Gary Hocking

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**Gary Hocking**
Motorcycle Grand Prix Career
Nationality	Rhodesian
Active years	1958 - 1962
Team(s)	MZ, MV Agusta
Grands Prix	38
Championships	350cc - 1961, 500cc - 1961
Wins	19
Podium finishes	33
Pole positions	N/A
Fastest laps	N/A
First Grand Prix	1958 500cc Dutch TT
First win	1959 250cc Swedish Grand Prix
Last win	1962 500cc Isle of Man TT
Last Grand Prix	1962 500cc Isle of Man TT

Gary Hocking (September 30, 1937 - December 21, 1962) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.

Hocking was born in Caerleon, Newport, Wales but was raised in Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe. As a teenager, he began racing motorcycles on grass tracks. Before long, he had moved on to road racing circuits.

He left Rhodesia to compete in Europe in 1958 and made an immediate impact, finishing 3rd behind the works MV Agustas at the Nürburgring. In 1959, he was offered a ride by the East German MZ factory and finished 2nd in the 250cc championship. MV Agusta offered him full factory support for the 1960 season and he repaid their confidence by finishing 2nd in the 125cc, 250cc and 350cc classes. Following the retirement from motorcycle racing by defending champion, John Surtees in 1961, Hocking became MV Agusta's top rider and went on to claim dual World Championships in the 350cc and 500cc classes.

Hocking was affected deeply by the death of his friend, Tom Phillis at the 1962 Isle of Man TT. After winning the Senior TT, he announced his retirement from motorcycle racing and returned to Rhodesia. He felt motorcycle racing was too dangerous and decided a career in auto racing would be safer. Ironically, later that year he was killed during practice for the Natal Grand Prix at the Westmead Circuit in Natal, South Africa. His car, a Lotus 24, went straight on a fast curve and somersaulted after hitting a ditch. He was 25 years old.

[edit] Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Year	Class	Classification	Machine	Victories
1958	500cc	6th	Norton	0
1959	125cc	9th	MZ	0
1959	250cc	2nd	MZ	2
1959	350cc	4th	Norton	0
1959	500cc	5th	Norton	0
1960	125cc	2nd	MV Agusta	0
1960	250cc	2nd	MV Agusta	2
1960	350cc	2nd	MV Agusta	2
1961	250cc	8th	MV Agusta	1
1961	350cc	1st	MV Agusta	4
1961	500cc	1st	MV Agusta	7
1962	350cc	8th	MV Agusta	0
1962	500cc	5th	MV Agusta	1