Legendary Norton race boss Joe Craig amassed a collection of photographs during his three decades at the top. Here, seen for the first time, are a selection
HISTORICAL IMAGES
(Reproduced from Mick Duckworth’s new book on Joe Craig, see p37)
Joe Craig steered Norton to greatness with unrivalled racing success from the 1930 to the mid-1950s, so when Norton enthusiast Barry Stickland came into possession of a cache of photographs preserved by Joe’s late son Des, he immediately realised their significance.
Many of the images recording Norton’s conquering exploits around Europe are thought to have been taken by Craig or his team, while others are family snaps. Most have never been seen before.
A selection from the collection has now been collated into a fascinating book by Classic Bike contributor Mick Duckworth, who researched each shot and interviewed the Craig family to fill in the gaps. The next four pages are a taster of his work and paint a fascinating picture of life on the road for the Norton race team.
Who was Joe Craig?
Joe Craig’s success in his time as Norton’s race team boss was extraordinary. The Ulsterman oversaw wins by 350cc and 500cc singles in 27 Isle of Man TT races, 70 pre-war Continental grands prix and 24 post-war FIM grands prix.
As a racer, Craig took 600cc class wins on ohv Norton singles in the Ulster GPs of 1923 and 1924, then joined Norton’s experimental department where he would go on to oversee a redesign of the ohc engine; it was the basis for every factory and customer Manx racing motor for decades. No wonder his riders called him ‘The Professor’, while the press preferred ‘Wizard of Tune’. His self-taught grasp of engine stresses, gas-flow and combustion ultimately earned him an Institution of Mechanical Engineers award.
After decades of success Craig retired, aged 57, at the end of 1955. Two years later, he died when his car crashed on ice during an Alpine tour. He is commemorated every year at the Isle of Man TT with the Joe Craig Trophy, awarded to the fastest British rider.
