Tom Herron

Nationality

British

Motorcycle racing career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Active years

1970 – 1979

First race

1970 350cc Isle of Man TT

Last race

1979 500cc Spanish Grand Prix

First win

1976 250cc Isle of Man TT

Last win

1976 500cc Isle of Man TT

Starts	Wins	Podiums	Poles	F. laps	Points
73	2	14	3	1	373

Tom Herron (14 December 1948 – 26 May 1979) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Lisburn, County Antrim in Northern Ireland. He specialised in road circuits such as the Isle of Man TT and the North West 200.

Herron's career started in 1965 when he competed in numerous events throughout Ireland, building up his experience along the way. In 1970, he won his first major race, the 350 class at the North West 200.

After winning the 1973 Irish 350cc championship, he moved up to the Grand Prix world championships. During these years, Herron competed as a privateer, against the factory backed riders, and it was a David vs Goliath struggle to compete. During this time, he met and eventually married Andrea, a sister of sometime Norton rider Peter Williams. They eventually had two girls, twins named Kim and Zoë.

At the close of 1976, he finished fourth in both the 250cc and 350cc world championships. Herron won the last Senior TT at the Isle of Man TT before the stripped the event of its world championship status in 1976. The following year, he finished runner-up in the 350cc world championship to Yamaha factory rider Takazumi Katayama.

In 1978, Herron strengthened his position as one of the world's best riders on privateer machinery with fifth and sixth places in the 250cc and 350cc world championships respectively.

For the 1979 season, he finally got his big break, as a full works, manufacturer backed rider for the Texaco Heron Suzuki team in the 500cc world championship, alongside two-time world 500cc world champion Barry Sheene, and future Truck racer Steve Parrish.

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Wikipedia