'He was a unique person. Very funny, affectionate, a perfectionist, a very hard worker and a great friend for anyone to have ' - Andrea Coleman
Fresh from a first ever North West 200 victory, where he was involved in a titanic tussle with Tommy Robb in the 350cc race, a young Ulsterman competed in the Isle of Man TT races for the first time in 1970 and, following a 13th place in the Lightweight 250 TT, was then injured in a 110mph crash at Ballacraine in the Junior TT which put him out for the rest of that season.
The following year a crash at a wet North West 200 resulted in a broken elbow, a paralysed arm and a bent pin in his leg, a legacy from the aforementioned TT crash. But this intrepid Son of Mourne was to bounce back to become one of the world's top riders, his name - Tom Herron.
Following a 350cc Irish Championship win in 1973, Tom decided that his future lay on the Grand Prix circuits of Europe. In his own words, he was 'on a mission'
That mission was to see Tom firmly establishing himself on the continental grand prix scene, indeed he and his wife Andrea, herself a former racer, ran one of the most successful privateer teams of that era with Team Castrol Herron becoming Britain' s leading non-works set-up and a real force to be reckoned with in the 250/350cc World Championships.
During this period Tom had also returned to the Isle of Man TT, with two thirds and two fourths between 1974 and 1975 being proof that he was starting to get a real feel for the place. He had always made no secret of the fact that one of his ambitions was to win a TT and in 1976 he made that ambition a reality.
He began by winning the prestigious Senior TT by 3.4 seconds from Ian Richards and at the end of the week took a record breaking win in the Lightweight 250 at 103.55 mph. Earlier in the week Tom had pushed in from Hillberry to finish 26th in the Junior, it was a race he felt he could have won as he was lying second but a troublesome chain was to frustrate his efforts. However, the 1976 double TT win really heralded Tom's arrival on the world stage. In fact it turned out to be a 'double double' as it coincided with the news that he and Andrea were expecting twins!
Andrea later gave birth to two daughters Kim and Zoe.
Two further TT podium places were achieved in 1977, a third in the Junior 250 and an excellent second in the Senior TT on his 348cc Yamaha. That year also saw Tom finish runner-up in the 350cc World Championship to factory rider Takazumi Katayama and fifth in the 250cc championship. In August that year he had a double at the Ulster Grand Prix in the same classes.
But back to the Isle of Man, a place that figures prominently in Tom's story. It was there that he and Andrea first met, (the couple married in 1971) and it was here that he was to have one of his most spectacular wins. Tom arrived on the Island in 1978 on the back of a double at the North-West 200 where he won the 750cc event from Tony Rutter and the 250cc race from Ray McCullough with a lap record of 113.81mph.
The 1978 TT is of course remembered for the comeback of Mike Hailwood. The Formula One race that year was being billed as a battle between Mike and his old rival Phil Read and certainly no-one, with the exception of his own camp, had expected Tom on the Mocheck Honda to be lying second at the halfway stage. He had the bit between his teeth and was closing on race leader Hailwood when the shock absorber mountings on his Honda let go to force a premature retirement. Tom felt that he could have caught the great man but would later say, in a typical display of unselfishness, that it was 'good for the island (the TT) that I didn't win'. Knowledgeable observers the time knew exactly what he meant.
But later in the week Tom wasn't to be denied another TT win. The build up to Tom's third win on the island amply demonstrated his technical expertise and pre race preparation. He knew the race was going to be quick, Pat Hennen had lapped in practice in under 20 minutes, and he was also aware that the Suzuki GB team were only planning one fuel stop and therefore he could only afford to stop once. Undaunted, Tom decided to weld a few extra inches on to the fuel tank of his bike and also borrowed fellow racer John Newbold's seat tank.
Although acutely aware of its dangers, Tom loved the TT course with his favourite section being Rhencullen. On Monday June 5th 1978 and armed with his 500cc Suzuki, he set off over St Ninian's Crossroads and down Bray Hill for a date with the top step of the Senior TT podium.
For most of the race Tom and his good friend John Williams raced together with Hennen a further ten seconds back on the road and thirty seconds on corrected time. Then on lap five Williams retired leaving Tom to battle it out with Texaco Heron Suzuki teamster Hennen, currently lying second in the 500cc World Championship and on his second visit to the island. Although together on the road, Tom was actually twenty seconds up on corrected time when Hennen lost control on the fast Bishopscourt section and crashed out, sustaining career ending injuries. Tom took the win with a race record of 111.74 mph and two days later he finished an excellent third in the Junior TT on his 250cc Yamaha behind race winner Chas Mortimer and runner-up Charlie Williams with a race average of 99.34mph.
Two months later and Tom was back home for the Ulster Grand Prix on the roads around Dundrod. In the opening 500cc race, the normally fast starting Tom was almost last away but by the end of the opening lap he had set a new lap record and was beginning to make progress through the field. He eventually took second place with a brilliant display of riding but was unable to get to eventual race winner John Williams.
In the 250cc race Tom led from the off to win by just over twenty seconds from his great friend and fellow GP privateer Jon Ekerold with whom he enjoyed many legendary dices.
