By 57 years ago prime contenders for the coveted Gold Cup crown at Scarborough included Billie Nelson, Derek Minter, Phil Read MBE and John Cooper.
It was 1962 Lightweight 250 TT winner Minter who got the hole shot and set the early pace prior to an incident at Mere Hairpin derailing his chances of Gold Cup victory.
Photo courtesy of Ray Slack
This honour would go to eight times World Champion, fellow Gilera mounted racer Read MBE, who had earlier in the year taken third behind Mike Hailwood and John Hartle in the Senior TT.
12 years later Read piloting again Italian exotica machinery, (MV Agusta) would take the Gold Cup title for the second time.
As previously mentioned an eight times World Champion, ‘The Prince of Speed’ rightly ranks amongst Britain’s leading all time Grand Prix greats.
I’d be remiss as well not to mention his TT Races CV which includes eight victories, 13 podium finishes in total.
Words by Stevie Rial, 1963 Scarborough Gold Cup information courtesy of Ray Slack
