replaced with a [[Triumph Engineering Co Ltd|Triumph]] motorcycle. The purchase of a brand new [[Norton (motorcycle)|Norton]] motorcycle allowed Ray Amm to enter the prestigious 1949 [[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, Ray Amm finished in 1st place for the 500&nbsp;cc race and set a new lap record of 95.86&nbsp;mph. Another win followed in the 500&nbsp;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.<ref name="TT Special' Page 15. 12">''TT Special'' Page 15. 12 June 1954 edited by G.S.Davison</ref>
Born in [[Salisbury Rhodesia|Salisbury]], [[Southern Rhodesia]], Amm was a motorcycle dealer and managed a workshop in his hometown.<ref name="Ray Amm at motorsport memorial">{{cite web |url=http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ms&n=1478 |title=Ray Amm at motorsport memorial |publisher=motorsportmemorial.org |accessdate=19 December 2015 }}</ref> He began racing when he was 17&nbsp;years old. After the purchase of an [[AJS]] motorcycle shortly after the end of the [[Second World War]], Amm started [[grasstrack]] racing near Salisbury and finished last in his first race. The next season the AJS motorcycle was replaced with a [[Triumph Engineering Co Ltd|Triumph]] motorcycle. The purchase of a brand new [[Norton (motorcycle)|Norton]] motorcycle allowed Amm to enter the prestigious 1949 [[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&nbsp;cc race and set a new lap record of 95.86&nbsp;mph. Another win followed in the 500&nbsp;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.<ref name="TT Special' Page 15. 12">''TT Special'' Page 15. 12 June 1954 edited by G.S.Davison</ref>


===Racing in Europe===
===Racing in Europe===
After ordering two Manx [[Norton (motorcycle)|Norton]] motorcycles before leaving Rhodesia for the [[1951 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]], Ray 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&nbsp;cc class at an [[Andreas Racing Association]] meeting in the Isle of Man.
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&nbsp;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&nbsp;mph. After a 20&nbsp;minute delay, Ray Amm finished in 28th place for the 1951 [[Senior TT]] Race at an average race speed of 75.42&nbsp;mph. For the [[1952 Isle of Man TT]] Race, Ray 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&nbsp;mph, a race that was won by [[Reg Armstrong]] for Norton.
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&nbsp;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&nbsp;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&nbsp;mph, a race that was won by [[Reg Armstrong]] for Norton.


===Norton Team 1952-1954===
===Norton Team 1952-1954===
For the [[1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1952]] [[Dutch TT]], Ray Amm was a full member of the Norton team and was second to [[Geoff Duke]] in the 350cc Dutch TT and retired from the 500&nbsp;cc race. At the 1952 [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|German Grand Prix]] held at [[Solitude]], Ray Amm crashed and broke a leg, returning later in the [[1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]] to win the 350&nbsp;cc class for the 1952 Nations Grand Prix held at [[Autodromo Nazionale Monza|Monza]] in Italy.
For the [[1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1952]] [[Dutch TT]], Amm was a full member of the Norton team and was second to [[Geoff Duke]] in the 350cc Dutch TT and retired from the 500&nbsp;cc race.<ref name="Ray Amm at motorsport memorial"/> At the 1952 [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|German Grand Prix]] held at [[Solitude]], Amm crashed and broke a leg, returning later in the [[1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]] to win the 350&nbsp;cc class for the 1952 Nations Grand Prix held at [[Autodromo Nazionale Monza|Monza]] in Italy.


