Charlie Gray

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Mounts: Junior – A.J.S.
Senior – A.J.S.

Age 35, a photographer, of Belfast, Charlie Gray has had numerous successes in Irish races, and has ridden in many grass track events, trials and scrambles.

He started serious road racing on a 499 c.c. B.S.A. in 1946, and the following was second in the Carrowdore “100.”

Last year, he rode a 7R A.J.S. in the Junior T.T. and finished 56th at 73.93 m.p.h. in spite of stops on the mountain on the fourth and fifth laps.

He was also a conspicuous performer in the Irish races – was third in the Irish races – was third in the 350 Handicap of the North-West “200,” bracketed first in the 350 Scratch class of the Mid-Antrim “150,” second in the 350 class of the Carrowdore “100.” In the Ulster Grand Prix, he won the “Buchanan Cup”, and he wound up the season by making the fastest lap in the 350 class of the Enniskillen “100.” All his successes were on his 7R A.J.S.

He is riding the same “Boys’ Racer” in this year’s Junior and Senior events, with an over-sized barrel and piston for the latter race.
(TT Special, 5 June 1950, p.20.)

Junior - AJS
Senior - AJS

Age 35, a photographer, of Belfast, Charlie Gray has had numerous successes in Irish races, and has ridden in many grass track events, trials and scrambles.

He started serious road racing on a 499cc BSA in 1946 and the following year was second in the Carrowdore “100”. In 1949 he rode a 7R AJS in the Junior TT and finished 56th at 73.93 mph in spite of stops on the mountain on the fourth and fifth laps.

He was also a conspicuous performer in the Irish races – was third in the 350 Handicap of the North West “200” bracketed first in the 350 Scratch class of the Mid-Antrim “150” second in the 350 class of the Temple “100” and first in the 350 class of the Carrowdore “100”. In the Ulster Grand Prix, he won the “Buchanan Cup” and he wound up the season by making the fastest lap in the 350 class of the Enniskillen “100”. All his successes were on his 7R AJS.

In 1950 he again competed in all the principal Irish races on his AJS. In the Leinster “200” he was fifth in the 350cc class at 68.47 mph, whilst in the Skerries “100” he was eighth in the general event at 73.03 mph and second to Bob Matthews in the 350 scratch race. In the Munster “100” a fortnight later, he was again second to Bob Matthews in the 350 class at 78.63 mph. He was also second in the class handicap and fourth in the Overall handicap.

Four days later, in the Mid-Antrim “150”, he was eighth in the general handicap at 79.13 mph. The Temple “100” saw him second in the general handicap at 70.21 mph and he also made record 350cc lap at 73.04 mph. In the “Ulster” his fastest race of the season, he was eighth in the 350 event at 86.86 mph, whilst in the Enniskillen “100” he was second in the 350 class and seventh in the general handicap at 67.28 mph. He also was third in the 350 class of the Dunrod 100 at 67.83 mph.

He maintained his finishing consistency in the Isle of Man by coming in 23rd in the Junior TT at 78.42 mph and riding the same AJS bored out, 30th in the Senior at 79.77 mph. In fact, he finished in every race in which he was entered in 1950.

Hobby: Amateur short wave radio.
(TT Special, 4 June 1951, p.13.)

Nationality: Irish

Competed in

Comments