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Jeff Smith (motorcyclist)

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Jeff Smith
MBE
Jeff Smith in 1962
NationalityEnglish
Born1934 (age 89–90)
Colne, Lancashire, England
Motocross career
Years active1953–1971
TeamsBSA
Championships500cc – 1964 – 1965
Wins30

Jeffrey Vincent Smith MBE (born 1934) is an English former professional motorcycle racer.[1] He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1954 to 1969 as a member of the BSA factory racing team.

His achievements in motorcycle racing include two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships (1964, 1965), two British Trials Championships, multiple British Experts Trial wins, four individual race wins in the Motocross des Nations, one Scottish Six Days Trial win and eight ISDT Gold Medals.[1][2] In the 1970 New Year Honours, Smith was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to motorcycle racing.[1][3][4]

Riding career

[edit]

Born in Colne, Lancashire, England, Smith began in competitions as a trials rider, becoming so successful that he was offered a place on the Norton factory team.[1] After moving to BSA, he won the 1953 and 1954 British Trials Championship.[1] BSA asked Smith to compete in motocross racing which he did with such success that he soon began to concentrate on a motocross career.[1]

Smith (#37) leads Rolf Tibblin (#30) during an international race in Sint Anthonis, Netherlands in 1964

In the 1964 500cc Motocross World Championship, the defending champion, Rolf Tibblin, began the season strongly by winning five of the first six races of the season, but the 30-year-old Smith consistently scored points throughout the season and never finished below third place.[5] The championship wasn't decided until the final race of the season in Spain, where Smith took the victory to claim the World Championship by only two points over Tibblin.[5] His performance earned him the Motorcycle News 1964 'Man of the Year' award.[1][6] He successfully defended his crown the following year.[7] His 1965 championship win on the four-stroke engined BSA Victor would be the last victory for this type of motor, as two-stroke engine technology dominated off-road racing for the next several decades. He finally announced his retirement in January 1972.[8]

After racing

[edit]

After he retired from competition, Smith helped to develop off-road motorcycles as special projects manager based in Minnesota, US, for Can-Am, the motorcycle division of Canada's Bombardier organisation.[9][3] The Can-Am racing team claimed the first three places in the 1974 AMA 250cc motocross national championship.[1] He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000.[1]

Smith was an AMA director and Treasurer, and also involved in vintage motorcycle racing as an Executive Director and Assistant Treasurer of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association AHRMA, before resigning from AMA on 15 February 2008, followed by his resignation from AHRMA, as a result of irregular expense-account claims submitted by the then AMA Chairman.[10][11]


Motocross Grand Prix Results

[edit]

Points system from 1952 to 1968:

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th 
Points 8 6 4 3 2 1
Denotes European motocross championship only.
Year Class Machine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
1954 500cc BSA CH
- 		CH
- 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		NED
6 		NED
1 		UK
- 		UK
- 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		BEL
- 		BEL
- 		SWE
5 		SWE
- 		FRA
1 		FRA
2 		3rd 20
1955 500cc BSA CH
- 		CH
- 		FRA
2 		FRA
7 		ITA
2 		ITA
5 		FRA
5 		UK
1 		UK
1 		BEL
- 		BEL
9 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		SWE
2 		SWE
3 		NED
- 		NED
- 		7th 14
1956 500cc BSA CH
- 		CH
- 		NED
- 		NED
- 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		FRA
5 		FRA
- 		UK
21 		UK
2 		BEL
1 		BEL
6 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		SWE
1 		SWE
2 		DEN
2 		DEN
9 		11th 7
1957 500cc BSA CH
- 		CH
- 		FRA
- 		FRA
- 		SWE
1 		SWE
3 		ITA
1 		ITA
2 		UK
1 		UK
1 		NED
2 		NED
5 		BEL
- 		BEL
4 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		DEN
3 		DEN
8 		4th 23
1958 500cc BSA AUT
- 		AUT
- 		DEN
4 		DEN
4- 		CH
1 		CH
7 		FRA
1 		FRA
3 		ITA
3 		ITA
4 		UK
- 		UK
3 		NED
9 		NED
4 		BEL
- 		BEL
5 		LUX
- 		LUX
4 		SWE
2 		SWE
4 		6th 18
1959 500cc BSA AUT
- 		AUT
- 		CH
19 		CH
1 		DEN
- 		DEN
- 		FRA
7 		FRA
4 		ITA
7 		ITA
8 		GER
6 		GER
7 		UK
1 		UK
2 		NED
4 		NED
7 		BEL
- 		BEL
6 		LUX
- 		LUX
2 		SWE
- 		SWE
- 		6th 21
1960 500cc BSA AUT
- 		AUT
- 		FRA
- 		FRA
- 		SWE
- 		SWE
- 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		GER
- 		GER
- 		UK
8 		UK
2 		NED
- 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		BEL
- 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		15th 2
1961 500cc BSA CH
- 		CH
- 		AUT
- 		AUT
- 		FRA
- 		FRA
- 		CZE
- 		CZE
- 		ITA
4 		ITA
5 		UK
- 		UK
- 		NED
3 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		BEL
3 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		SWE
- 		SWE
- 		GER
- 		GER
- 		12th 6
1962 500cc BSA AUT
- 		AUT
- 		FRA
- 		FRA
- 		CH
- 		CH
- 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		CZE
- 		CZE
- 		UK
- 		UK
- 		NED
- 		NED
- 		BEL
4 		BEL
- 		LUX
7 		LUX
1 		SWE
1 		SWE
3 		7th 9
1963 500cc BSA AUT
8 		AUT
6 		CH
4 		CH
2 		DEN
1 		DEN
1 		NED
1 		NED
2 		FRA
3 		FRA
2 		ITA
NC 		ITA
NC 		CZE
9 		CZE
4 		USR
5 		USR
4 		UK
1 		UK
2 		BEL
3 		BEL
3 		LUX
6 		LUX
4 		GDR
1 		GDR
1 		3rd 44
1964 500cc BSA CH
2 		CH
1 		AUT
2 		AUT
2 		DEN
1 		DEN
2 		SWE
3 		SWE
2 		NED
1 		NED
1 		FRA
5 		FRA
2 		ITA
1 		ITA
2 		URS
1 		URS
3 		CZE
2 		CZE
3 		BEL
1 		BEL
2 		LUX
1 		LUX
1 		GER
2 		GER
3 		GDR
2 		GDR
1 		ESP
1 		ESP
2 		1st 56
1965 500cc BSA AUT
- 		AUT
- 		CH
1 		CH
2 		FRA
1 		FRA
1 		FIN
1 		FIN
1 		SWE
1 		SWE
1 		GDR
4 		GDR
4 		CZE
- 		CZE
- 		URS
2 		URS
2 		UK
1 		UK
2 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		GER
3 		GER
- 		NED
1 		NED
3 		LUX
3 		LUX
- 		1st 54
1966 500cc BSA CH
- 		CH
8 		AUT
5 		AUT
7 		ITA
2 		ITA
2 		DEN
- 		DEN
1 		SWE
18 		SWE
1 		FIN
2 		FIN
1 		GDR
2 		GDR
5 		CZE
4 		CZE
4 		URS
3 		URS
2 		UK
2 		UK
1 		NED
5 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		BEL
- 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		GER
- 		GER
- 		3rd 34
1967 500cc BSA AUT
3 		AUT
24 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		SWE
5 		SWE
1 		CZE
3 		CZE
2 		USR
2 		USR
1 		FRA
6 		FRA
3 		GER
3 		GER
4 		UK
4 		UK
3 		BEL
5 		BEL
3 		LUX
8 		LUX
- 		CH
16 		CH
6 		2nd 35
1968 500cc BSA AUT
25 		AUT
- 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		SWE
- 		SWE
- 		FIN
3 		FIN
3 		GDR
10 		GDR
10 		CZE
6 		CZE
- 		UK
6 		UK
10 		GER
- 		GER
- 		FRA
6 		FRA
5 		NED
5 		NED
5 		BEL
5 		BEL
6 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		CH
5 		CH
3 		8th 16
1969 500cc BSA AUT
- 		AUT
- 		SWE
- 		SWE
- 		NED
- 		NED
- 		ITA
- 		ITA
- 		CZE
- 		CZE
- 		USR
- 		USR
- 		GER
- 		GER
- 		BEL
6 		BEL
7 		LUX
- 		LUX
- 		FRA
- 		FRA
- 		CH
- 		CH
- 		GDR
- 		GDR
- 		26th 5
Sources:[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Jeff Smith at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Jeff Smith career profile". bestsports.com. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b Walker, Mick (2004). The BSA Gold Star. ISBN 9780954435738. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  4. ^ United Kingdom list: "No. 44999". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1969. p. 17.
  5. ^ a b "Rolf Tibblin: A Three-Times World Champion". husqvarna-motorcycles.com. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  6. ^ "1964 500cc motocross world championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  7. ^ "1965 500cc motocross world championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  8. ^ Bashford, Mike (19 January 1972). "So long Jeff". Motor Cycle. IPC Specialist Publications. pp. 12–13.
  9. ^ Motor Cycle News 15 August 1979, p.14 Guest Spot, Jeff Smith Accessed and added 12 February 2015
  10. ^ From the AHRMA Board of Trustees: Statement by Jeff Smith Archived 17 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Updated: After Resigning From AMA Board Of Directors, Jeff Smith Says He Feels "Some Responsibility" For Expense-account Scam And Resigns As Treasurer Of AHRMA". www.roadracingworld.com. 21 February 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  12. ^ "1954 500cc European motocross championship classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  13. ^ "1955 500cc European motocross championship classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  14. ^ "1956 500cc European motocross championship classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  15. ^ "1957 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  16. ^ "1958 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  17. ^ "1959 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  18. ^ "1960 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  19. ^ "1961 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  20. ^ "1962 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  21. ^ "1963 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  22. ^ "1964 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  23. ^ "1965 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  24. ^ "1966 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  25. ^ "1967 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  26. ^ "1968 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  27. ^ "1969 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
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