For the 1953 racing season, Ray Amm debuted the controversial [[Norton Kneeler]] 350cc motorcycle at the 1953 [[North West 200]] Race. Despite overheating problems the Norton Kneeler with the nickname the "''Amm Sandwich''" or "''Silver-Fish''", Ray Amm finished in 9th place in the 350&nbsp;cc class that was eventually won by [[Bob McIntyre (motorcycle racer)|Bob McIntyre]] at an average race speed of 86.86&nbsp;mph. Despite testing the Norton Kneeler for practice for the [[1953 Isle of Man TT]] Races, Ray Amm reverted back to the non-steamlined Norton motorcycles due to handling problems with cross-winds on the Mountain Section of the course and also opposition by the TT Race Scrutineers. It proved a good choice as Ray Amm won the 1953 Junior TT Race at an average race speed of 90.52&nbsp;mph from [[Ken Kavanagh]] in 2nd place and [[Fergus Anderson]] in 3rd place. Another win in the 1953 Senior TT Race for Ray Amm at an average race speed of 93.85&nbsp;mph completed a prestigious Junior/Senior TT double win for the works Norton team. Following Ray Amm during the 1953 Senior TT Race, [[Geoff Duke]] commented on Ray Amm's distinctive riding style;- "After I had caught and passed Ray Amm on the Norton, he passed me at Ballugh when I missed a gearchange! Then there was the frightening experience of following him to the end of the lap, Ray could be pretty lurid when he was trying!"<ref>page 69 ''A Motorcourse History of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races 1907-1989'' By Nick Harris.</ref> A fall at the 1953 French Grand Prix at [[Rouen]] in the 350cc class broke a collar-bone and brought about a premature end to championship ambitions for Ray Amm for the [[1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]]. However, Ray Amm returned to the abortive Norton Kneeler project in November 1953 to set a number of world speed records at [[Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry|Montlhéry]], [[France]] rasing the hour speed endurance record to a distance of 133.70&nbsp;miles. Also at Montlhéry in November 1953, Ray Amm shared a streamlined Norton Sidecar outfit with [[Eric Oliver]] to set further speed records.<ref name="TT Special' Page 15. 12"/>
For the 1953 racing season, Amm debuted the controversial [[Norton Kneeler]] 350cc motorcycle at the 1953 [[North West 200]] Race. Despite overheating problems the Norton Kneeler with the nickname the "''Amm Sandwich''" or "''Silver-Fish''", Amm finished in 9th place in the 350&nbsp;cc class that was eventually won by [[Bob McIntyre (motorcycle racer)|Bob McIntyre]] at an average race speed of 86.86&nbsp;mph. Despite testing the Norton Kneeler for practice for the [[1953 Isle of Man TT]] Races, Amm reverted to the non-streamlined Norton motorcycles due to handling problems with cross-winds on the Mountain Section of the course and also opposition by the TT Race Scrutineers. It proved a good choice as Amm won the 1953 Junior TT Race at an average race speed of 90.52&nbsp;mph from [[Ken Kavanagh]] in 2nd place and [[Fergus Anderson]] in 3rd place. Another win in the 1953 Senior TT Race for Amm at an average race speed of 93.85&nbsp;mph completed a prestigious Junior/Senior TT double win for the works Norton team. Following Amm during the 1953 Senior TT Race, [[Geoff Duke]] commented on Amm's distinctive riding style;- "After I had caught and passed Ray Amm on the Norton, he passed me at Ballaugh when I missed a gearchange! Then there was the frightening experience of following him to the end of the lap, Ray could be pretty lurid when he was trying!"<ref>page 69 ''A Motorcourse History of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races 1907-1989'' By Nick Harris.</ref> A fall at the 1953 French Grand Prix at [[Rouen]] in the 350cc class broke a collar-bone and brought about a premature end to championship ambitions for Amm for the [[1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]]. However, Amm returned to the abortive Norton Kneeler project in November 1953 to set a number of world speed records at [[Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry|Montlhéry]], [[France]] raising the hour speed endurance record to a distance of 133.70&nbsp;miles. Also at Montlhéry in November 1953, Amm shared a streamlined Norton Sidecar outfit with [[Eric Oliver (racer)|Eric Oliver]] to set further speed records.<ref name="TT Special' Page 15. 12"/>


