John Draper, first British rider to win the European Motocross Championship, died in 2002, aged 73.
Draper, from Bishop’s Cleeve, Gloucestershire, England was a professional racer across a diverse range of competitions including trials, enduro and road racing, but most notably motocross, where he won the European Championship in 1955. He was also a member of seven victorious British Motocross des Nations teams.
John first learned to ride motorcycles on his father’s farm, where he grew up and lived all his life. Aged 17, his riding talent caught the attention of local motorcycling star Bob Foster who helped him obtain a 350cc AJS in 1946. Two years later he signed a contract to ride for the BSA factory racing team.
In 1950, he led a British team to victory in the Motocross des Nations event in Sweden, which was considered the Olympics of motorcycling, and demonstrated his riding versatility again in 1951 with a victory at the Scottish Six Days Trial. Just a few weeks later, Draper earned two third places finishes at the TT in the Clubman’s 350cc and 500cc races.
After a year with Norton, John was back on a BSA by 1953 and turned his attention to the European Championship. There was no world title at that time so this was the pinnacle of motocross racing. He beat teammate Bill Nilsson by one point to win his 1955 title.
Draper won 5 Grand Prix victories during his international racing career and was a member of seven victorious British Motocross des Nations teams (1949-50, 1953-54, 1956-57 and 1959).
Draper’s motorcycle competition career extended into the 1960s; he also represented the United Kingdom in the International Six Days Trial. He continued to ride BSA after his factory contract had lapsed and never officially retired from competitio, although he’s unlikely to make a comeback now.