JUNIOR TOURIST TROPHY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20593, 18 June 1930, Page 11

JUNIOR TOURIST TROPHY

MOTOR-CYCLE RACING.

ISLE OF MAN MEETING

British "Wireless. RUGBY, June IG. The Junior Tourist Trophy motorcycle raco at the Isle of Man to-day was won by H. G. Tyrell-Smitli on a RudgeWhitworth machine- G. E. Nott and Graham Walker, both on Rudgo machines, were second and third.

The winner's average speed was 71.08 miles an hour. The race was over a distance of 264 miles and British supremacy was challenged by foreign riders from many countries.

The Tourist Trophy races, which are the blue riband events of the motorcycling world, aro held annually at the Islo of Man, over a distance of 264 miles 300 yards, which represents seven Japs of the course. There are three races each year, over the same course, which winds over the ordinary roads on the island and includes sharp bonds, steep climbs and a long descent of the mountain, where the machines frequently attain over 100 miles an hour.

The junior race is limited to machines with engines of 350 c.c. capacity, the light-weight, which will be run to-day, to 250 c.c. machines, and the senior, which will conclude the meeting on Friday, is limited to machines of under 500 c.c. New Zealand's official representative, Percy Coleman, will take part in the senior event.

Tho average speed of the winning machine, 71.08 miles an hour, is nearly a mile an hour faster than the previous record, made by F. , G. Hicks in winning the junior race last year. Tyrell-Smitli finished third in tho senior race last year, C. J. P. Dadson winning at 72.05 miles an hour, and his best lap time being 73.55 miles an hour, a record for the course at that time.

Tho greatest secrecy was maintained in regard to tho engines of the RudgeWhitworth entries, which were of an experimental design, and were completed only just in time to tako part in tho race. Tho riders who finished first, second and third have previously gained fame in tho T.T. races, but have not gained such prominence in tho junior event.

Foreign manufacturers keenly contest tho honours in the annual T.T. races, and several Continental firms entered for the three events this year. No foreign machines were entered last year, but numerous machines of proved performance will I)e seen in both the forthcoming light-weight and senior events. The history of tho races has been a triumph for British manufacturers, the only foreign victory being in 1907, when the rider of an Indian machine won.

Although tho races start at 10 a.m. the course takes competitors across mountainous roads where the morning mist is still clinging, making tho road treacherous and visibility poor. Tho test is a real ono for both riders and machines, as the mounts have to bear up against a more thorough thrashing in a few hours than the average rider would impose in as many years. The designs for tho following year's motor-cycles are frequently affected by tho performance of machines in the T.T. races, which are regarded as

the most arduous and exacting motorcycling events in the world. Following aro the winners of tho junior race for tho last five years: —

m.p.h. 1925 W. L. Hanlev (Rex-Acme) 65.02 1926—A- Bennett (Velocotte) . . 66.70 ]927—F. W. Dixon (11. R.D.) .. 67.19 1928—A. Bennett (Velocotfo) . . 68.65 1929 F. C«. Hicks (Velocetto) . . 69.71