Taylor began his career in 1974 as a passenger of the racer Kenny Andrews in the sidecar class. Just a year later he took part in road and circuit races with his own team based on a BSA as a pilot with co-driver Lewis Ward . In 1976 he switched to a team from the British small manufacturer Imp. In 1977 he switched to a construction with a TZ 700 as the basis. From then on, Taylor only competed with models from Yamaha and promptly became British runner-up in the sidecar class. In the new season he took part in international competitions on Windle . Ward, who found this commitment too much, left the "boat" and was replaced by Kenny Arthur at the Isle of Man TT and Jamie Neil at the races for the World Championship . The Swede Benga Johansson joined the team of co-drivers from 1977. It was with him that Taylor achieved his greatest successes, such as his first victory in a world championship run for the Swedish Grand Prix in 1979 or the world title in 1980 . In the same year, the two set a new round record in the TT with 106.08 mph (170.72 km / h ) in their class. The following world championship they finished in third place. On the demanding and under normal conditions already difficult course of the Grand Prix of Finland in 1982 Taylor lost control of the team in heavy rain due to aquaplaning and suffered fatal injuries when hitting a telephone pole. The Imatra racetrack was then removed from the racing calendar. Every year a so-called Memorial Ride - a ride of motorcyclists in memory of Jock Taylor - takes place in his hometown Pencaitland and through the surrounding county .
"Champion Jock Taylor honored at great race meeting", East Lothian Courier, July 12, 2013.
"Barrow Boys", in: Richard Skelton: Motorcycling in the 1970s , Volume 4: Funky Motorcycling! Biking in the 1970s , BookBaby 2014, ISBN 978-0-9930020-6-9
Web links
Jock Taylor on the Isle of Man TT official website.
Jock Taylor. www.motorsportmemorial.org, accessed April 6, 2018 (English).
Benga Johansson