George O'Dell
Epithet: TT rider 1970s
Record type: Motorsport Biographies
Biography: George O'Dell had been a leather clad rocker in his youth before a crash on a road bike lessened his interest in two wheeled machines. It was said that a manager at Kents Brushworks in Hemel Hempstead first introduced him to three wheelers, and allowed him to practice riding a sidecar in the carpark.
By the mid-1970s he was riding Yamaha TZ powered machines, and had attrracted sponsorship from BP and latterly Shell. His Windle framed machine appeared in the British firm's green and yellow livery at the 1976 TT and the red and yellow of Shell in 1977.
It was that year, with Kenny Arthur in the chair that O'Dell made history. He not only shattered the 100mph barrier for sidecars at the TT, but also became World Champion, despite not having won a single race, so consistent were his podiums. Ironically the only race that he did win that year, the TT sidecar race 1, no longer counted for points.
O'Dell died in a house fire after a stand off with police.
Name Variant: George *O'Dell
Competed in
| Race | Position | Time | Speed | Machine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 Sidecar B TT | R | Yamaha | ||
| 1977 Sidecar A TT | 1 | 1:30:31.20 | 100.03 | Yamaha |
| 1976 Sidecar 1000 TT | R | Yamaha | ||
| 1976 Sidecar 500 TT | R | Yam | ||
| 1975 Sidecar 1000 TT | R | Konig | ||
| 1975 Sidecar 500 TT | R | Konig | ||
| 1974 Sidecar 750 TT | R | Weslake | ||
| 1974 Sidecar 500 TT | 2 | 1:18:46.40 | 86.21 | Konig |
| 1973 Sidecar 750 TT | R | BSA | ||
| 1973 Sidecar 500 TT | 7 | 1:25:04.60 | 79.82 | BSA |
| 1972 Sidecar 750 TT | 11 | 1:23:44.40 | 81.12 | BSA |
| 1972 Sidecar 500 TT | 9 | 1:25:20.20 | 79.6 | BSA |
| 1970 Sidecar 750 TT | R | Triumph | ||
| 1970 Sidecar 500 TT | 36 | 1:48:22.80 | 62.68 | Triumph |