Gary Green
   
Page updated 07-Mar-2018
In 1974 Gary Green partnered Dave Potter on a Gus Kuhn Norton at the Barcelona 24 hour race, finishing 7th.

In 1975 the same partnership won the production class of the Barcelona 24 Hour race on the 900 Kuhn Penthouse BMW and were 2nd at the 1,000 Kilometres du Mans.

Photo by John Nutting of Gary at the
1975 Barcelona 24 hour race.
He went on to ride the works Hondas in endurance events partnering Stan Woods and Charlie Williams. Sadly, Gary died of cancer after a long illness in 2006.

Ex-world motorbike racing champ dies

Coventry Telegraph 12 May 2006

A HEARTBROKEN wife has spoken movingly of the love of her life, Coventry's former world motorbike racing champion Gary Green, who has lost his fight against cancer.

Lorraine and Gary met as teenagers in Allesley, married in 1966, and "lived 10 people's lives" travelling the world's racing circuits.

In the late 1970s Gary became world champion for 24-hour endurance racing. He specialised in endurance races like Le Mans 24 and won a host of trophies, including the European and Caribbean Championships.

Gary grew up in Crabmill Lane, Paradise, Coventry and attended Broad Street School.

He raced in the 60s through to the mid 1980s and competed against famous riders like Barry Sheene.

Lorraine said: "He was amazingly brave and I don't think anybody else would have been around anywhere near as long as him.

"He was very generous, very caring and always very fair. He was loved by so many people."

She said Gary, who died at the age of 61 on May 3, was always keen on motorbikes and started racing after finding inspiration from the unlikeliest of people.

"A local bobby stopped him and told him if he was going to ride like that he should go and do it on the track, so he did.

"It all started from there and he ended up racing for every major factory in the world.

"We went all over the world and it was a very exciting time. We always said we have lived 10 people's lives with the things we have done."

After he retired from racing, the couple, who lived at Hawkes End near Allesley Village, set up a saddle-making business for Olympic riders all over the world. But in October 2004 Gary was diagnosed with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, a rare and terminal cancer.

He endured a 20-hour surgery session and chemotherapy, but was determined to enjoy what little time he had left.

Lorraine, who competes in dressage events and has won trophies at a national level, said: "The last two years were very hard, but Gary, being Gary, wanted us to have the most amazing time.

"We managed to cram in holidays in Scotland, Dubai and Las Vegas.

"I was overwhelmed with the amount of phone calls and flowers and support I've had from all over the world."

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/ex-world-motorbike-racing-champ-dies-3126060


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