History |
Ulster Grand Prix |
| | | | | | | | |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
The 1959 races were held in sunny weather and the races were exciting as well . All lap records were broken by the end of the day . |
The 10 lap 125 race only had M.Z. and Ducati as works teams, the rest were on privately owned bikes . Gary Hocking (M.Z.) charged straight into the lead with Mike Hailwood (Ducati) and Ernst Degner (M.Z.) hard on his heels . The positions remained unchanged until the 4th lap when Hailwood snatched the lead at Cochranstown after starting to narrow the gap from the previous lap . Over the next few laps Hailwood and Hocking continuously swapped positions . Then on the 9th lap Hailwood opened up and created a new lap record and Hocking was unable to do anything about it . It finished with Hailwood as winner and he also claimed his first ever World Championship victory . Hocking finished in 2nd place, with Degner in 3rd . The battle between Ken Kavanagh and Alberto Pagani (Ducatis) finally ended with Kavanagh just getting 4th place . |
The 350 race got off to a flying start with John Surtees (M.V.) going straight to the front when the flag fell . Behind him a battle developed between John Hartle (M.V.), Bob McIntyre, Mike Hailwood, Alastair King, Dickie Dale and Alan Shepherd (A.J.S.s), Bob Brown, Geoff Duke, Tom Phillis and John Hempleman (Nortons) . On the 2nd lap Surtees broke the existing lap record by lapping at 92.70 mph (148.32 km/h) and he was followed byMcIntyre and Hailwood with Hartle closing in on the A.J.S. duo . On the 3rd lap he had caught Hailwood and upped the lap record . Hailwood retired on the 7th lap and on the following lap Hartle hit the bank at Tornagrough and had to stop for medical aid . This left McIntyre in 2nd, followed by Shepherd, King, Brown and Duke . During the 11th lap McIntyre retired at Budore, Shepherd was the next casualty . By the 15th lap it was Surtees leading King, Brown, Duke, Hempleman and Phillis . On the 16th lap King was out . On the final lap it was Surtees who still led and he took the flag ahead of Brown, Duke, Dale, Phillis and Hempleman . |
In the opening stages of the 250 race a duel was taking place between Mike Hailwood (Mondial) and Gary Hocking (M.Z.) . This continued until the 3rd lap where Hocking opened up and created a new lap record . He gradually stretched his lead over Hailwood and at the end he was26 seconds ahead of Hailwood . 3rd place was held for the entire race by Ernst Degner, Hockings team-mate . Tommy Robb took 4th place and was the only other rider to finish the race . |
The 500 cc race was a 20 lap affair and instead of the usual rain |
Results for 1959 Lap records on the 7.416 mile (11.866 km) circuit introduced in 1953 |
1950 - 1951 - 1952 - 1953 - 1954 - 1955 - 1956 - 1957 - 1958 - 1959 - 1960
NW200 - UGP - News - NW200 Pictures - UGP Pictures
This document maintained by WhitrushDesigns@yahoo.co.uk.
Material Copyright © 2001 Whitrush Designs & Clifford McLean
causing problems it was now melting tar and spectators . From the drop of the flag, after the delays, it was John Surtees (M.V.) who was first away, with Bob McIntyre (Norton) not to far away . On the 2nd lap Surtees completed it at 96.73 mph (154.77 km/h), a new record, and McIntrye was now 10 seconds in arrears . A battle was taking place behind him for 3rd place between Gary Hocking, Geoff Duke and Terry Shepherd Nortons) and by the 4th lap it was Hocking in 3rd place by a hairsbreadth . Then Hocking crashed at Tornagrough, melting tar being the culprit, and Duke moved into 3rd place ahead of Shepherd . After this the positions remained unaltered until the flag fell, Surtees took 1st and McIntyre 2nd .