Ron Haslam

Ron Haslam on the rotary engined Norton

"Rocket" Ron Haslam is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who has been racing for over 30 years, winning three World titles, four British championships and ridden in almost 110 GPs.

One of 10 brothers and sisters from the mining town of Langley Mill, Nottinghamshire, Haslam started racing in 1972 at the age of 15 on a 750cc Norton Commando owned jointly by elder brothers Phil and Terry. On a wet and slippery track at Cadwell Park he finished seventh and eighth in his two races. He raced just a couple of meetings that year and only a handful in 1973. Following the tragic death of Phil in a racing accident at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough in July 1974, the teenager pulled out of the sport for the rest of that season. In 1984 another brother, Terry, was killed racing a sidecar outfit at Assen, the Netherlands. Despite those cruel blows, Haslam kept on riding in his chosen sport, with his most recent outing being on a Ducati 998 at the Race of the Year at Mallory Park in October 2004. Haslam spends much of his time helping his son, Leon Haslam, in his expanding racing career and training riders and racers alike at the Ron Haslam Race School at Donington Park.

Career record

Haslam was runner-up in the 750 British championship in 1975, ‘76 and ‘77 and second in the British Formula One series in 1978. Between 1979 and ‘84 he won four British titles, the 1979 British TT Formula One, the 1981 MCN British Streetbike - when he won seven out of eight rounds - the 1982 British TT Formula One and the 1984 ITV World of Sport Superbike series. He has also won three World titles - the TT Formula One crown in 1979 and ‘81 and the TT Formula Three championship in 1980. Haslam won the gruelling Macau GP six times – a record. He was also runner-up in the 1982 TT Formula One World series. He is a world speed record holder, after his efforts on the 500 Elf on a private, banked circuit in France in 1986, when he claimed the Flying kilometre, the Standing Start mile and Standing Start 10 kilometre records

Early career

In his early days, Haslam raced on the British short circuits, at first under the sponsorship of Halifax car dealer Mal Carter and then with Honda Britain. In the 1976 season he had 16 wins. In 1978 he rode 125, 250, 500, 1000cc, Superbike and F1 machinery and after adding a 350 to his stable the following year he became the first rider to win five different races in a day at Oulton Park and repeated the feat at Carnaby later the same season. Haslam has raced in many Endurance events, with his best result being a second in the 1979 Suzuka 8-hour race in Japan.

Motorcycle Grand Prix

Haslam made his debut in Grand Prix motorcycle racing 500's at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1977 on a 500 Suzuki, crashing out in the race at Stowe. In 1982 Haslam raced in three more GPs on the experimental four-stroke Honda NR500. He finishing 12th at the Dutch TT at Assen in June, 11th the following weekend at the Belgian GP at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and then 15th at Silverstone in August. At the end of the season Haslam took the new two-stroke Honda NS500 to Malaysia and won the non-world championship Kuala Lumpur GP. In 1983 he was back for a full season on a factory Honda as team-mate with American Freddie Spencer. He raced in the 500 class from then until the end of the 1990 season.

In eight-years in the top flight, Ron had 61 top ten finishes, including nine on the podium. His best result in 1985, his third and final year with Honda, when he was second in the Dutch TT at Assen. Haslam was beaten to the line by Randy Mamola, but was nearly 23 seconds in front of third placed finisher Wayne Gardner, who set the fastest lap of the race. He was third in eight other races, including the British GP at Silverstone in 1984 to Randy Mamola and Eddie Lawson. In his final season on the Italian Cagiva alongside Randy Mamola and Alex Barros. In 1987 when he ended the season fourth behind champion Wayne Gardner, runner-up Randy Mamola and third placed Eddie Lawson. Haslam was fastest in practice just once, at the Swedish GP at Anderstorp in 1984. These results put Haslam as Britain’s second best GP competitor behind Barry Sheene.

Macau

Haslam raced six times at the Guia circuit and won a record-breaking six times. His first victory at the race in 1983 marked the first time a four-stroke had ever won there. His record of 6 wins was equalled by Michael Rutter at the 2005 meeting.

Isle of Man TT Races

Haslam made his mark at the Isle of Man TT in 1981, when he was named winner of the Formula 1 TT, only to for the organisers the following day to give the win to Graeme Crosby. Haslam was back the following year to claim an undisputed victory.

Transatlantic Match Motorcycle Races

Haslam was a member of the British team in the then-annual Transatlantic Match Races between Britain and the USA. Haslam was at his best in the 1983, ending the three day meeting as overall top points-scorer. In the opening round at Oulton Park on the Good Friday, Haslam was beaten to the finish line by Randy Mamola in the first of two, 11 lap races. Haslam, on the Honda NS500, equaled the lap record as he strove to beat the American. In race two Mamola again came out on top, with both riders this time sharing the fastest lap, which was one tenth of a second off the record. At that point, Britain led 79 points to 69. At Snetterton two days later Haslam notched-up victories in the rain, chased home each time by Kenny Roberts. Britain’s lead had grown to 28 points, 161 to 133. In the dry at Brands Hatch the following day Haslam again won both team races to lead Britain to a 245 to 198 victory. Haslam had scored 70 points of his team’s total, 15 more than Roger Marshall and 30 better than the next best, Barry Sheene. The Langley Mill racer was the highest British points-scorer again in 1984, on a standard road-going VFR750 Honda in the series in 1986, on which he took two thirds at Donington Park.

Later racing career

In 1991, after one-year in Motorcycle Grand Prix's with Cagiva, Haslam was back full time in the UK with Norton. He finished second in the British Superbike championship, and stayed with Norton the following season. British GP fans got a taste of the old Haslam magic when he took a self-tuned production Yamaha into 12th place in the 250 support race at the British Grand Prix at Donington Park in 1994. In 1995 Ron contested the first Triumph Speed Triple series, winning the Oulton Park round of the championship. When Ron’s son Leon Haslam switched from motocross in 1997 he concentrated his efforts on helping the youngster’s career. He competed in the British 125 championship to give real practical assistance to Leon out on the track, and also took fifth place at Donington Park in 1998. Haslam rode the 125 again the following year, but pressure from the organisers made him stop after just a couple of rounds and restrict his coaching to the pits. In 2000 Ron raced a Honda Fireblade in the British Superstock series, marking his 28th year of competitive racing, his best result a sixth at Donington Park. The same year he and Leon made history by becoming the first British father and son, as well as the oldest and youngest riders, to race in the same GP when he competed on the Sabre Racing bike in the 500 class and Leon raced the factory Italjet in the 125 event at Le Mans, France.

Rocket Ron

Haslam acquired the nickname of "Rocket Ron" due to his ability of making great starts, a knack that enabled him to lead many races and avoid having to battle through the pack.

Present

The Haslam farmhouse home at Smalley, Derbyshire, where he lives with wife Ann and his children, Leon Haslam, Emma and Zoe. Haslam’s popularity with British race fans was shown when he was voted MCN Man of the Year in 1981. Haslam’s abilities as a trainer were recognised by Robert Fearnall, the former promoter at Donington Park, who launched Team Great Britain in 1992. The programme ran for five-years and Ron’s instruction helped launch the careers of two top British riders, James Haydon and Karl Harris. Today, Ron runs his race school based at Donington Park

External links

References

50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix. (1999) (1st Ed). Hazelton Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-874557-83-7