Kim Newcombe
Encyclopedia
Kim Newcombe was a Grand Prix
motorcycle
road racer
from New Zealand
. Born in the town of Nelson
, Newcombe grew up in Auckland
, then moved to Australia
(first Brisbane
, then Melbourne
) in 1963, and subsequently moved to Europe
in 1968. He competed in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship finishing second to Phil Read
in the 1973
season.
Along with fellow racer, John Dodds
, he developed a motorcycle using a two-stroke outboard motor
designed by Dieter König
. He and the König were the first to challenge the dominance of the MV Agusta
s after the departure of Honda
from Grand Prix competition at the end of the 1967
season. In contrast to his main competitors, Newcombe was credited with the distinction of developing, building, maintaining, and riding the König machine in competition.
On 11 August 1973, Newcombe was seriously injured at a non-championship event at Silverstone
at Stowe Corner. After taking his customary walk of the track prior to the event, Newcombe had requested that hay bales be positioned on the outside of Stowe Corner before the race but race officials refused, stating they were "not required". In the race itself, Newcombe slid off the circuit at that very corner, and collided with the concrete barrier. He died from his severe head injuries
three days later. He was survived by his wife Janeen who was supporting him on tour, and their son Mark (aged four at the time).
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Born in the town of Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
, Newcombe grew up in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, then moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(first Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, then Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
) in 1963, and subsequently moved to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1968. He competed in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship finishing second to Phil Read
Phil Read
Phillip William Read is an English former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer nicknamed "The Prince of Speed." Although he would often be overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Hailwood, he would become the first man to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc classes.-Biography:In 1964,...
in the 1973
1973 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1973 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 25th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:MV Agusta team-mates Phil Read and Giacomo Agostini battled it out for supremacy of the 500cc class but the season was overshadowed by the deaths of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo...
season.
Along with fellow racer, John Dodds
John Dodds
John Dodds is an Australian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed on the Grand Prix circuit from 1966 to 1978. His best finish was a third place behind Dieter Braun and Teuvo Länsivuori in the 1973 250cc world championship...
, he developed a motorcycle using a two-stroke outboard motor
Outboard motor
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...
designed by Dieter König
Dieter Konig
Dieter König not only raced hydroplanes, but was also responsible for manufacturing the engines that powered them. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s his "König" engines dominated the sport.The engines were manufactured in Berlin, Germany...
. He and the König were the first to challenge the dominance of the MV Agusta
MV Agusta
MV Agusta is a motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo,...
s after the departure of Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
from Grand Prix competition at the end of the 1967
1967 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1967 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 19th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of thirteen Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc...
season. In contrast to his main competitors, Newcombe was credited with the distinction of developing, building, maintaining, and riding the König machine in competition.
On 11 August 1973, Newcombe was seriously injured at a non-championship event at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
at Stowe Corner. After taking his customary walk of the track prior to the event, Newcombe had requested that hay bales be positioned on the outside of Stowe Corner before the race but race officials refused, stating they were "not required". In the race itself, Newcombe slid off the circuit at that very corner, and collided with the concrete barrier. He died from his severe head injuries
Head Injuries
Head Injuries is an album by Midnight Oil that was released in 1979 under the Columbia Records label. It was the last Midnight Oil album to feature Andrew James on bass who quit the band due to illness....
three days later. He was survived by his wife Janeen who was supporting him on tour, and their son Mark (aged four at the time).
