Dickie Dale

For the English footballer, see Dickie Dale (footballer).
For other people named Richard Dale, see Richard Dale (disambiguation).

Dickie Dale
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Born(1927-04-25)25 April 1927
Frampton, England
Died30 April 1961(1961-04-30) (aged 34)
Bonn, West Germany
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1950, 1953 – 1960
First race1950 250cc Swiss Grand Prix
Last race1960 350cc Nations Grand Prix
First win1954 500cc Spanish Grand Prix
Last win1955 350cc Nations Grand Prix
Team(s)Benelli, Gilera, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta
Championships0
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
41 2 12 0 2 123

Richard H. Dale (25 April 1927 – 30 April 1961), known as Dickie Dale, was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer born in Wyberton near Boston, Lincolnshire, England. In 1945, he was drafted into the RAF and served as a flight mechanic, and bought his first motorcycle, a 1939 AJS Silver Streak, while stationed at RAF Cranwell.[1]

He competed in the inaugural 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. Dale was a victor in the 1951 North West 200. His best seasons were 1955 and 1956 when he finished in second place in the 350cc world championship, both times behind his Moto Guzzi teammate Bill Lomas.[2] He was also a two-time winner of the prestigious pre-season Mettet Grand Prix invitational race (1957, 1960).[3]

Dale also competed in the 500cc class aboard Moto Guzzi's famous V8 Grand Prix bike. He died on the way to hospital in a helicopter, after crashing during the 1961 Eifelrennen race at the Nürburgring in West Germany.[4]

References

  1. ^ Walker, Mick (2006), The Manx Norton, Redline Books, p. 54, ISBN 9780954435790
  2. ^ Dickie Dale career statistics at MotoGP.com
  3. ^ "Trophy de l'Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse". racingmemo.free.fr. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  4. ^ Dickie Dale career profile at Motorsport Memorial


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