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Geoffrey Ernest Duke (29 March 1923 – 1 May 2015) was a British multiple motorcycle Grand Prix road racing world champion. Born in St. Helens, Lancashire, after retirement from competition he was a businessman based in the Isle of Man. ==Sporting career== After reaching the status of Team Sergeant in the Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team, The White Helmets, Duke was a prominent figure in racing in the 1950s, winning six world championships and six Isle of Man TT races.〔 First entering the Isle of Man Manx Grand Prix in 1948, he retired after four laps of the Junior race. He came to prominence after the 1949 events, finishing second in the Junior race, after remounting due to a spill, and winning the Senior race with a record lap and race-average speeds.〔''Motor Cycle'', 5 November 1964, p.797. ''Help Club'' accessed 31 January 2015〕 He also won the 1949 Senior Clubmans TT. He signed to the Norton works team for the 1950 TT, finishing second in the Junior TT and breaking both lap and race records in the Senior TT. After winning three World Championships for Norton, he moved abroad to Italian motorcycle manufacturer, Gilera in 1953. With Gilera, he had a string of three consecutive 500 cc world championships.〔 His support for a riders' strike demanding more start money led the FIM to suspend him for six months, dashing any hopes for a fourth consecutive title.〔 For 1953 he joined the sports car racing team of Aston Martin (Feltham, Middlesex) to race the DB3. Teamed with Peter Collins, the pair led the 12 Hours of Sebring until Duke's accident and resulting DNF. In 1955 he was declared the first rider to lap the Isle of Man TT course at 100 mph, though this was later corrected to 99.97. As a consequence the official first 100 mph lap is credited to Bob McIntyre, also on a Gilera, in 1957. Duke was a non-starter because of injury. His final race was the 1959 Nations Grand Prix. In 1963, he formed a racing team – ''Scuderia Duke'', with riders Derek Minter and John Hartle – to race the 1957 Gileras against Mike Hailwood riding the MV Agusta.〔 During 1964, Duke was appointed Competition Manager for Royal Enfield motorcycles, helping to develop their new GP250 clubman's-category production-volume road racer.〔''Motor Cycle'', 3 September 1964. p.486 Lightweights stir it up during Manx Grand Prix practising. "''New from stem to stern, the model is in the care of Geoff Duke who is helping Royal Enfields with the racing design''". (caption ): "''Manxman Dennis Craine chats with Royal Enfield's Jack Booker and Geoff Duke.''". Accessed 2015-07-02〕〔''Motor Cycle'', 19 November 1964. 'Earls Court Show Guide'. p.847 "''Geoff Duke demonstrates the riding position of the new Royal Enfield racer...''"Accessed 2013-08-18〕〔Motor Cycle, 9 September 1965. p.371 ''SLIM and LOW'' by David Dixon. ''Track test at Oulton Park of RE GP with Racing Manager Geoff Duke''. Accessed 2013-08-18〕〔(Royal Enfield 250GP at Bonhams ) Retrieved 2013-08-18〕 For the 1965 International Six Days Trial held on the Isle of Man, Duke was instrumental in helping to devise the 1,000-mile course and sections held on an island measuring approximately 30 miles long by 10 miles wide, particularly using tracks which would be unavailable in mainland UK due to restrictive legislation, a problem which did not arise on self-governing Isle of Man. Additionally, the island had hotels easily able to cater for the visiting teams, followers and spectators with a traditional goodwill and enthusiasm towards motorcycle sport. Duke acted as Clerk of the Course to the ACU, the governing body of motorcycle sport in Great Britain including the Isle of Man, which interacted with the FIM international organisation.〔''Motor Cycle'' 28 January 1965 pp.104-107 ''Manx Recce. Peter Fraser weighs up the venue for this year's ISDT.'' Accessed 2015-06-12〕 In 1967, Duke acted as entrant for the class-winning Triumph Bonneville ridden by John Hartle in the 750 cc capacity section of the newly introduced for 1967 ''Production class'', which required racing machines to be based on roadsters, complying with controlled specifications using selected adaptations only, available from the manufacturers as part-numbered inventory.〔''Motor Cycle'' 15 June 1967 pp.808-811 Diamond TT edition, race report. ''Production machine race. Super speeds on roadsters. (caption ) "John Hartle pilots the big Geoff Duke-entered Triumph through the right-hander at Quarter Bridge"''. Accessed 25 June 2015〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Geoff Duke」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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