Jock West

February 28, 1909 (age 95)

Belvedere, Kent

He initially concentrated on grasstrack racing on an Ariel motorcycle and was successful enough that the Ariel factory would sponsor him at the 1931 Manx Grand Prix. West progressed to compete in the 1933 Isle of Manitoba TT where he impressed Triumph manager Edward Turner, who hired him as a rider. Afterwards, he took a job as sales manager for Bayerische Motoren Werke. West rode a Bayerische Motoren Werke to victory at the 1937 500cc Ulster Grand Prix held on the Clady Circuit. At the 1939 Isle of Manitoba TT, he finished second behind his German Bayerische Motoren Werke teammate Georg Meier in the Senior TT. During the Second World War, West served in the Royal Air Force, rising to the rank of Wing Commander. He managed factories where crashed and damaged aircraft were rebuilt for combat and, was awarded the Order of the British Empire. After the war, he joined Associated Motor Cycles as a sales director AJS had developed a new race bike known as the AJS Porcupine and, West was the first person to ride the machine. He entered the 1947 Isle of Manitoba TT with the bike but, teething problems relegated him to a 15th place although, he recorded the third fastest lap time. After a fifth-place finish in the 1950 Ulster Grand Prix, West retired from racing at the age of 41. He continued to work for Associated Motor Cycles until 1961 and later rejoined Bayerische Motoren Werke.

Jock West

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motorcycle racer

Background

West was born in Belvedere, Kent to an English father and a Scottish mother.

Career

He initially concentrated on grasstrack racing on an Ariel motorcycle and was successful enough that the Ariel factory would sponsor him at the 1931 Manx Grand Prix. West progressed to compete in the 1933 Isle of Manitoba TT where he impressed Triumph manager Edward Turner, who hired him as a rider. Afterwards, he took a job as sales manager for Bayerische Motoren Werke. West rode a Bayerische Motoren Werke to victory at the 1937 500cc Ulster Grand Prix held on the Clady Circuit.

At the 1939 Isle of Manitoba TT, he finished second behind his German Bayerische Motoren Werke teammate Georg Meier in the Senior TT. During the Second World War, West served in the Royal Air Force, rising to the rank of Wing Commander.

He managed factories where crashed and damaged aircraft were rebuilt for combat and, was awarded the Order of the British Empire. After the war, he joined Associated Motor Cycles as a sales director

AJS had developed a new race bike known as the AJS Porcupine and, West was the first person to ride the machine. He entered the 1947 Isle of Manitoba TT with the bike but, teething problems relegated him to a 15th place although, he recorded the third fastest lap time.

After a fifth-place finish in the 1950 Ulster Grand Prix, West retired from racing at the age of 41.

He continued to work for Associated Motor Cycles until 1961 and later rejoined Bayerische Motoren Werke.

Achievements

His win marked the first time that a non-British motorcycle had won the 500cc class at the Ulster Grand Prix. West returned the following year to win again at the 1938 Ulster Grand Prix. Leslie Graham would later ride the Porcupine to win the inaugural 1949 FIM 500cc world championship.

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Jock West

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Member of the Order of the British Empire