Again riding for the works Norton in [[1954 Isle of Man TT]] Races, despite leading the 1954 Junior TT a retirement on lap 5 for Ray Amm, allows [[Rod Coleman (motorcycle racer)|Rod Coleman]] to become the first New Zealander to win a TT Race at an average race speed of 91.51&nbsp;mph. The 1954 Senior TT race was delayed due to weather conditions and reduced visibility on the Mountain Section of the course. The race is held after a short delay and starts at mid-day. Despite the conditions, [[Geoff Duke]] riding the works [[Gilera]] and leads Ray Amm riding for Norton by 14 seconds on lap 1.<ref>Official TT Race Guide 2004 page 43</ref> On the second lap, Geoff Duke laps in 26&nbsp;minutes and 23 seconds at an average speed of 86.97&nbsp;mph and Ray Amm laps at an average speed of 86.49 to reduce the lead to just 2 seconds.<ref name="Island Racer 2004 page 115">Island Racer 2004 page 115</ref> Further heavy rain and low cloud on the Mountain Section reduces speed further and on lap 2 and Ray Amm uses "feet-down"<ref>''Isle of Man Weekly Times'' dated 19 June 1954</ref> tactics on the slower corners. Then Geoff Duke decides to refuel on lap 3 and Ray Amm in second place goes straight through without stopping and now leads Geoff Duke by 32 seconds.<ref name="Island Racer 2004 page 115"/> At the [[Windy Corner]] on lap 4, the visibility is down to 20&nbsp;yards and a decision is made to stop the race because of the conditions. This allowed Ray Amm, due to refuel at the TT Grandstand on lap 4, to win the highly controversial 1954 Senior TT Race in 1&nbsp;hour, 42&nbsp;minutes and 46.8 seconds at an average race speed of 88.12&nbsp;mph.
Again riding for the works Norton in [[1954 Isle of Man TT]] Races, despite leading the 1954 Junior TT a retirement on lap 5 for Amm, allowed [[Rod Coleman (motorcycle racer)|Rod Coleman]] to become the first New Zealander to win a TT Race at an average race speed of 91.51&nbsp;mph. The 1954 Senior TT race was delayed due to weather conditions and reduced visibility on the Mountain Section of the course. The race is held after a short delay and starts at mid-day. Despite the conditions, [[Geoff Duke]] riding the works [[Gilera]] and led Amm riding for Norton by 14 seconds on lap 1.<ref>Official TT Race Guide 2004 page 43</ref> On the second lap, Duke lapped in 26&nbsp;minutes and 23 seconds at an average speed of 86.97&nbsp;mph and Amm lapped at an average speed of 86.49 to reduce the lead to just 2 seconds.<ref name="Island Racer 2004 page 115">Island Racer 2004 page 115</ref> Further heavy rain and low cloud on the Mountain Section reduced speed further and on lap 2 and Amm used "feet-down"<ref>''Isle of Man Weekly Times'' dated 19 June 1954</ref> tactics on the slower corners. Then Duke decided to refuel on lap 3 and Amm in second place went straight through without stopping and now led Duke by 32 seconds.<ref name="Island Racer 2004 page 115"/> At the [[Windy Corner, Isle of Man|Windy Corner]] on lap 4, the visibility was down to 20&nbsp;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&nbsp;hour, 42&nbsp;minutes and 46.8 seconds at an average race speed of 88.12&nbsp;mph.


===1954 Isle of Man Senior TT 500&nbsp;cc final standings===
===1954 Isle of Man Senior TT 500&nbsp;cc final standings===
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|-
| 1
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| [[Image:Flag of Rhodesia (1964).svg|22px]] Ray Amm
| [[File:Flag of Rhodesia (1964–1968).svg|22px]] Ray Amm
|
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| [[Rhodesia]]
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The next event after the [[1954 Isle of Man TT]] Races was the [[Ulster Grand Prix]] held at the [[Dundrod Circuit]] in [[Northern Ireland]]. In an event that was much affected by rain, Ray Amm won the 350&nbsp;cc Ulster Grand Prix at an average race speed of 83.47&nbsp;mph from Jack Brett in 2nd place and [[Bob McIntyre (motorcycle racer)|Bob McIntyre]] in 3rd place. The 500&nbsp;cc Ulster Grand Prix was reduced from 27 laps to 15 laps due to heavy rain and again the race was won by Ray Amm at an average race speed of 83.87&nbsp;mph, although later these result was excluded from the World Championship by the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]]. A further Grand Prix win in 1954 follows for Ray Amm with another 350&nbsp;cc victory at the German Grand Prix held at [[Solitudering]]. At the end of the [[1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]] Ray Amm finished in 2nd place in both the 350&nbsp;cc and 500&nbsp;cc classifications behind world champions [[Fergus Anderson]] and [[Geoff Duke]].
The next event after the [[1954 Isle of Man TT]] Races was the [[Ulster Grand Prix]] held at the [[Dundrod Circuit]] in [[Northern Ireland]]. In an event that was much affected by rain, Amm won the 350&nbsp;cc Ulster Grand Prix at an average race speed of 83.47&nbsp;mph from [[Jack Brett]] in 2nd place and [[Bob McIntyre (motorcycle racer)|Bob McIntyre]] in 3rd place. The 500&nbsp;cc Ulster Grand Prix was reduced from 27 laps to 15 laps due to heavy rain and again the race was won by Amm at an average race speed of 83.87&nbsp;mph, although later these result was excluded from the World Championship by the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]]. A further Grand Prix win in 1954 followed for Amm with another 350&nbsp;cc victory at the German Grand Prix held at [[Solitudering]]. At the end of the [[1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]] Amm finished in 2nd place in both the 350&nbsp;cc and 500&nbsp;cc classifications behind world champions [[Fergus Anderson]] and [[Geoff Duke]].<ref name="Ray Amm at motorsport memorial"/>


