1921 Isle of Man TT

Last updated

1921 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
Date14 and 16 June 1921
Location Douglas, Isle of Man
Course Snaefell Mountain Course
37.75 miles (60.75 km)
Organiser Auto-Cycle Union
ClerkT.W. Loughborough
Junior TT
First Eric Williams, AJS
Second Howard R Davies, AJS
Third Tom Sheard, AJS
Fastest lap
Howard Davies
41min. 4sec. 55.15 mph New record
Lightweight class
First Doug Prentice, New Imperial-JAP
Second Geoff Davison, Levis
ThirdW.G. Harrison, Velocette
Senior TT
First Howard R Davies, AJS 349cc
Second Freddie Dixon, Indian
Third Bert le Vack, Indian
Fastest lap
Freddie Edmond
40min. 8sec. 56.40 mph New record

The 1921 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Junior 350 cc race took place on Tuesday 14 June and the Senior 500 cc was on Thursday 16 June.

Contents

In this year AJS redeemed themselves by completing a hat trick, taking the first four places for a total of six of the top ten places in the Junior 350 cc race. Works teams boosted the entries to 133 riders and machines and amongst the thousands of spectators was Stanley Woods, making his first visit to the island as a young man, who would later return to make TT history by winning 10 times. [1]

The Junior race speeds also rose considerably over the previous year with a lap speed of more than 50 mph (80 km/h). It had been suggested that sidecar racing could start in 1921 but this idea was not well received and not implemented until 1923. [1] It was announced there was a possibility of moving the TT races to Belgium for 1922 but the Auto-Cycle Union never made the switch. [2]

Despite AJS motorcycles filling the first five places of the Junior race, it was punctures that decided the race outcome. The eventual winner of the 1921 Junior TT Race was Eric Williams riding an AJS in 3 hours, 37 minutes and 23 seconds, an average race speed of 52.10 mph (83.85 km/h). The race was initially led by Howard R Davies also riding for AJS who set a new lap record for the Junior race of 41 minutes and 4 seconds, an average speed of 55.15 mph (88.76 km/h). Time lost by Howard Davies mending a puncture at Windy Corner gave the lead to Jim Whalley riding a Massey-Arran motorcycle. On the last lap Whalley also punctured at Windy Corner and finished the Junior race in fifth place. New Imperial made sales-boosting news with a win in the Lightweight 250 cc class by rider Doug Prentice, coming tenth overall in the 350 cc Junior race. [1] [3]

More drama was to follow in the Senior event as the race-lead changed every lap between Alec Bennett riding a Sunbeam, Freddie W.Dixon riding an Indian, and Freddie Edmond riding a Triumph who set a new lap record of 40 minutes and 8 seconds, an average speed of 56.40 mph (90.77 km/h). The Senior race was eventually won by Howard Davies riding a 350 cc Junior race motorcycle, by a margin of 2 minutes and 3 seconds from Freddie Dixon and Bert Le Vack in 4 hours, 9 minutes and 22 seconds, at an average race speed of 54.49 mph (87.69 km/h).

Race results

Junior TT 350cc

Held on Tuesday, 14 June, at 9:30 am over a distance of 188.75  miles (5 laps of 37.75 miles each), limited to machines of cylinder capacity not exceeding 350cc., with a class for 250 cc. engines run concurrently for The Motor Cycle cup. [4] All 65 entries started the race (43 in 350cc class, 22 in 250cc class), comprising 33 four-stroke singles, 22 two-stroke singles, 7 Flat Twins and 3 V Twin, thirty-eight finished (25 in 350cc class, 13 in 250cc class).

