THE JUNIOR T.T. RUDGE'S CLEAN SWEEP IN FIRST OF ISLAND RACES

TIFIIE JUNICIQ 11.1.

MANY wonderful races have taken place over the famous island course, but few, if any, will live longer in the memory of those who witnessed it, than the 1930 Junior T.T. Although on rare occasions in the past the first three places have been annexed by one make, there has never been a victory

so complete as the Rudge Whitworth performance of this year. This was no case of getting home at a moderate pace when the opposition had broken up. Tyrell-Smith, who last year finished third in the Senior after a heavy crash, and who has since shown himelf in the very first flight, came home a winner of the 1930 Junior in 3 hours 43 minutes at an average speed of 71.08 m.p.h. He was second to Dodson on a Sunbeam on the first lap, tied with him on the second, and, following Dodson’s retirement with engine trouble, led to the finish. His team mates, G. E. Nott and Graham Walker finished in that order within a minute of the winner.

The second make. to finish was Velocette, which firm has been well nigh invincible in recent Junior Races, This year there was only one official entry, H. J. Willis, on an experimental engine of great promise. After a good beginning he had to retire, however, and it was left to that very modest and retiring South African, Lon Hall, to bring his Velocette into fourth place at over 70 m.p.h.-and this on only his second visit to the island, a very remarkable effort.

As the riders wheeled their machines out to the start, and one saw the many famous names in the list, it became more than ever eettain that the winner would have to ride a record race. With such an entry there would be no chance of anyone being able to tour home in comfort with practically no competition, a thing which is alas, far too common in car racing in this country of late.

As Hunt pushed his Norton off the starting square, and disappeared over the brow of Bray Hill, conditions were as near perfect as could be, though the riders would perhaps have preferred it to be slightly cooler. Hot roads mean wet tar before the end of the race. A notable absentee was W. L. Handley whose F.N. had not turned up in time, and who had just been. unable to put in the, necessary qualifying laps on Emery’s Cotton, which he was to have ridden instead.

As the late numbers started it was seen that considerable reshuffling of positions was going on round the course, and soon Tim Hunt was signalled at Governors, and the Norton screamed by the stands, having lapped in 32m. 21s. Graham Walker and Tyrell-Smith were close on his heels, however, and Tyrell’s time was 31m. 54s. And yet even this was beaten by Dodson, by the narrow margin of 3 secs. Hicks (A.J.S.) and Willis (Velocette) had also lapped at over 70 m.p.h., while 50 secs. only covered the first 12 riders. This was a race indeed !

FIRST LAP LEADERS.

Some of the overseas riders were striking a patch of bad luck as Williams, Coleman and Naure, from Australia, New Zealand and Spain respectively were already out of it. There was little time, however, to consider their misfortunes for the leaders were roaring through on another lap, and as their times went up, so records went down. First TyrellSmith had broken the lap record in 31m. 38s. but almost immediately it was low

UILIDCE’S CLEAN SWEFID FIIIAT CIF ISLAND UACES

ered by 1 sec. by Guthrie (A.J.S.), giving a speed of 71.61 m.p.h.

Reminders of the cracking pace came as another clock stopped moving on the score board, and later the official announcement would arrive of the rider’s retirement. Next, Barrow packed up at }Bilberry with engine trouble. Then the times for the second lap went up and Dodson and Tyrell were dead level, an event unique in I.O.M. racing.

The speeds were getting higher, and at the end of the second lap the first ten riders had all averaged over 70 m.p.h.

SECOND LAP LEADERS.

The third lap saw Guthrie’s short lived record fall again to Tyrell Smith in 31m. 35s. (71.69 m.p.h.) only to be broken again by Guthrie, this time by a 7 sec. margin at 71.96 m.p.h.

Then Dodson broke a valve at Kirktnichael and retired and the first of the giants was out of it. The famous Jimmie Simpson followed suit, and Lind (A. J .S.) had a broken magneto control and was slowed by being unable to advance the ignition. A. J .5. hopes, however, were centred on Guthrie whose record laps had pulled him up to second place, only 21 secs. behind the leading Rudge. Somerville Sikes (Velocette) who had been riding very well hitherto, came off at Quarter Bridge, and had to lose some time straightening out his model before continuing. The tar here was becoming sticky and several riders had anxious moments. Hicks and Willis, last year

riding as team mates, but this year as friendly rivals, kept A.J.S. and Velocette well to the fore, but the other two Rudges in charge of Nott and Graham Walker were forcing their way up among the leaders, having evidently been signalled to open the taps, in case of trouble overtaking Tyre11.

THIRD LAP LEADERS. h. m. 5. m.p.h.

Graham Walker’s way of signifying that he had not being going quite all out was to break the lap record, held at that particular moment by Guthrie. His speed. was 71.99 m.p.h. The Rudges, however, were getting no rest from the A.J.S. camp, or from Willis’ Velocette, but they were closing up and Nott and Walker were lying 5th and 6th.

FOURTH LAP LEADERS. h.

The fifth lap began to see Fate getting to work among the leaders, and Hicks was caught by the tar at Quarter Bridge, and crashed, damaging his machine, and, as it later transpired, his wrist, which put him out of action for the Lightweight and Senior. Hard luck indeed ! However it takes more than a damaged wrist to keep Hicks away from a machine when actually in a race, and he very pluckily got to work on it and was away again in a couple of minutes only to retire with engine trouble.

Then Willis went out with engine trouble, and the Rudges were going faster than ever. Graham Walker on this lap again broke the record and. beat 72 m.p.h. for the first time on a 350 c.c. machine, but then Nott broke this record in 31m. 21s. at 72.22 m.p.h. This remained unbroken at the finish and is therefore the present Junior lap record. The Rudges were closing in on the valiant Guthrie, now left to fight a lone battle for A. j .S. and Hunt had to change

a plug in his Norton and dropped to tenth place after creeping up to sixth.

FIFTH LAP LEADERS.

Next lap brought disaster to A.J.S. when Guthrie’s magnificent ride was brought to an end by engine failure at Crosby, and their last chance of victory was gone. A.J.S. did not draw a blank however, for G. I-Timing finished 8th, L. H. Davenport 10th and J. 0. Lind 11th, all gaining replicas.

The Rudge position was now firmly consolidated, they had had absolutely no trouble, and the engines were as fast as ever. Tyrell-Smith came in to fill up and receive instructions and warnings and went off for his last lap, with 56 secs. in hand over Nott, and nearly two minutes over Graham Walker.

SIXTH LAP LEADERS. h. m. S. m.p.h.

The Rudge victory was now as certain as anything in motor ‘racing can ever be, and Tyrell was making sure by very steady and careful riding on the last lap of his record breaking ride. Nott and Walker were keeping flat out and actually closed up on Tyrell, and 58 secs. covered the first three at the finish.

The Rudge achievement was all the more remarkable as the engines used, with their very clever arrangements of four radially disposed valves in a hemispherical head, was undergoing its first real test on the road, and G. L. Hack to whose designing capabilities the success was so largely due, is to be heartily congratulated. Don Hall continued his remarkable and consistent riding to the end and averaged the excellent speed of 70.36 m.p.h., while C. J. Williams brought a Raleigh into fifth place after a fine ride. Stanley Woods who finished sixth on a Norton rode with his usual skill and dash but his engine lacked the necessary speed. to get any nearer to the flying Rudges.

TROPHY AND A WINNERS. RESULTS. R rypLLeTIS. h. S.