Motorcycle racing became apart of Pats life at the age of 15. His first race was at the Kyalami Grand prix circuit in Johannesburg – South Africa, in the early 60’s. Finishing 13th out of 56 starters, made up of Italian, German and Japanese 50cc mopeds. Pat was riding his Maserati competition (production racer) a jewel of a machine built by the famous Italian car company. This bike was replaced with a 50cc Garelli road bike, which Pat converted and tuned into a race winning machine, this was his first effort at precision engineering and design. Moving up in engine capacity to 175cc Ducati, which he modified extensively, fitting a 198cc Spanish Bultaco engine into the Ducati chassis. This bike featured one of Pat early inventions, a power value type exhaust system. This idea improved the performance to such a degree that he was able to beat larger 250cc production racing Yamaha’s. his most memorable race on this machine was an international event at the Swart Kop circuit, Krugersdorp – South Africa where Pat finished 3rd behind 2 world champions Mike Hailwood and Jim Redman.
Cars
Classic Motor-Bikes
After a 14 year layoff, Pat re-entered motorcycle racing in 1985, now a husband and father to 2 sons Byron and Oliver. He entered the arena of classic motorcycle racing catering for machines built between 1960 to 1972. After the pervious years of rock’n’roll Pat wanted to put some sanity back in his life and motorbike racing seemed the answer. Again riding a 250 Ducati (which he gradually redesigned, tuned and modified in the Staccato style) firstly in the classic racing club meetings C.R.M.C.C. in England then in 1988 joining the international historic racing organization I.H.R.O. The very top classic and historic racing. I.H.R.O was made up of mostly 1960’s/70’s world and international champions with a few younger top class riders and a few wealthy owners of exotic machines who had international licences. Pat was re-united with some old friends and rivals from the past, Jim Redman, Phil Read and Walter Villa were all muti world champions who had come back to race again. I.H.R.O. put on support races at the world championship Grand Prix and superbike events around Europe in the late 80’s early 90’s.
The 500c.c. class usually had a race of its own with the 350 and 250 machines together in a separate race, sometimes there were separate races for all 3 classes. The most prestige event of all was the Dutch T.T. at Assen which attracted up to 120 thousand spectators for the historic Dutch T.T. out of 9 starts Pat achieved 3 firsts, 2 seconds, 2 thirds and 4th in the 250 class. Pat achieved more glory with rostrum finishes at Monza (Italy), Dijon (France) and other top European circuits. I.H.R.O. was very diplomatic in respect that all riders were paid the same starting money. But many riders had businesses tuning, making and selling racing components for the type of machines they raced themselves. “Staccato classic racing components” was Pats Company making, Racing brake assemblies, body work kits (fuel tanks, fairings, saddled dry clutch conversions, six-speed close ratio gearboxes and light weight chassis. Many of Pats customers had race winning results using Staccato parts and engine tuning on there single cylinder Ducati’s. A 250 Ducati tuned by Staccato holds the record for the 250c.c. four stoke class on the Isle of Man, To this day at the average speed of 92.97 miles per hour, ridden by Manxman Derrick Whalley.