Flag of the Isle of Man.svg The 10th International Isle of Man Tourist Trophy [5]
Pos#RiderBikeCyl.Junior TT and Lightweight class race classification
LapsTimeSpeedPrizes & Remarks
152 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Eric Williams 2¾ hp AJS 349cc153.37.2352.21 mph1st Prize - Winner of Junior Tourist Trophy, £40 and gold medal.
259 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Howard R Davies 2¾ hp AJS 349cc153.41.1051.15 mph2nd Prize - £20 and gold medal.
359 Flag of the Isle of Man.svg Tom Sheard 2¾ hp AJS 349cc153.49.0949.45 mph3rd Prize - £10 and gold medal.
432 Flag of Scotland.svg George Kelly2¾ hp AJS 349cc153.49.2249.40 mphGold medal.
523 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jim Whalley2¾ hp Massey-Arran 348cc153.52.3948.70 mphGold medal.
657 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ossie Wade2¾ hp AJS 349cc153.59.0247.40 mphGold medal.
748 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg W. Howarth2¾ hp DOT 346cc154.05.1446.25 mphGold medal.
838 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Harry Harris2¾ hp AJS 349cc154.10.0945.30 mph
939 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg R. Carey2¾ hp Blackburne 348cc154.12.1444.90 mph
1024 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Doug Prentice2¼ hp New Imperial (249 cc JAP)154.12.3744.80 mph1st in Lightweight class - Winner of The Motor Cycle Trophy and a gold medal.
Fastest lap: Howard Davies, 41min. 4sec. 55.15 mph (New record) [5]

Senior TT

Held on Thursday, 16 June, at 9:30 am over a distance of 226.50  miles (6 laps of 37.75 miles each), limited to machines of cylinder capacity not exceeding 500cc. [5] Out of 68 entries, comprising 52 four-stroke singles, 9 four-stroke twins, 6 two-stroke twins and 1 two-stroke single, sixty-four started the race and twenty-four finished.

Flag of the Isle of Man.svg The 10th International Isle of Man Tourist Trophy [5]
Pos#RiderBikeCyl.Senior TT race classification
LapsTimeSpeedPrizes & Remarks
12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Howard R. Davies 2¾ hp AJS 349cc164.09.2254.49 mph1st Prize - Winner of Senior Tourist Trophy, £50 and gold medal.
265 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Dixon 3½ hp Indian 498.8cc164.11.3554.02 mph2nd Prize - £25 and gold medal.
332 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Bert le Vack 3½ hp Indian 498.8cc164.12.0653.91 mph3rd Prize - £15 and gold medal.
49 Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Alec Bennett 3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc164.14.1153.47 mphGold medal.
560 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jack Watson-Bourne3½ hp Triumph 498.78cc164.18.5552.49 mphGold medal.
662 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Leslie Mitchell3½ hp Norton 490cc164.24.0451.46 mphGold medal.
748 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Edmond3½ hp Triumph 498.78cc164.24.0651.46 mphGold medal.
867 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg George Dance3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc164.24.25Gold medal. Rode last 4 laps on top gear with a broken gearbox [6]
961 Flag of the Isle of Man.svg Tom Sheard 3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc164.26.42Gold medal.
1014 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Frank Townshend3½ hp Triumph 498.78cc164.27.51Gold medal.
1134 Flag of Scotland.svg Douggie Alexander3½ hp Norton 490cc164.29.30Gold medal.
1244 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Billie Hollowell3½ hp Norton 490cc164.30.18Gold medal. 1st Private entry.
1352 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Walter Brandish, Junr.3½ hp Rover 499cc164.30.36Gold medal.
1459 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Harry Harris2¾ hp AJS 349cc164.30.53Gold medal.
1551 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Noel Brown3½ hp Indian 498.8cc164.34.00Gold medal.
1629 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg George Shemans3½ hp Triumph 498.78cc164.34.14Gold medal.
1728 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg R.W. Stanfield3½ hp Scott 486cc264.39.041st Twin-cylinder.
1854 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ray Braid3½ hp Triumph 498.78cc164.43.44
1927 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg M.H. Edmunds3½ hp Triumph 498.78cc164.50.15
2045 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Norman Black3½ hp Douglas 494cc264.52.21
2121 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg George Strange3½ hp James 496cc265.00.20
2215 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg J.W. Moffat3½ hp Scott 486cc265.04.41
2317 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Vivian Olsson3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc165.21.33
246 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Albert Milner3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc165.27.08
Fastest lap: Freddie Edmond, 40min. 8sec. 56.40 mph (New record) [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 February 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) IOM TT The Mountain Circuit (retrieved 20 August 2006)
  2. Archived 30 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine Steam-Packet 2006 Manx GP (retrieved 20 August 2006)
  3. "Welcome to the official New Imperial Owners Association website". Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2006. New Imperial Owners Association History (retrieved 16 October 2006)
  4. The Motor Cycle page 723, 9 June 1921
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 The Motor Cycle page 803, 23 June 1921
  6. The Isle of Man Examiner page 5, 26 May 1922