The 1930
Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...
was dominated by the
Rudge marque. Despite problems in practice for Rudge and the new George Hicks designed four-valve over-head valve motor-cycles the 1930
Junior TT
The Junior TT is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. Between 1949 and 1976 this race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.
Engine c ...
was a closely contested race. At the end of the first lap, Charlie Dodson riding for Sunbeam led the Rudge of
H. G. Tyrell Smith by only 4 seconds. On lap 2, a dead-heat was posted between Dodson and Tyrell Smith both completing the
Snaefell mountain course in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 32 seconds.
[''Isle of Man Examiner'' dated 13 June 1930.] At
Kirk Michael
Michael ( gv, Maayl) is one of the six sheadings of the Isle of Man. It is located on the west of the island (part of the traditional ''North Side'' division) and consists of the three historic parishes of Ballaugh, Jurby and Michael.
H ...
on lap 3, Charlie Dodson retires with valve problems, leaving Tyrell Smith to win the 7 lap race at an average speed of from Rudge team-mates Ernie Nott and Graham Walker.
The 1930
Lightweight TT
The Lightweight TT is a motorcycle road race that is a part of the Isle of Man TT festival - an annual motorcycle event traditionally held over the last week of May and first week of June.
History
The Lightweight class was first present at th ...
was initially led by the South African rider Joe Sarkis riding an
OK-Supreme
OK-Supreme was a British motorcycle manufacturer from 1899 to 1939 located in Birmingham. Grass-track racing versions of the machines continued to be available until 1946.
History
In 1882 Ernie Humphries and Charles Dawes founded "OK" as bicycl ...
motor-cycle and on lap 1 set a time of 33 minutes and 55 seconds to lead Wal Handley riding for
Rex-Acme
Rex, Rex Motorcycles, Rex-Acme, (not to be confused with the German manufacturer of similar name) was a car and motorcycle company which began in Birmingham, England in 1900. Rex soon merged with a Coventry maker of bicycles and cars named All ...
motor-cycles by 39 seconds. At Union Mills on lap 2, Joe Sarkis stops to make adjustments and Wal Handley retires with oil-tank problems at Braddan Bridge. This hands the lead to
Jimmie Guthrie
James Guthrie (23 May 1897 – 8 August 1937) was a Scottish motorcycle racer.
A motorcycle garage proprietor and professional motorcycle racer from Hawick Roxburghshire, Jimmie Guthrie was known as the “''Flying Scotsman'',” with a hard- ...
riding an
AJS motor-cycle and leads Joe Sarkis by 21 seconds on lap 3. At the East Mountain Gate on lap 4, Joe Sarkis stops a second time and retires and the 1930 Lightweight TT Race provided a first-time win for Jimmie Guthrie riding an AJS motor-cycle in 4 hours, 4 minutes and 56 seconds at average race speed of .
The 1930
Senior TT
The Senior Tourist Trophy is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival, an annual event traditionally held over the last week in May and the first week in June. The Senior TT is the Blue Riband event of the festi ...
Race was again a closely contested race between Rudge and the other manufacturers and also Wal Handley and Tyrell Smith. This time on the first lap Wal Handley led Tyrell Smith also riding for the Rudge marque by 39 seconds. Despite the poor weather conditions and heavy rain in the last two laps, the 1930 Senior TT Race was again won by Rudge motor-cycles with Wal Handley becoming the first TT rider to win in all three major TT Race classes at an average race speed of and having to hold top-gear in place with his toe. Also, Wal Handley set a new overall lap record of 29 minutes and 41 seconds an average speed of , the first lap under 30 minutes of the
Snaefell mountain course.
Senior TT (500cc)
20 June 1930 – 7 laps (264.11 miles) Mountain Course.
Junior TT (350cc)
16 June 1930 – 7 laps (264.11 miles) Mountain Course.
Lightweight TT (250cc)
18 June 1930 – 7 laps (264.11 miles) Mountain Course.
Notes
* During practice, F C Isaacs from
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
, riding a Norton, suffers cut toes after hitting the Braddan War Memorial.
