Graham Noyce
{{Short description|English motocross racer (born 1957)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox Motocross rider
| name = Graham Noyce
| image =Graham Noyce (Engeland), leider van het algemeen klassement, Bestanddeelnr 930-3777.jpg
| caption =
| nationality =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1957|2|18}}
| birth_place = Eastleigh, Hampshire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| years = 1975–1984
| races =
| championships = 500cc- 1979
| wins = 6
}}
Graham Noyce (born 18 February 1957) is an English former professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1975 to 1984. Noyce was the 1979 500cc motocross world champion.
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Motocross career
Growing up in Fair Oak, Hampshire, England, Noyce was encouraged by his father to start riding motorcycles at the age of 6.{{Citation |first1=Frank | last1=Melling |year=1977 |title=Introducing Our Next World Champ |work=Motorcycle Mechanics |publisher=EMAP |url=http://www.davestestsandarticles.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/4/5/4845046/mcm_jan77_noyce.pdf }} He won the British Schoolboy motocross championship at the age of 14 riding a 125cc Zündapp. Noyce left Wyvern County Secondary School at the age of 15 to become an apprentice tool maker for the Rickman brothers, noted British motorcycle frame builders. The Rickman brothers also provided him with a 250cc Montesa on which to compete.
After winning support races at the 1974 British motocross Grand Prix, Noyce was offered a contract to race for the Maico factory racing team. In 1975, he competed in the British motocross championships as well as selected 125cc world championship Grand Prix races. He finished the season ranked 17th in the 125cc motocross world championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/chambres/index.php#0440929e8c05c9001 |title=1975 125cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=11 January 2018 }} He moved up to the premier 500cc class in 1976 and won his first Grand Prix race at the British motocross Grand Prix and finished the season ranked a respectable 4th place in the final world championship standings.{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/reservation/index.php#0440929e8b0ccdd10 |title=1976 500cc motocross world championship race results |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=11 January 2018 }}{{cite web |url=http://akejonsson.com/1976gpseries.html |title=1976 500cc motocross world championship |publisher=akejonsson.com |access-date=10 February 2016 |archive-date=8 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808093856/http://akejonsson.com/1976gpseries.html |url-status=dead }} Despite falling to 8th place in the 1977 world championship, his riding talent earned him a place on the Honda factory racing team for the 1978 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/reservation/index.php#0440929e740e2d104 |title=1977 500cc motocross world championship race results |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=11 January 2018 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.jwvanessen.com/gp-results-1977.html |title=1977 500cc motocross world championship |publisher=jwvanessen.com |access-date=11 January 2018 |archive-date=16 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116181243/http://jwvanessen.com/gp-results-1977.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://mxgp.hondaracingcorporation.com/history/ |title=History MXGP |publisher=hondaracingcorporation.com |access-date=11 January 2018 }}
In 1979, Noyce claimed the F.I.M. 500cc motocross world championship by defeating a strong field of riders that included his Honda teammate, André Malherbe, as well as Roger De Coster and Gerrit Wolsink riding for Suzuki, Brad Lackey with Kawasaki and Heikki Mikkola with Yamaha.{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/equipe/index.php#0440929e430bc8d01 |title=1979 500cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=11 January 2018 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.jwvanessen.com/final-score-1979.html |title=1979 500cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=jwvanessen.com |access-date=11 January 2018 |archive-date=13 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313125831/http://www.jwvanessen.com/final-score-1979.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FvgDAAAAMBAJ&q=1979+graham+noyce&pg=PA29 |title=Noyce makes his mark with run for the title |date=September 1979 |work=American Motorcyclist |access-date=11 January 2018 |last1=Assoc |first1=American Motorcyclist }} He became the first British rider to win a 500cc motocross world championship since Jeff Smith won the title in 1965.{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zLhWDQAAQBAJ&q=graham+noyce+motocross&pg=PT121 |title=Motorcycling in the 1970s |author=Skelton, Richard |year=2013 |publisher=Richard Skelton |isbn=9780993002069 |access-date=18 January 2018 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.bestsports.com.br/db/atlpag.php?atl=8336&lang=2 |title=Graham Noyce career profile |publisher=bestsports.com |access-date=12 October 2011}}
Noyce continues his involvement in the sport competing in vintage motocross events. He won the over 50 race at Polesworth in 2007 and competed at Farleigh Castle in July 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tmxnews.co.uk/news/motocross/noyce-takes-a-bite/ |title=Noyce takes a bite |publisher=dirtbikerider.com |access-date=14 October 2020 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.dirtbikerider.com/news/motocross/world-champion-graham-noyce-back-on-track-with-bridgestone-to-celebrate-40th-anniversary/ |title=World champion Graham Noyce back on track with Bridgestone to celebrate 40th anniversary |publisher=dirtbikerider.com |access-date=14 October 2020 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| before = Heikki Mikkola
| title = F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Champion
| years = 1979
| after = André Malherbe
}}
{{s-end}}
{{MX1 world champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Noyce, Graham}}
Category:People from the Borough of Eastleigh