FOUR 200-MILE SOLO RACES.
FOUR 200—MILE SOLO RACES.
DURING the morning, when the 250 c.c. and 350 c?c. races were run, severe rainfall rendered the conditions decidedly uncomfortable for man and machine, but, nevertheless, in these two classes the percentage of reliability was far higher than in the two larger classes, which were blessed with fine weather. At 10 o’clock, the two smaller classes were dispatched on their 73 lap swim, Worters (Excelsior), Edmunds (O.K.), and Colgan (Zenith) immediately taking the lead and holding it for many laps. At one-quarter distance, however, Colgan was in 2nd place close behind Worters, while Edmunds had dropped back, allowing F. L. Hall, who did so well in the Lightweight T.T., to run third
THE 350 c.c. RACE. This race was run concurrently with that for 250 c.c. machines, and naturally attracted more attention in
on his New Imperial. Colgan was the next unfortunate, running out of petrol ou the far side of the track. After a long and weary push he re-started, but at half distance he was headed by Worters, Hall and Edmunds in the order named, of whom Worters had averaged 71.45 m.p.h. This order was maintained at three-quarter distance, and Colgan was trying hard to regain his lost against great odds. Worters was now leading comfortably, and eventually ran home a winner at 71.18 m.p.h., being followed by Edmunds (O.K.), who had managed to pass Hall. The complete list of finishers was :— view of the higher speeds attained. The entry list revealed a few surprises ; C. S. Staniland rode Worter’s 350 c.c. Excelsior, and Emerson appeared on the new Marchant M.A.G., a formidable looking overhead camshaft affair with a large separate oil sump beneath the gearbox. At the outset the lead was not unexpectedly taken by W. L. Handley (Rex Acme), followed by Lacey (Grindley) and two Velocettes ridden by Hicks and Hamilton. Very shortly afterwards the rain stopped Handley and slowed Lacey, while Emerson retired with an engine damaged by ” over-revving ” when his gear iumped out. Various other incidents occurred until at quarter distance Hamilton (Velocette) led, followed by Staniland and Lacey, the former’s speed being 83.7 m.p.h. Lacey again slowed when the rain increased, but when it stopped he accelerated again and Handley also restarted. At half distance, however, the order was unaltered, in spite of Handley’s and Lacey’s strenuous endeavours. Hamilton’s speed, however, was now 84.7 m.p.h. Then disaster overtook Hamilton, whose huge tank proved too much for the four bolts supporting it ; he wasted much time repairing petrol pipes, so that Staniland and Lacey passed him, and in this order the trio completed the three-quarter distance, Staniland averaging 82.63 m.p.h. Hicks (Velocette) had broken a valve, and Handley also retired with water in the magneto. Ten laps from the end Lacey retired with oil pump trouble, so that Staniland finished first without serious opposition. As he crossed the line for the 73rd time an overhead rocker stud snapped, and after a very slow lap he pulled into the pits with a very long face. He had no idea that he had won-an extremely near shave. The unlucky Hamilton struggled into 2nd place, the complete order of finishers being :
THE 500 C.C. RACE. For once the 500 c.c. race was not such a fiasco as in recent years, high speed being maintained by several machines for considerable distances. R. N. Judd (Douglas) showed terrific acceleration, and actually led all the big twins at the end of lap one, and so far as the 500 c.c. class was concerned, he and Denly (Norton), running neck and neck, continued to lead for 27 laps. Among the retirements during the first twelve laps were Le Vack (New Hudson), who was running third, Bullus (New Hudson), magneto trouble, and Cobbold (Sunbeam). At quarter distance the order was :
1 R. N. Judd (Douglas). A. Denly (Norton).
3 A. R. Quinn (Triumph).
The leader’s speed was 92.65 m.p.h., and they were actually ahead of all the” big twins” though two 600 c.c. singles were leading this class.
At 27 laps Judd retired with a broken valve collar, thus letting Staniland (Norton) into the first three. Lacey, of whom much is expected in these events, suffered a broken valve spring one lap later than Judd’s misfortune. Half way positions were :
1. A. Denly (Norton).
2. C. S. Staniland (Norton).
3. A. R. Quinn (Triumph). Denly had averaged 91.76 m.p.h., but stopped for replenishment, allowing Staniland to lead temporarily ; however, it was not long before Staniland fell a victim to the only trouble that seems to occur on Norton machines-a broken rocker standard. Braidwood
R. Gibson (493 Sunbeam) 79.98 P. M. Walters (498 Sunbeam-Jap) 77.94 E. C. Fernihough (488 H.R.D.-Jap) • 73.52 C. A. Lewis (490 Norton) 73.19 R. R. Barber (495 Matchless) 73.00 A. Denly (490 Norton) 71.63
Gibson’s Sunbeam had one of the 1925 overhead cam-.
shaft engines and was running on petrol-benzole mixture, while Femihough’s H.R.I). was fitted with the J.A.P. engine out of his record breaking Morgan.
THE 1,000 C.C. RACE. Once again the British big twin disgraced itself by an exhibition of both minor and major unreliability, although the reputation of the country was well upheld by a couple of 600 c.c. singles running in this class. At the beginning J. S. Wright took the lead, followed by Horsman (599 Truimph) and Grogan (588 Norton), but the Brough Superior tank soon began to disintegrate so that at quarter distance the order was :—
1. V. Horsman (Triumph).
2. R. T. Grogan (Norton).
3. J. S. Wright (Brough Superior). Horsman had averaged 93.79 m.p.h., but shortly afterwards he retired with a broken rocker, and Grogan took the lead. Then Wright was beaten by his tank and withdrew, thus letting Baldwin (Zenith) and Longman (Harley Davidson) into the picture. Half distance order :—
1 Grogan (Norton).
2. Longman (Harley Davidson).
3. Baldwin (Zenith).
Leader’s speed 92.88 m.p.h.
Baldwin was in trouble with his petrol supply, and suffered therefrom throughout the race, while Ashby (Zenith), a previous winner, retired with a seized gearbox. Grogan was now leading by a lap, but in restarting after a fuel stop he skidded and collided with the pits, putting himself and his Norton hors de combat. By virtue of his retirement, third place was taken by G. W. Patchett, who was the only other runner. Longman led at three-quarter distance at 86.7 m.p.h., followed by Baldwin and Patchett, but both the latter eventually retired, leaving the evergeen Harley a solitary winner at 86.89 m.p.h.