===1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 500&nbsp;cc Standings===
===1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 500&nbsp;cc Standings===
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| [[Rhodesia]]
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| [[File:Flag of Rhodesia (1964–1968).svg|22px]] Ray Amm
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===Moving to MV Agusta Team 1955===
===Moving to MV Agusta Team 1955===
Despite many offers Ray Amm finally moved from the works Norton motorcycles to the factory [[MV Agusta]] racing team. The debut race for Ray Amm and MV Agusta was to be the 1955 Easter Monday race meeting at the [[Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari]] in [[Imola]], [[Italy]]. Riding a 350cc four-cylinder MV Agusta in the Coppa d'Oro Shell Race, Ray 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.
Despite many offers Amm finally moved from the works Norton motorcycles to the factory [[MV Agusta]] racing team. The debut race for Amm and MV Agusta was to be the 1955 Easter Monday race meeting at the [[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.<ref name="Ray Amm at motorsport memorial"/>


==Race results==
==Race results==

===TT Race Victories===
===TT Race Victories===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|- style="background:#CCCCCC;"
! Year !! Race & Capacity !! Motorcycle !! Average Speed
! Year !! Race & Capacity !! Motorcycle !! Average Speed
|-
|-
| 1953 || Junior 350&nbsp;cc || [[Norton (motorcycle)|Norton]] || 90.52&nbsp;mph
| 1953 || Junior 350&nbsp;cc || [[Norton (motorcycle)|Norton]] || 90.52&nbsp;mph
|-
|-
| 1953 || Junior 350&nbsp;cc || Norton || 93.85&nbsp;mph
| 1953 || Senior 500&nbsp;cc || Norton || 93.85&nbsp;mph
|-
|-
| 1954 || Senior 500&nbsp;cc || Norton || 88.12&nbsp;mph
| 1954 || Senior 500&nbsp;cc || Norton || 88.12&nbsp;mph
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===TT Career Summary===
===TT Career Summary===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|- style="background:#CCCCCC;"
| Finishing Position|| 1st || 3rd || 9th || 28th || DNF
| Finishing Position|| 1st || 3rd || 9th || 28th || DNF
|-
|-
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|}
|}


