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Gregg Hansford
Gregory John "Gregg" Hansford (8 April 1952 – 5 March 1995) was an Australian professional motorcycle and touring car racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1978 to 1981 and in Australian touring car championships from 1982 to 1994. Hansford was a two-time vice-champion in the 250cc road racing world championships. With 10 Grand Prix victories to his credit, he is ranked fourth for the most Grand Prix wins by an Australian behind Mick Doohan (54 wins), Casey Stoner (38) and Wayne Gardner (18).
After his international motorcycle racing career ended prematurely in 1981 due to serious injuries from a racing accident, Hansford returned to Australia and established himself as a competitive driver in Australian touring car competitions. Hansford's 1993 Bathurst 1000 victory gave him the unique distinction of winning a race at the Mount Panorama Circuit in both motorcycle and automobile racing events. He died in an accident while competing in a Supertouring race at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in 1995. In 2016 he was inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame.
Hansford was born in East Brisbane, Queensland, Australia where he attended Milton State School (1958–1960), the Anglican Church Grammar School (1961–1967) and Brisbane State High School (1967–1969). He worked as a motorcycle mechanic and began racing motorcycles in 1971 with financial assistance from his mother.
Hansford began competitive motorcycle racing in dirt track racing and then motocross, before focusing on road racing in the early 1970s. John Taylor at Brisk Sales supported his early road racing career by offering him the opportunity to race a Kawasaki H1R, which led to an offer to race for the Brisbane Yamaha distributor, Annand and Thompson. He became known for his mastery of the Lakeside International Raceway, his home circuit near Brisbane.
In 1974, Yamaha introduced the TZ750 which would dominate the 750cc class during the 1970s. The Annand and Thompson-Yamaha team obtained one of the newly-released machines on which Hansford made his international racing debut at the 1974 Daytona 200, then considered one of the most prestigious motorcycle races in the world. However, during the race the motorcycle experienced ignition problems and he failed to finish.
Hansford returned to Australia where his battle with Warren Willing in the 1974 Unlimited Class Grand Prix at the Mount Panorama Circuit has been cited as one of the greatest Australian motorcycle races of the 1970s. Both competitors rode similar Yamaha TZ750s in an event that featured numerous lead changes throughout the 20 lap race, before Willing took the victory over Hansford by a narrow margin. Despite losing the Mount Panorama round, Hansford prevailed to win the 1974 Unlimited Class Australian national championship at the age of 21. The victory marked the first of six Australian motorcycle road racing National Championships in different classes that he won during his motorcycle racing career.
In 1975, Hansford was contracted by Kawasaki Australia to replace the injured rider, Ron Toombs. He and his Kawasaki co-rider, Murray Sayle, won the 1975 Castrol Six Hour Production Bike Race at Amaroo Park riding a Kawasaki Z1. He made his European debut at the French round of the 1975 FIM Formula 750 Championship held at the Magny-Cours Circuit. In a 1976 race held at the Laverton Air Force Base just outside Melbourne, Hansford rode the newly-released, water-cooled Kawasaki KR750 to victory over Grand Prix-winner, Pat Hennen.
Hansford returned to the Daytona 200 in 1977, where despite the domination of the 750cc class by the Yamaha TZ750, he posted a credible fourth place result as the highest-placed Kawasaki rider. Hansford’s KR750 lacked the power to compete with the Yamaha TZ750, but he made up the deficit with sheer ability. At the 1977 Laguna Seca round of the 750cc AMA National Championship divided into two heat races, he scored second and third place finishes, then defeated veteran Gary Nixon in a race long battle to win the 250cc class. At the Canadian round of the 1977 FIM Formula 750 Championship held at the Mosport Circuit on September 18, Hansford beat Yvon Duhamel and eventual Formula 750 champion, Steve Baker for the victory.
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Gregg Hansford
Gregory John "Gregg" Hansford (8 April 1952 – 5 March 1995) was an Australian professional motorcycle and touring car racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1978 to 1981 and in Australian touring car championships from 1982 to 1994. Hansford was a two-time vice-champion in the 250cc road racing world championships. With 10 Grand Prix victories to his credit, he is ranked fourth for the most Grand Prix wins by an Australian behind Mick Doohan (54 wins), Casey Stoner (38) and Wayne Gardner (18).
After his international motorcycle racing career ended prematurely in 1981 due to serious injuries from a racing accident, Hansford returned to Australia and established himself as a competitive driver in Australian touring car competitions. Hansford's 1993 Bathurst 1000 victory gave him the unique distinction of winning a race at the Mount Panorama Circuit in both motorcycle and automobile racing events. He died in an accident while competing in a Supertouring race at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in 1995. In 2016 he was inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame.
Hansford was born in East Brisbane, Queensland, Australia where he attended Milton State School (1958–1960), the Anglican Church Grammar School (1961–1967) and Brisbane State High School (1967–1969). He worked as a motorcycle mechanic and began racing motorcycles in 1971 with financial assistance from his mother.
Hansford began competitive motorcycle racing in dirt track racing and then motocross, before focusing on road racing in the early 1970s. John Taylor at Brisk Sales supported his early road racing career by offering him the opportunity to race a Kawasaki H1R, which led to an offer to race for the Brisbane Yamaha distributor, Annand and Thompson. He became known for his mastery of the Lakeside International Raceway, his home circuit near Brisbane.
In 1974, Yamaha introduced the TZ750 which would dominate the 750cc class during the 1970s. The Annand and Thompson-Yamaha team obtained one of the newly-released machines on which Hansford made his international racing debut at the 1974 Daytona 200, then considered one of the most prestigious motorcycle races in the world. However, during the race the motorcycle experienced ignition problems and he failed to finish.
Hansford returned to Australia where his battle with Warren Willing in the 1974 Unlimited Class Grand Prix at the Mount Panorama Circuit has been cited as one of the greatest Australian motorcycle races of the 1970s. Both competitors rode similar Yamaha TZ750s in an event that featured numerous lead changes throughout the 20 lap race, before Willing took the victory over Hansford by a narrow margin. Despite losing the Mount Panorama round, Hansford prevailed to win the 1974 Unlimited Class Australian national championship at the age of 21. The victory marked the first of six Australian motorcycle road racing National Championships in different classes that he won during his motorcycle racing career.
In 1975, Hansford was contracted by Kawasaki Australia to replace the injured rider, Ron Toombs. He and his Kawasaki co-rider, Murray Sayle, won the 1975 Castrol Six Hour Production Bike Race at Amaroo Park riding a Kawasaki Z1. He made his European debut at the French round of the 1975 FIM Formula 750 Championship held at the Magny-Cours Circuit. In a 1976 race held at the Laverton Air Force Base just outside Melbourne, Hansford rode the newly-released, water-cooled Kawasaki KR750 to victory over Grand Prix-winner, Pat Hennen.
Hansford returned to the Daytona 200 in 1977, where despite the domination of the 750cc class by the Yamaha TZ750, he posted a credible fourth place result as the highest-placed Kawasaki rider. Hansford’s KR750 lacked the power to compete with the Yamaha TZ750, but he made up the deficit with sheer ability. At the 1977 Laguna Seca round of the 750cc AMA National Championship divided into two heat races, he scored second and third place finishes, then defeated veteran Gary Nixon in a race long battle to win the 250cc class. At the Canadian round of the 1977 FIM Formula 750 Championship held at the Mosport Circuit on September 18, Hansford beat Yvon Duhamel and eventual Formula 750 champion, Steve Baker for the victory.