Bill Boddice

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Sidecar – Norton

Bill Boddice, an electrical engineer from Smethwick, Staffs. Is one of the most prominent of the short circuit sidecar drivers.

In the years immediately after the war Bill was a familiar figure on Midlands grass tracks, either as a solo performer or as driver of a “grass”, Ariel chair outfit but with the growth in popularity of road circuits he began to appear at Ansty, Blandford and elsewhere using a 600 cc Norton outfit. In 1950 he had a “1st” at Cadwell in an unlimited cc handicap, a “3rd” at Ansty and a “4th” at Blandford following up with a win in the 500 cc sidecar scratch at the end-of-season Cadwell meeting (using incidentally the old Ariel outfit).

He was again prominent during 1951 and 1952 and in the latter year won the Watsonian trophy for the best aggregate of points gained in Hemsee meetings, in addition to winning the Cadwell Park Championship.

Bill had a highly successful short circuit season in 1954, appearing at Castle Combe, Crystal Palace, Thruxton, Ibsley, Silverstone, Snetterton and Brand’s Hatch. His victories at Brand’s Hatch throughout the season, in fact, resulted in his being joint holder with John Surtees of the Brand’s Hatch Championship Shield.

In the 1954 sidecar T.T. he lay fifth on the sixth lap but shortly afterwards he ran up the bank at Creg-ny-Baa and overturned the outfit. He righted it and continued and after a brief pit stop to investigate possible damage, eventually finished 6th at 62.63 mph and collected a Silver Replica.

Last year he was second in the Sidecar T.T. and in addition he collected “firsts” at Silverstone, Oulton Park, Aintree, Crystal Palace and Shelsley Walsh.

Bill is entered by Ernie Earles and is crewed by Bill Storr.
(TT Special, 4 June 1956, p.9.)

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