Tony Rutter, Legendary IOMTT Road Racer, Dead At 78

Road racing legend, nine-time North West 200 winner, and seven-time Isle of Man TT winner Tony Rutter died peacefully at the age of 78. His son Michael Rutter, who followed his father’s tire marks into road racing, said “It is with sadness that after a period of poor health, dad passed away earlier today. I was with him when he died at about 2 a.m. and he was very peaceful.” 

Tony Rutter started racing at the TT in 1965 and continued his road racing career on into the early 1980s. Rutter Sr. also won four consecutive TT-Formula 2 World Championship titles for Ducati, and it’s a video of one of Rutter’s magnificent Ducati wins that the IOMTT officials posted to honor the great TT legend. 

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It’s always sad when someone dies, but it seems that Rutter lived his life the way he wanted to live it, and that’s absolutely something that should be celebrated.  

“It makes me smile how dad lived his life exactly how he wanted to and how he got away with so much,” Michael Rutter went on to say. 

“He will probably be best remembered for winning the world TT-F2 championship four times on a Ducati, as well as seven Isle of Man TT wins, nine North West 200 wins, and two British championship titles during his 22-year career.” 

He added, “I’d like to say a big thank you to his carers for taking such good care of him and all his fans and supporters.” 

We at RideApart send our condolences to Rutter’s family and friends, and join the vast number of fans and supporters around the world who celebrate his life and racing achievements and honor his passing. May he rest and ride in peace. Also, if there’s an afterlife, it had better be full of fantastic bikes to ride. 

Sources: YouTube, Manx Radio, Belfast Telegraph