Above : Rod and Bruce Anstey in 2004 . Isle of Man winners 50 years apart . Below : Nostalgic return to the Isle of Man 1998
Rod left university , returned to Wanganui , and joined his father ’ s motorcycle business , spending much of his time riding and racing . In 1949 the 23-year-old Rod arrived in England at a significant time in history . It was four years after the end of the Second World War , and it was the beginning of a modern era in Grand Prix racing , the continental circus . It had been called the European Championship , and became the official World Championship Grand Prix series . Although the Isle of Man was the British round of the new World Championships , it retained the title Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races . Rod was offered a contract by both British race teams , AJS and Norton . He chose AJS and victory came on the Isle of Man in 1954 . Victory on the island , although the equivalent of winning the French , German , or Italian Grand Prix , was by many considered the greatest prize on the whole Grand Prix circuit . It wasn ’ t until the 1970s , following the decision by many top riders not to ride there , presumably for safety reasons , that the island lost its World Championship status , and the British Grand Prix moved to the mainland . Rod ’ s victory in the 1954 Junior TT , at the time ,
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