SPEEDS HIGHER STILL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1004, 21 June 1930, Page 11

SPEEDS HIGHER STILL

RECORDS FALL AGAIN IN SENIOR T.T. RACE COLEMAN STRIKES TROUBLE Reed. 9.5 a .in. LONDON, Friday. The senior division of the Tourist Trophy race over the 264-mile road course at the Isle of Man, has been won by TV. L. Handley, riding 1 a Rudge Whitworth, at a record average speed of 74.24 miles an hour. Graham Walker (Rudge-Whitworth), was second at 73.1 miles an hour, and J. Simpson (Norton), third with an average of 72.7 m.p.h. Hew Zealand's representative, Percy Coleman, retired owing to valve trouble. There were many crashes during the race, and a number of riders was injured A British Official Wireless message states that Handley’s time was 6min 28sec faster than that of last year s winner. He covered the first 151 miles in 9sec under two hours, the greatest performance ever achieved in a Tourist Trophy race. The senior race of the T.T. series is the blue riband contest of the motor-cycling world, since the winning of this event necessitates both mechanical perfection and riding skill of the highest order. The contest is of special interest to motor-cyclists, since it marks the first public appearance of models from the various factories which will be produced in the following season, and some impression of their value can be gained from the manner in which they perform under these gruelling road conditions. Each machine competing receives more knocks and strains during this race than does the average mount in many thousands of miles.

During a practice last week. Handley covered one lap at an average speed of 75.2 m.p.h., creating a record. All three placed men this year beat the time for the full course of last year’s winner. Handley is quite an old hand in T.T. races. He rode last year, but on the first lap he skidded in taking a slippery corner too fast, and crashed. He was unhurt and was about to continue after only a few minutes’ delay when three other riders. Lamb, Amott and Simpson (who filled third place this year) also crashed on the same corner in quick succession. Handley spent a busy quarter of an hour in moving the fallen men and machines from the roadway, and in attending to Lamb, who had received fatal injuries. This loss of time prevented him taking further part in the event. New Zealand’s representative was unlucky in both senior and junior races, falling in the latter and retiring with engine trouble in the main race. Following are the winners since 1920: m.p.h. 1929—C. J. P. Dodson (Sunbeam) 72.05 1928—C. J. P. Dodson (Sunbeam) 62.98 1927 —A. Bennett (Norton) 68.41 1926—5. Woods (Norton) 67.54 1925—H. R. Davies (H.R.D.) .. .. 66.13 1924—A. Fennett (Norton) .. 61.64 1923 — T. M. Sheard (Douglas) .. 55. do 1922—A. Bennett (Sunbeam) .. .. 58.31 1 924—H. R. Davies (348 A.J.S.)*. 04.49 1920— T. C. de la Hay (Sunbeam) 51. <9