1926 Isle of Man TT

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A race start at the 1926 Tourist Trophy Depart du Tourist Trophy de l'ile de Man en 1926.jpg
A race start at the 1926 Tourist Trophy

Further changes occurred in the 1926 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy with the scrapping of the Side-Car TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT Races from the lack of entries. Most of the TT Course had now been tarmacked, including the Snaefell Mountain Section. Another change in 1926 was the ban on alcohol based fuels, forcing competitors to use road petrol. Despite these changes the prestige of the Isle of Man TT Races had encouraged the Italian motor-cycle manufacturers Bianchi, Garelli and Moto Guzzi to enter.

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The 7 lap (264.11 miles) 1926 Junior TT race was won by Alec Bennett riding a 350 cc overhead-camshaft Velocette motor-cycle, in 3 hours, 57 minutes and 37 seconds, at an average speed of 66.70 mph.

The 1926 Lightweight TT Race produced one of the most notorious events in the history of the Isle of Man TT Races, described by "The Motor-Cycle" Magazine as the "Guzzi Incident." The Italian rider Pietro Ghersi was excluded from second place for using a different sparking-plug in the engine of his Moto Guzzi. Despite the competition from the Italian marques the 1926 Lightweight TT Race was won by 'Paddy' Johnston riding a Cotton motor-cycle, in 4 hours, 23 minutes and 16 seconds, at an average speed of 60.24 mph for the 7 lap race.

The 1926 Senior TT Race was less controversial and was won by Stanley Woods riding for Norton for the first-time by 4 minutes from Wal Handley. The 1926 Senior TT Race produced the first 70 mph (113 km/h) lap and was again set by Jimmie Simpson on an AJS motorcycle in 32 minutes and 9 seconds an average speed of 70.43 mph.

Senior TT (500 cc)

RankRiderTeamSpeedTime
1 Flag of Ireland.svg Stanley Woods Norton 67.54 mph3.54.39.8
2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Wal Handley Rex-Acme 66.313.59.00.6
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Frank Longman AJS 66.034.00.03.4
4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Joe CraigNorton64.754.04.47.0
5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Clarrie Wood HRD 64.024.07.35.0
6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg George RowleyAJS63.964.07.48.6
7 Flag of Italy.svg Achille Varzi Sunbeam 63.84.08.05.0
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sidney JacksonHRD63.44.10.22.0
9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Kenneth TwemlowHRD62.84.12.03.6
10 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Graham Walker Sunbeam62.74.12.35.0

Junior TT (350 cc)

RankRiderTeamSpeedTime
1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alec Bennett Velocette 66.704 mph3.57.37.0
2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jimmie Simpson AJS 63.9034.08.02.0
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Wal Handley Rex-Acme63.3754.10.06.0
4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Dixon Douglas 63.2494.10.30.0
5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Gus Kuhn Velocette62.3454.14.14.0
6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Gordon Burney Royal Enfield 60.8494.20.29.0
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Hough HoughAJS60.774.20.47.0
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Frank LongmanAJS60.354.22.32.0
9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Fred PoveyVelocette60.124.23.30.0
10 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jack AmottMontgomery59.924.24.31.0

Lightweight TT (250 cc)

RankRiderTeamSpeedTime
1 Flag of Ireland.svg Paddy Johnston Cotton 60.204 mph4.23.16.0
2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg George MorganCotton55.1294.47.30.0
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Billy ColganCotton53.5324.56.05.0
4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sammy Jones New Imperial 53.0494.58.47.0
5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Fred Bicknell Royal Enfield 48.4715.27.00.0
6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg E Archibald OK-Supreme 47.585.33.06.0
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sid GleaveDiamond47.405.36.59.0
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg George ShepherdNew Imperial45.095.51.30.0

Only 8 finishers

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