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Inducted 2005 – Competitor – Significant Contributor – Motorcycle Racing
John De Gruchy began his motorcycle racing career in 1957, entering Trials events in Southern Ontario. By the time he stopped, in 1974, he had won more than 100 Canadian Motorcycle Association and American Motorcycle Association events. He was a six-time Canadian national Trials champion – the first coming in 1960 and the last in 1971. He was also proficient at Scrambles and was an Expert Class rider in road racing. His involvement as a racer inevitably led to his long-term commitment to the policy making process within the C.M.A. and he held various executive positions until his retirement at the end of 1975. He was president of the C.M.A. Ontario Region for six years during the 1960s and EARLY ’70s and vice-president twice. Mr. De Gruchy co-authored the C.M.A. Training Course program in 1966 to introduce new riders to the sport. He was a member of the C.M.A.’s national executive for seven years and was national president in 1967, Canada’s Centennial year. His involvement as president resulted in Canada being awarded an FIA-sanctioned World Championship Motorcycle Grand Prix, which was held at Mosport in the summer of 1967, and won by Mike Hailwood. It was Canada’s first, and only, motorcycle Grand Prix. Three times, in 1969, 1970 and 1972, he was awarded the Ontario Achievement Award for his contributions to amateur sport.