==FIM Motor-Cycle Grand Prix Results <ref>[http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/profiles/Ray+Amm Ray Amm career statistics at MotoGP.com]</ref>==
==FIM Motor-Cycle Grand Prix Results<ref name="Ray Amm career statistics at MotoGP.com"/>==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
|-
|-
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! 350&nbsp;cc
! 350&nbsp;cc
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1951 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1951 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#CFCFFF"| [[1951 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>9</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1951 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>9</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
Line 231: Line 235:
! 500&nbsp;cc
! 500&nbsp;cc
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1951 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1951 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#CFCFFF"| [[1951 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>28</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1951 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>28</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
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! 350&nbsp;cc
! 350&nbsp;cc
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| [[1952 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1952 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>6</small>
|bgcolor="#EFCFFF"| [[1952 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>NC</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1952 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>NC</small>
|bgcolor="#DFDFDF"| [[1952 Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[1952 Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>2</small>
|bgcolor="#DFDFDF"| [[1952 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[1952 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>2</small>
| [[1952 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| [[1952 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1952 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>1</small>
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 21
| 21
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| '''3rd'''
! 3rd
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 1
| 1
|-
|-
! 500&nbsp;cc
! 500&nbsp;cc
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| [[1952 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1952 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>6</small>
|bgcolor="#FFDF9F"| [[1952 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1952 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>3</small>
| [[1952 Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#FFDF9F"| [[1952 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1952 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>3</small>
| [[1952 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[1952 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#cfcfff"| [[1952 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]'''<br /><small>9</small>
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1952 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]'''<br /><small>9</small>
|
|
| 9
| 9
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! 350&nbsp;cc
! 350&nbsp;cc
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| [[1953 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1953 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>1</small>
|bgcolor="#DFDFDF"| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>2</small>
|bgcolor="#FFDF9F"| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>3</small>
| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
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| [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 18
| 18
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| '''3rd'''
! 3rd
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 1
| 1
|-
|-
! 500&nbsp;cc
! 500&nbsp;cc
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| [[1953 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1953 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>1</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#DFDFDF"| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>2</small>
| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
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! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#EFCFFF"| [[1954 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>NC</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1954 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>NC</small>
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| [[Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>1</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>1</small>
|bgcolor="#FFDF9F"| [[Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>5</small>
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 22
| 22
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd'''
! 2nd
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2
| 2
|-
|-
! 500&nbsp;cc
! 500&nbsp;cc
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
! [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]]
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| [[1954 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1954 Isle of Man TT|IOM]]<br /><small>1</small>
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| [[Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>1 †</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Ulster Grand Prix|ULS]]<br /><small>1 †</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Dutch TT|NED]]<br /><small>-</small>
|bgcolor="#DFDFDF"| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>2</small>
|bgcolor="#DFDFDF"| [[Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>2</small>
| [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|NAT]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
| [[Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>-</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 20
| 20
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd'''
! 2nd
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 1
| 1
|-
|-
|}
|}
Line 347: Line 351:


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TTDatabase/Riders.aspx?ride_id=1354 TT database rider profile] iomtt.com
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TTDatabase/Riders.aspx?ride_id=1354 TT database rider profile]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} iomtt.com
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TTDatabase/Races.aspx?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=1354 TT database TT results] iomtt.com
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TTDatabase/Races.aspx?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=1354 TT database TT results]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} iomtt.com


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Amm, Ray
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1928
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 11 April 1955
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amm, Ray}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amm, Ray}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:1955 deaths]]
[[Category:1955 deaths]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Harare]]
[[Category:Rhodesian people of British descent]]
[[Category:White Rhodesian people]]
[[Category:Rhodesian motorcycle racers]]
[[Category:Rhodesian motorcycle racers]]
[[Category:Isle of Man TT Riders]]
[[Category:Isle of Man TT riders]]
[[Category:350cc World Championship riders]]
[[Category:350cc World Championship riders]]
[[Category:500cc World Championship riders]]
[[Category:500cc World Championship riders]]
[[Category:Motorcycle racers killed while racing]]
[[Category:Motorcycle racers who died while racing]]
[[Category:Sport deaths in Italy]]
[[Category:Sport deaths in Italy]]

[[it:Ray Amm]]
[[ja:レイ・アム]]

Latest revision as of 19:33, 10 May 2024

Ray Amm
NationalityRhodesian
Born(1927-12-10)10 December 1927
Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia
Died11 April 1955(1955-04-11) (aged 27)
Imola, Italy
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1951 - 1954
First race1951 350 cc Isle of Man TT
Last race1954 350 cc Nations Grand Prix
First win1952 350 cc Nations Grand Prix
Last win1954 350 cc German Grand Prix
Team(s)Norton, MV Agusta
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
19 6 16 0 9 104

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

[edit]

Born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, Amm was a motorcycle dealer and managed a workshop in his hometown.[2] He began racing when he was 17 years old. After the purchase of an AJS motorcycle shortly after the end of the Second World War, Amm started grasstrack racing near Salisbury and finished last in his first race. The next season the AJS motorcycle was replaced with a Triumph motorcycle. The purchase of a brand new Norton motorcycle allowed Amm to enter the prestigious 1949 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

For the 1952 Dutch TT, Amm was a full member of the Norton team and was second to Geoff Duke in the 350cc Dutch TT and retired from the 500 cc race.[2] At the 1952 German Grand Prix held at Solitude, Amm crashed and broke a leg, returning later in the 1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season to win the 350 cc class for the 1952 Nations Grand Prix held at Monza in Italy.