Next up was the TT Formula 1 race where Tom took over the race lead on lap five from Tony Rutter (Honda) and went on to win again by over 20 seconds. He completed his hat-trick with victory in the Superbike race. Events however were overshadowed with the news that his friend JohnWilliams had passed away in hospital following a crash at Wheelers.
The 1978 season would see Tom consolidate his reputation as one of the world's best privateers as he again featured strongly in the final Grand Prix standings with sixth and fifth place finishes in the 250cc and 350cc championships respectively. One of the highlights of 1978 was the British GP at Silverstone where Tom brilliantly raced to two runner-up positions. He finished the season ranked number eight in the Motorcourse Top 10 riders standings.
For the 1979 season Tom secured a deal with Suzuki GB to race their RG500 in the Blue Riband 500cc World Championship. The deal also included participation, on the newly developed 652cc four cylinder superbike (XR23), in the MCN/Superbike Championship, a series that was the present day equivalent of BSB. As he prepared for the season ahead, Tom was all too aware of the task that lay ahead of him, firstly he was relatively inexperienced on the bigger machinery and secondly he would be racing against unfamiliar opposition. As he said at the time, 'I'm into a new class this season, I don't know anyone's form in the 500 class'. He was however determined to learn the new bikes and quickly get dialled in to his new role. Incidentally this was Tom's second ride on a factory Suzuki GB machine. At the 1976 Finnish GP at Imatra he made a one off appearance on the 500-4 of injured regular John Williams.
Unfortunately oiled plugs brought his race to a premature end after only two laps.
Returning to 1979 and Tom certainly found himself in illustrious company. One of his team mates in the Texaco Heron Team Suzuki set up was none other than double world champion Barry Sheene and among others there were similarly Suzuki mounted rising Italian star Virginio Ferrari and Dutchman Wil Hartog, as well as the little matter of Yamaha's reigning champion Kenny Roberts to contend with.
Tom actually missed the pre-season Suzuki GB track day at Brands Hatch as his friend and mechanic Dave Johnson explains:-
" I was still in Lisburn and seem to remember there was bad weather at Belfast airport and Tom could not get there"
However, on Sunday March 18th 1979, Tom lined up on the Venezuelan 500cc Grand Prix grid for his first taste of racing in the Blue Riband class as a full factory rider. He didn't disappoint.
He found himself on the front row after finishing second quickest to Sheene in practice, however an uncharacteristic poor start left him languishing in ninth place. As the race progressed Tom had brilliantly battled his way to second but the sheer heat and effort involved would eventually see the tiring Ulsterman finish a magnificent third behind eventual winner Sheene and second placed Ferrari. (Tom was so exhausted after the race that he couldn't make it to the podium).
Consistent early season performances at Donington Park and Cadwell Park were proof that Suzuki had pulled off a real coup by securing Tom's signature.
In Easter that year Tom took his place in the British team for the traditional Transatlantic Trophy races and fully justified his selection with a brilliant third place in the first race at Brands Hatch behind Sheene and American Mike Baldwin, however a spectacular crash at Westfield sidelined him for the rest of the weekend, his absence proved to be a bigger loss to the team than many could have imagined.
Back on the grand prix scene, and strong finishes in Austria (fourth) and Italy (third) put Tom in third place in the championship as the series headed for Spain where a practice crash left him with a badly broken right thumb and as such, unable to race. Despite this, he was still lying fourth in the championship when he arrived back in his native Northern Ireland for that year's North West 200
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In his few months as a factory rider in the 500cc championship that year, Tom had proven himself as a genuine contender not only for race honours but also for the championship itself. Indeed to this day, like many, I am convinced he would have been world champion, possibly in that debut year. It is sad that we will never know just what he would have achieved as he entered this new phase in his career. It is also cruel and tragic that his life was cut short just when he had really reached the big time in his chosen profession.
However, that said, I am ever mindful of the fact that Tom was a much loved son, husband, father and brother. That is the real tragedy with his passing.
His performances on his privately run 250/350cc Yamahas particularly on the world stage, his total of three Isle of Man TT wins to which he would surely have added more, all speak for themselves. As for his lap of 127.63mph on Jim Finlay's 750cc Yamaha at the 1978 North West 200, well that is something that can only be believed with a great degree of difficulty some 28 years later! At the time it was the fastest lap of any British Isles circuit and indeed, it remained so up until recent years.
That lap was a truly awesome display of riding, taking over eight seconds off the existing lap record and it is perhaps fitting that subsequent alterations have not only made the circuit safer but also ensures that the statistics of this incredible speed will always be there to see. It certainly put Tom on a pedestal with the best.
''Tom was such an amazing rider but that came from his personality as well as his athletic ability. I also know that so many people loved him'' said Andrea.
One of those people is none other than Tom's great friend, three times world champion Kenny Roberts. In his home in California, Kenny has only one picture of a racing motorcyclist, other than himself, and that is of Tom.
There can be no better testimony to Tom's greatness and popularity.
Stephen McKeown
May 2006