Grand Prix motorcycle racing results
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Class | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Points | Rank | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 24th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc... |
500cc | König Dieter Konig Dieter König not only raced hydroplanes, but was also responsible for manufacturing the engines that powered them. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s his "König" engines dominated the sport.The engines were manufactured in Berlin, Germany... |
GER German motorcycle Grand Prix The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925, is since 1952 part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship.- History :The first two Großer Preis von Deutschland races were held at Berlin's AVUS before moving to the new the purpose-built Nürburgring which was used in its full... 3 |
FRA French motorcycle Grand Prix The Grand Prix Monster Energy de France is a motorcycling event that is part of the World Motorcycle Racing season.-Winners of the French motorcycle Grand Prix:... 10 |
AUT Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix The Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix was a motorcycling event that had been part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season from 1971 to 1997-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:Footnotes:... - |
NAT Italian motorcycle Grand Prix The Italian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. From 1949 to 1990 the event was known as the Nations Grand Prix. It was one of the original rounds of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing calendar. The race was held exclusively at Monza... - |
IOM 1972 Isle of Man TT -1972 Isle of Man Junior TT 350cc final standings:Monday 5 June 1972 – 5 Laps Mountain Course.-1972 Isle of Man Sidecar 500cc TT final standings:Monday 5 June 1972 – 3 Laps Mountain Course.... - |
YUG Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix The Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season from 1970 to 1990,-Winners of the Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix:-References:... - |
NED Dutch TT The Dutch TT is a motorcycling event, traditionally held on the last Saturday of June at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, as part of the MotoGP World Championship. In the past all classes , nowadays only the 125 cc, Moto2 and the MotoGP... - |
BEL Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix The Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season from 1949 to 1990.-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:... - |
DDR German motorcycle Grand Prix The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925, is since 1952 part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship.- History :The first two Großer Preis von Deutschland races were held at Berlin's AVUS before moving to the new the purpose-built Nürburgring which was used in its full... 3 |
CZE Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix The Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. Before 1993, the race was known as the Czechoslovakian motorcycle Grand Prix... - |
SWE Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix The Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix was a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season in various stints from 1958 to 1990.-Winners of the Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix:-References:... 5 |
FIN Finnish motorcycle Grand Prix Finnish motorcycle Grand Prix was the Finnish round of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship from 1962 to 1982. It was held at the Tampere Circuit in 1962 and 1963 before moving to Imatra. Giacomo Agostini won the most Finnish Grands Prix with ten 500cc victories and seven 350cc... - |
ESP Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix The Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. In addition to this event, three other motorcycling events take place in Spain as of the 2010 season: the Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix, the Aragon motorcycle Grand Prix and the... - |
27 | 10th | 0 |
| 1973 1973 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1973 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 25th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:MV Agusta team-mates Phil Read and Giacomo Agostini battled it out for supremacy of the 500cc class but the season was overshadowed by the deaths of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo... |
500cc | König Dieter Konig Dieter König not only raced hydroplanes, but was also responsible for manufacturing the engines that powered them. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s his "König" engines dominated the sport.The engines were manufactured in Berlin, Germany... |
FRA French motorcycle Grand Prix The Grand Prix Monster Energy de France is a motorcycling event that is part of the World Motorcycle Racing season.-Winners of the French motorcycle Grand Prix:... 5 |
AUT Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix The Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix was a motorcycling event that had been part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season from 1971 to 1997-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:Footnotes:... 3 |
GER German motorcycle Grand Prix The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925, is since 1952 part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship.- History :The first two Großer Preis von Deutschland races were held at Berlin's AVUS before moving to the new the purpose-built Nürburgring which was used in its full... - |
IOM Isle of Man TT The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world... - |
YUG Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix The Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season from 1970 to 1990,-Winners of the Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix:-References:... 1 |
NED Dutch TT The Dutch TT is a motorcycling event, traditionally held on the last Saturday of June at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, as part of the MotoGP World Championship. In the past all classes , nowadays only the 125 cc, Moto2 and the MotoGP... 2 |
BEL Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix The Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season from 1949 to 1990.-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:... 4 |
CZE Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix The Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. Before 1993, the race was known as the Czechoslovakian motorcycle Grand Prix... - |
SWE Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix The Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix was a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season in various stints from 1958 to 1990.-Winners of the Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix:-References:... 3 |
FIN Finnish motorcycle Grand Prix Finnish motorcycle Grand Prix was the Finnish round of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship from 1962 to 1982. It was held at the Tampere Circuit in 1962 and 1963 before moving to Imatra. Giacomo Agostini won the most Finnish Grands Prix with ten 500cc victories and seven 350cc... 4 |
ESP Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix The Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. In addition to this event, three other motorcycling events take place in Spain as of the 2010 season: the Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix, the Aragon motorcycle Grand Prix and the... - |
63 | 2nd | 1 | ||
Further reading
Kim: The Kiwi on the König by Tim Hanna, Fine Line Publications, November 2010, ISBN-13 9780473177461, ISBN-10 0473177463External links
- "Kim Newcombe and the Konig"
- http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/love-speed-and-loss-2007
- http://www.dukevideo.com/Bikes/DVD/Champions
- http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3417/artsbooks/4970/the_next_unknown_hero.html