For the 1953 racing season, Amm debuted the controversial Norton Kneeler 350cc motorcycle at the 1953 North West 200 Race. Despite overheating problems the Norton Kneeler with the nickname the "Amm Sandwich" or "Silver-Fish", Amm finished in 9th place in the 350 cc class that was eventually won by Bob McIntyre at an average race speed of 86.86 mph. Despite testing the Norton Kneeler for practice for the 1953 Isle of Man TT Races, Amm reverted to the non-streamlined Norton motorcycles due to handling problems with cross-winds on the Mountain Section of the course and also opposition by the TT Race Scrutineers. It proved a good choice as Amm won the 1953 Junior TT Race at an average race speed of 90.52 mph from Ken Kavanagh in 2nd place and Fergus Anderson in 3rd place. Another win in the 1953 Senior TT Race for Amm at an average race speed of 93.85 mph completed a prestigious Junior/Senior TT double win for the works Norton team. Following Amm during the 1953 Senior TT Race, Geoff Duke commented on Amm's distinctive riding style;- "After I had caught and passed Ray Amm on the Norton, he passed me at Ballaugh when I missed a gearchange! Then there was the frightening experience of following him to the end of the lap, Ray could be pretty lurid when he was trying!"[4] A fall at the 1953 French Grand Prix at Rouen in the 350cc class broke a collar-bone and brought about a premature end to championship ambitions for Amm for the 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. However, Amm returned to the abortive Norton Kneeler project in November 1953 to set a number of world speed records at Montlhéry, France raising the hour speed endurance record to a distance of 133.70 miles. Also at Montlhéry in November 1953, Amm shared a streamlined Norton Sidecar outfit with Eric Oliver to set further speed records.[3]

Again riding for the works Norton in 1954 Isle of Man TT Races, despite leading the 1954 Junior TT a retirement on lap 5 for Amm, allowed Rod Coleman to become the first New Zealander to win a TT Race at an average race speed of 91.51 mph. The 1954 Senior TT race was delayed due to weather conditions and reduced visibility on the Mountain Section of the course. The race is held after a short delay and starts at mid-day. Despite the conditions, Geoff Duke riding the works Gilera and led Amm riding for Norton by 14 seconds on lap 1.[5] On the second lap, Duke lapped in 26 minutes and 23 seconds at an average speed of 86.97 mph and Amm lapped at an average speed of 86.49 to reduce the lead to just 2 seconds.[6] Further heavy rain and low cloud on the Mountain Section reduced speed further and on lap 2 and Amm used "feet-down"[7] tactics on the slower corners. Then Duke decided to refuel on lap 3 and Amm in second place went straight through without stopping and now led Duke by 32 seconds.[6] At the 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

[edit]

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

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

The next event after the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races was the Ulster Grand Prix held at the Dundrod Circuit in Northern Ireland. In an event that was much affected by rain, Amm won the 350 cc Ulster Grand Prix at an average race speed of 83.47 mph from Jack Brett in 2nd place and Bob McIntyre in 3rd place. The 500 cc Ulster Grand Prix was reduced from 27 laps to 15 laps due to heavy rain and again the race was won by Amm at an average race speed of 83.87 mph, although later these result was excluded from the World Championship by the FIM. A further Grand Prix win in 1954 followed for Amm with another 350 cc victory at the German Grand Prix held at 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

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

1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 350 cc Standings

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

Moving to MV Agusta Team 1955

[edit]

Despite many offers Amm finally moved from the works Norton motorcycles to the factory MV Agusta racing team. The debut race for Amm and MV Agusta was to be the 1955 Easter Monday race meeting at the 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

[edit]

TT Race Victories

[edit]
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

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

FIM Motor-Cycle Grand Prix Results[1]

[edit]
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
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
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
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
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

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Ray Amm career statistics at MotoGP.com". motogp.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ray Amm at motorsport memorial". motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b TT Special Page 15. 12 June 1954 edited by G.S.Davison
  4. ^ page 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
  6. ^ a b 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
[edit]
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