A flock of sheep at the 13th Milestone causes some problems to Jimmie Simpson riding a Norton.
[''Isle of Man Weekly Times'' dated 7 June 1930]
* The Japanese rider
Kenzo Tada crashes his Velocette into Ballaugh Bridge and suffers nothing more than bent handlebars.
* The Italian rider
Pietro Ghersi is injured and taken to hospital after crashing at the Gooseneck during practice, and is accompanied back to Italy by
Achille Varzi.
* The High Bailiff fines Wal Handley and Ernie Nott £1 each for not having an efficient exhaust silencer on their motor-cycles.
* On lap 1 of the 1930 Junior TT Race,
Percy Coleman riding a Royal Enfield retires after a crash at the 33rd Milestone. The Egyptian rider M. Sabet riding a Sunbeam stops at Governor's Bridge with spark-plug problems. At Hillberry, C.S. Barrow riding a Levis retires after a crash. At Union Mills on lap 2, Frank Longman riding an Excelsior stops with gear-box problems, but continues after a delay. At the TT Grandstand on lap 3, J.G. Lynd riding a Velocette is delayed with a magneto problem. Charlie Dodson riding a Sunbeam retires at Kirk Michael with value spring problems. As the competitors complete their 3rd lap, Frank Longman completes his 2nd lap with Jimmie Simpson as a pillion passenger. At the Quarterbridge on lap 3, Somervile-Sikes riding a Velocette slips off but continues and J. Hanson, also riding a Velocette, at Governor's Bridge. At the Quarterbridge on lap 5, S. Barwell riding an Excelsior crashes and breaks his left arm. Also, Tim Hunt riding a Norton slips off on melting tar at the Quarterbridge but continues. The Belgian rider J. Fondu crashes his Mondial at Creg-ny-Baa. On lap 6, "Digger" Simcock retires his Sunbeam at Greeba with engine problems.
* For the 1930 Lightweight TT Race, Freddie Hicks is posted as a non-starter. At Union Mills on lap 1,
Syd Crabtree riding an Excelsior retires with a broken exhaust valve and L.H.Davenport riding an
AJS at the Quarterbridge with engine problems. At Kirk Michael on lap 2, Frank Longman riding an OK Supreme retires with engine failure and Don Hall riding an OK Supreme retires at Ballaugh. The Jamaican rider A. Ennevor, riding a Velocette, falls on Creg Willey's Hill on lap 3 and continues with a split lip, but later retires at the TT Grandstand. The Swiss rider F. Franconi, riding a Universal, crashes at
Glen Helen.
[''Isle of Man Examiner'' dated 20 June 1930.]
* In the 1930 Senior TT Race, the Italian rider Achille Varzi is posted as a non-starter. On lap 1, A. Tyler, riding a
Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
, crashes at the Quarterbridge and retires. In Ramsey on lap 1
Edwin Twemlow, riding for
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...
, retires with clutch failure. At the Ramsey Hairpin, Leo Davenport, riding an AJS, retires with a gear-box problem. At the Creg-ny-Baa, W. Kitchen, riding a
Scott, slips off but continues. On lap 2, Jimmie Guthrie riding for AJS is reported as touring at Creg-ny-Baa and pushes in from Hillberry to retire. On lap 3, J. Duncan riding a Raleigh motor-cycle collides with the Union Mills Post Office and loses 5 minutes. At Braddan Bridge, W. L. Birch riding an Excelsior collides with a Flag Marshal and retires, and F. V. Rushton riding a Sunbeam motor-cycle crashes at Laurel Bank. On lap 5, F.C. Isaacs riding a Norton, crashes into the telephone box at the Creg-ny-Baa. At the Gooseneck, Tim Hunt retires with engine problems with his Norton and C.J. Williams riding a Raleigh crashes and suffers a broken leg.
Sources
External links
Detailed race resultsMountain Course map
{{DEFAULTSORT:1930 Isle Of Man Tt
Isle of Man TT
The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...
#1930
Isle