THE LIGHTWEIGHT RACE

THE LIGHTWEIGHT RAC

THIS year the lightweight event, usually a comparatively calm spot in a hectic week of racing, changed its usual character and provided one of the best-fought and most exciting races the island has ever seen.

The entry of over 40 riders ensured that there would be no runaway wins, and that records would go by the board, and the promise was fully carried out. That wonderful veteran, Graham Walker rode a magnificent and well-judged race, and everyone was glad to see him pull off an island victory at last, after the splendid series of rides he has put up in, all parts of Europe. Nott had hard luck when, after leading the race for 6 laps, he had trouble on the last lap and dropped to fourth place, the sort of wretched misfortune that was taking place in, all this ycar’s races, but is all in the game.

At last we had a 250 c.c. machine which was definitely faster than anything our foreign rivals could produce, and the Guzzi was this year unable to get anywhere near the Rudges. Good weather once more favoured the riders and the first lap times showed that this was going to be a fast and close race. They were :

1st. G. E. Nott (Rudge), 31m. 55s. 70.81 m.p.h.

2nd. H. G. Tyrrell-Smith (Rudge), 32m. 40s.

3rd. G. W. Walker (Rudge), 32m. 57s. 4th. S. Gleave (Diamond), 33m. 20s. 5th. E. A. Mellors (New Imperial), 33m. 30s.

6th. P. A. Lon,gman (0.P. Supreme), 33m. 35s. The high speed was telling on the small engines in some cases, and L. H. Daven

port (New Imperial), Mitchell (Excelsior) and Barrow (O.K. Supreme) were among the early retirements. George Hinny crashed at Windy Corner and had to stop at the pits for minor repairs as a result.

The second lap showed the Ru.dges order unchanged while Gleave had dropped to 5th and Mellors had pulled up to 4th. The first six on. the second lap were as follows :

1st. G. E. Nott (Rudge), lh. 3m. 41s. 71.11 m.p.h.

2nd. H. G. Tyrrell-Smith (Rudge), lh. 5m. 21s.

3rd. E. A. Mellors (New Imperial), lh. 5m. 35s.

4th. J. Sarkis (O.K. Supreme), lh. 6m. 34s.

5th. S. Gleave (Diamond), lh. 6m. 36s. 6th. P. H. Longman (O.K. Supreme), lh. 6m. 44s.

Nott’s speed on his second lap should have been enough to satisfy anyone, but he did not think so, and on his third lap did 31m. 34s. (71.73 m.p.h.), a record lap which remained unbroken to the end of the race. Tyrrell-Smith’s lap times varied only a few seconds, but Graham Walker had clipped 13 secs. off his last and taken second place. The 3rd lap order was :

1st. G. E. Nott (Rudge), lh. 35m. 15s. 71.31 m.p.h.

2nd. G. W. Walker (Rudge) , lh. 38m. Os 3rd. H. G. Tyrrell Smith (Rudge), lh. 38m. 4s.

4th. S.Gleave (Diamond), lh. 39m. us. 5th. E. A. Mellors (New Imperial), lh. 40m. 7s.

6th. J. Guthrie (O.K. Supreme), lh. 41m. 7s.

On the fourth lap Paddy Johnston on the Guzzi pulled up to fifth place, but was having a hard ride as his bottom gear had passed away. Mellors was by now without any clutch, but this did not seem to worry him as he kept going in fourth place, hanging on the Rudges. Emery (Cotton), Bech (Diamond) and Tattersall (C.T.S.) joined the retired list. (Continued cn page 456) The fifth lap leaders were :

1st. G. E. Nott (Rudge), 2h. 39m. 36s. 70.94 m.p.h.

2nd. G. W. Walker (Rudge), 2h. 43m. 39s.

3rd. H. G. Tyrrell Smith (Rud,ge), 2h. 44m. 53s.

4th. E. A. Mellors (New Imperial), 2h. 49m. 9s.

5th. M. Ghersi (New Imperial), 2h. 51m.

6th. F. Longman (O.K. Supreme), 2h. 51m. 3s. On the next lap Nott, who with TyrrellSmith had refuelled at the end of their last lap, caught up with Tyrrell on the road, having gained 5i minutes on him, and they continued almost together for the whole lap. The New Imperials and O.K. Supremes were putting up a very fine show, but lacked quite the necessary speed, and it seemed ceztain. that Nott would win, as after six laps the order was : G. E. Nott (Rudge), 3h. 13m. 7s, 70.28

G. W. Walker (Rudge), 3h. 17m. 6s.

H. G. Tyrrell Smith (Rudge), 3h. 18m. 46s.

E. A. Mellors (New Imperial), 3h. 23m. 25s.

F. A. Longman (O.K. Supreme), 3h. 25m. 44s.

M. Ghersi (New Imperial), 3h. 27m. Is. However, things are never certain in a. T.T. and on the final lap Nott’s luck deserted him, and on the Mountain climb a tappet slacked off and he stopped, struggled with tired fingers and inadequate weapons to rectify it and got going once more. He tore down the mountain but again it worked loose and he had to stop once more, and the trophy faded from his

grasp as he again attempted to adjust it. Then he got going and rode over the finish, but not a winner after all. Hard, luck

indeed ! Tyrrell-Smith finished and then the crowd waited for Walker. His pointer duly clicked round and he crossed the line to score his first win in a T.T. It was a freak of fate that, having been himself robbed of victory on another

occasion within 12 miles of victory, his own win should have been brought about by an exactly similar stroke of misfortune to the man who was leading him. Such is life 1 Nott’s trouble dropped him to fourth place, 26 seconds behind Mellors. The finishing order was as follows :

1. G. W. Walker (Rudge), 3h. 49m. 47s.. 69.98 mph.

2. H. G. Tyrrell Smith (Rudge), 3h. 52m. 13s. 68.26 m.p.h.

3. E. A. Mellors (New Imperial),. 3h. 57. 8s. 66.84 m.p.h.

4. G. E. Nott (Rudge), 3h. 57m. 34s. 66.72 m.p.h.

5. F. A. Longman (O.K. Supreme),. 4h. Om. us. 65.99 m.p.h.

6. M. Ghersi (New Imperial), 4h. lm. 33s. 65.62 m.p.h.

7. S. M. Williams (New Imperial), 4h. 2m. Is. 65.49 m.p.h.

8. C. W. Johnston (Guzzi), 4h. 5m. 21s.. 64.60 m.p.h.

9. C. E. Needham (O.K. Supreme),. 4h. 10m. 19s. 63.32 m.p.h.

10. C. B. Taylor (O.K. Supreme),. 4h. 10m. 30s. 63.27 m.p.h.

11. J. Adams (Montgomery), 4h. 20m.. 59s. 60.73 m.p.h.

12. G. L. Boudin (C.T.S.), 4h. 23m. 40s. 60.11 m.p.h.

13. R. Duncan (Excelsior), 4h. 28m. 33s. 59.02 m.p.h.