The Race of the Year was a non-championship motorcycle race held at the Mallory Park circuit in Leicester, England between 1958 and 1981, and again between 1986 and 2008, with a one-off race in 2011.
It often attracted high quality entries from the MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. The first race was won by John Surtees, riding a MV Agusta. The 2011 running of the event was won by Sam Lowes on a Supersport Honda after hard-fought battle with CRT MotoGP rider, James Ellison on another Honda. The 2014 event was won by John Ingram.
Winners of the Race of the Year
By Year
Year Race Rider Manufacturer 1958Race of the Year John Surtees 500cc MV Agusta 1959Race of the Year Bob McIntyre 500cc Norton 1960Race of the Year Mike Hailwood 500cc Norton 1961Race of the Year Gary Hocking 500cc MV Agusta 1962Race of the Year Derek Minter 500cc Norton 1963Race of the Year Mike Hailwood 500cc MV Agusta 1964Race of the Year Mike Hailwood 500cc MV Agusta 1965Race of the Year John Cooper 500cc Norton 1966Race of the Year Giacomo Agostini 500cc MV Agusta 1967Race of the Year Mike Hailwood 297cc Honda 1968Race of the Year Mike Hailwood 297cc Honda 1969Race of the Year Giacomo Agostini 500cc MV Agusta 1970Race of the Year John Cooper 350cc Yamsel 1971Race of the Year John Cooper 750cc BSA 1972Race of the Year Jarno Saarinen 350cc Yamaha 1973Race of the Year Phil Read 500cc MV Agusta 1974Race of the Year Barry Sheene 750cc Suzuki 1975Race of the Year Barry Sheene 750cc Suzuki 1976Race of the Year Steve Baker 750cc Yamaha 1977Race of the Year Pat Hennen 653cc Suzuki 1978Race of the Year Barry Sheene 500cc Suzuki 1979Race of the Year Kenny Roberts 500cc Yamaha 1980Race of the Year Randy Mamola 500cc Suzuki 1981Race of the Year Graeme Crosby 500cc Suzuki 1986Race of the Year Roger Marshall 500cc Honda 1987Race of the Year Roger Marshall 1100cc Suzuki 1988Race of the Year Jamie Whitham 750cc Suzuki 1989Race of the Year Terry Rymer 750cc Yamaha 1990Race of the Year Terry Rymer 750cc Yamaha 1991Race of the Year Rob McElnea 750cc Yamaha 1992Race of the Year John Reynolds 750cc Kawasaki 1994Race of the Year Matt Llewellyn 926cc Ducati 1995Race of the Year Chris Walker 250cc Honda 1996Race of the Year Ray Stringer 750cc Kawasaki 1997Race of the Year Jamie Vincent 500cc Honda 1998Race of the Year Chris Walker 750cc Kawasaki 1999Race of the Year Jamie Vincent 500cc Honda 2000Race of the Year Steve Plater 750cc Kawasaki 2001Race of the Year Michael Rutter 750cc Kawasaki 2002Race of the Year Glen Richards 750cc Kawasaki 2003Race of the Year Michael Rutter 998cc Ducati 2004Race of the Year John Reynolds 1000cc Suzuki 2005Race of the Year Glen Richards 1000cc Kawasaki 2006Race of the Year Chris Walker 1000cc Suzuki 2007Race of the Year Cal Crutchlow 1000cc Suzuki 2008Race of the Year Tom Sykes 1000cc Suzuki 2011Race of the Year Sam Lowes 600cc Honda 2014Race of the Year John Ingram 1000cc Kawasaki 2015 Cancelled 2016Race of the Year Taylor Mackenzie 1000cc BMW 2017Race of the Year Bradley Ray 1000cc Suzuki 2018Race of the Year Richard Cooper 1000cc Suzuki 2019 Cancelled
References