Reg Armstrong

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Age 20, a salesman, of Dublin, Reg Armstrong is one of the most brilliant of the younger school of riders. In his short racing career he has already won many events in Ireland, including the 350 c.c. Championship of Ireland (Southern Centre) in 1947, and in 1948 the 350 class of the Mid-Antrim "100" and the 500 class of the Carrodore and Enniskillen "100s".

In 1947 he rode in the Lightweight Manx Grand Prix and finished fifth on an Excelsior. Last year he made fastest lap in the Junior "Manx" on an A.J.S. at 79.54 m.p.h. but was unlucky enough to retire at the Guthrie Memorial, ten miles from home when running third. In the Senior race the following day, riding a Triumph, he was running second to the ultimate winner, Don Crossley on a similar machine, and on Lap 4 was only 13 seconds behind him. Then Reg experienced gear trouble and finished the race with top gear only, to come in fourth.

He is a member of the official A.J.S. team in both races.
(TT Special, 13 June 1949)

Mounts: Junior – Velocette
Senior – Velocette

Age 21, a salesman, of Dublin, Reg Armstrong is one of the most brilliant of the younger school of riders. In his short racing career he has already won many events in Ireland, including the 350 c.c. Championship of Ireland (Southern Centre) in 1947, and in 1948 the 350 class of the Mid-Antrim “100” and the 500 class of the Carrowdore and Enniskillen “100.”

In 1947 he rode in the Lightweight Manx Grand Prix and hind him. Then Reg experienced 1948 he made fastest lap in the Junior “Manx” on an A.J.S. at 79.54 m.p.h., but was unlucky enough to retire at the Guthrie Memorial, ten miles from home, when running third. In the Senior race the following day, riding a Triumph, he was running second to the ultimate winner, Don Crossley on a similar machine, and on lap four was only 13 seconds behind him. Then Reg experienced gear trouble and finished the race with top gear only, to come in fourth.

Last year he turned “international” and was a member of the official A.J.S. team in both T.T. races. In the Junior he finished fifth at 82.34, and in the Senior, riding a bored-out 350 (358 c.c.), he finished seventh at 82.64 m.p.h. and won a first-class replica.

Going on to the Continent, he rode in the “big four” races, finishing fourth in the Swiss, fifth in the Belgian, and eighth in the Dutch (350 classes), and sixth in the 500 class of the Grand Prix of Nations. In the Junior Ulster Grand Prix he was second, less than 40 seconds behind the winner, Fred Frith, whilst previously he had been second in the same class of the Leinster “200,” and fourth in the North-West “200.”

He finished off the season in the October Silverstone meeting by making fastest 350 lap.

He is Nigel Spring’s entry in both races, his Senior Velocette being a 498 c.c. model.
(TT Special, 5 June 1950, p.16.)

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Nationality: Irish

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