Jim Budd Motorcycle Racer

This was JB’s last ever race.  There’s so many funny stories that could be told about this race.

Jim’s original intention was to team up with Roger Heyes again for one last team ride in the race that they had won twice previously together.  What a great publicity angle for the event organisers.  However it wasn’t meant to be with negotiations with Heyes broke down a matter of weeks out from the event, so a replacement rider was necessary.  So began the search.

Reaching out to longtime friend, Dennis Neill, for suggestions, young Tasmanian rider Simon Pinnington was named co-rider.  Pinnington showed a lot promise, was fast and an upcoming rider on the Australian scene at the time, so he was given the chance.

The two riders got on fabulously with Jim taking the lead, and sharing his knowledge with the young Pinnington who eagerly absorbed all the information like a sponge.

The team qualified third on the grid on the Saturday, making the team happy and Budd sitting in the motorhome analysing where he could have done better.  Typical.  I remember the walk back down pitlane from the Control Tower with JB, after reading the qualifying times and positions.  Especially past the Heyes team pits.

The conversation went like this:

Heyes calling out to Budd “How’d you go Jim?” to which he replied “Not as good as I hope”.

“Oh!  Really, where’d you finish?” inquired Heyes.  “Third” replied Budd, “not as good I would have like” he joked.

“How about you?” asked a cheeky Budd.  The response was about troubles with bike, and qualified way below that. We knew where they’d qualified.

All the while JB had gripped my hand so tight that my fingers are about to turn blue and drop off trying to prevent me from saying anything smart!  Alas, burning brightly in my mind, and ringing in my ears were Mr Heyes’ words when he decided not to race with Jim.  “I’ve kept on racing long after Jim stopped.  I’m still fast, and Jim has lost it.”

Little did he know that Jim hadn’t lost it, he had kept his race craft and bike skills alive.  He even sought the help of the Dennis Neill and Roy Dennison’s Superbike school – but that’s another humourous story for another post.

Walking on Jim was feeling smug, whispering in my ear not to turn around, not to say anything.  I’d like to say I accomplished that, but I failed.  I still remember the laughter of the surrounding pits, and mine when we did finally walk away (or more correctly JB dragged me away, and I finally skipped off).  JB muttering to himself “Oh dear!!” 

I will post the race report in another post, but sadly Simon crashed the bike out of contention after running as high as fourth.  But that’s racing.

Sadly, Simon was killed in a car accident not long after.  Such a loss, he was such a lovely young man, with great potential.  Greatly missed.