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 as many competitors have died.
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, was an English professional motorcycle racer and racing driver. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle world championships from 1958 to 1967 and in Formula One between 1963 and 1974. Hailwood was known as "Mike The Bike" because of his natural riding ability on motorcycles with a range of engine capacities.
Geoffrey Ernest Duke, born in St. Helens, Lancashire, was a British multiple motorcycle Grand Prix road racing world champion. He raced several brands of motorcycle: Norton, Gilera, BMW, NSU and Benelli. After retirement from competition, he was a businessman based in the Isle of Man.
Phillip William Read, was an English professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1961 to 1976. Read is notable for being the first competitor to win world championships in the 125 cc, 250 cc and 500 cc classes. Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Hailwood, he won seven FIM Grand Prix road racing world championships.
John Warren McGuinness is an English motorcycle road racer best known for being a specialist at the Isle of Man TT where he holds 23 wins and sits 3rd in the all time win list behind Michael Dunlop & Joey Dunlop. He and Mike Hailwood hold the record for the most amount of Senior TT wins, 7.
Robert Leslie Graham was a British motorcycle road racer who competed in the 1930s and 1940s. He won the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle racing 500 cc World Championship in 1949.
Luigi Taveri was a Swiss professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM motorcycle Grand Prix world championships from 1954 to 1966. Taveri is notable for being a three-time 125cc road racing world champion. Although he specialised in the smaller engined machines, Taveri is the only competitor to have scored points in six Grand Prix classes: 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 500cc and Sidecars. In 2016, he was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.
The 1925 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the second and final year of the Ultra-Lightweight class for motorcycles of 175 cc capacity. This was the third year of the Sidecar race, which was also dropped after 1925.
Robert MacGregor McIntyre was a Scottish motorcycle racer. The first rider to achieve an average speed of 100 mph (160 km/h) for one lap of the Snaefell Mountain Course in 1957, McIntyre is also remembered for his five motorcycle Grand Prix wins which included three wins at the Isle of Man TT races, and four victories in the North West 200. He died nine days after injuries sustained racing at Oulton Park, Cheshire, England in August 1962.
The 1952 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the start of Bob McIntyre's association with the Isle of Man, when he came second in the Junior Clubman TT that year. Irishman Reg Armstrong won his first Senior TT event as well as coming in second in the Junior TT race on a Norton. Armstrong, as a Norton works rider, was back-up to Geoff Duke who came first in the Junior race.
Alfred Robert Foster was a British professional motorcycle racer. He competed professionally from 1935 to 1951 and won the 1950 FIM 350cc Grand Prix world championship.
The 1970 Isle of Man TT, the fourth round of the 1970 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, involved a number of races on the Mountain Course on the Isle of Man. For the third consecutive year, Giacomo Agostini won both the Junior and Senior races, completing the six laps of the latter race in 2:13.47.6 to win by over five minutes. There were three "production" categories; Malcolm Uphill won the 750 cc, Frank Whiteway the 500 cc and Chas Mortimer the 250 cc. German pairs won both sidecar events; Klaus Enders and Wolfgang Kalauch in the 500 cc and Siegfried Schauzu and H. Schneider in the 750 cc. Kel Carruthers won the Lightweight 250 cc race, while Dieter Braun won the Lightweight 125 cc. Braun's victory was notable because he was one of only seven riders to have won an Isle of Man TT race in their first attempt. Due to the circuit's 37.7 mile length, it usually takes competitors two or three attempts before they learn its nuances.
Dave Molyneux is a Manx professional Sidecar racer. He is the most successful Sidecar competitor in the history of the Isle of Man TT races, achieving 17 TT victories and 30 podium finishes. His race wins place him fourth on the all-time wins list, behind solo bike racers Joey Dunlop, Michael Dunlop and John McGuinness (23).
Bruce Anstey is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is a former lap record holder on the world-famous Snaefell Mountain Course with a time of 17 minutes 6.682 seconds, at an average speed of 132.298 mph (212.913 km/h) set during the 2014 Superbike TT Race. Anstey was signed to race for the Padgett's Honda Racing Team having previously ridden for TAS Suzuki Racing, Valmoto Triumph and DTR Yamaha. For thirteen consecutive seasons, from 2002 - 2015, Bruce Anstey managed to secure a top three finish at the world's three most prestigious road races; the North West 200, the Isle of Man TT and the Ulster Grand Prix.
Alex George is a Scottish former professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in the Grand Prix world championships in 1970 and then from 1973 to 1979. George was a street circuit specialist and was a three-time winner at the Isle of Man TT. His best year in world championship competition came in 1975 when he finished in seventh place in the 500 cc Grand Prix world championship.
The 1972 Isle of Man TT motorcycle races were held between 5–9 June 1972. It was the fifth round of the FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship.
Conor Cummins is a Manx motorcycle road racer who rides in British racing events, competing in the British Superstock Championship, as well as in specialist closed-road events at his home Isle of Man TT races and in Northern Ireland. A part-time seasonal racer, his normal income is derived from his business as a barista.
Ian Hutchinson is an English professional motorcycle road racer specialising in events held on closed public roads, such as the Isle of Man TT, the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix.
Eddie Laycock is a former professional motorcycle racer from Dublin, Ireland.
Eric Williams DCM FIMI (1893-1963) was a British pioneer of motor cycle racing, motor vehicles and automated agricultural harvesting equipment. He was a two-time winner of the Isle of Man Junior TT race in 1914 and 1921 and also gave distinguished military service in First World War as a despatch rider, receiving the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for bravery. In the Second World War he served as an advisor in Ministry of Agriculture working on mechanical production in Worcestershire. He raced professionally for AJS, NUT and Sunbeam. After his racing career he established a motor trade business, Eric Williams Ltd, in Worcester which operated between 1920-1960. He had a lifelong passion for racing activities, which he passed to his younger son, Henry ‘Don’ Williams, who also raced cars and motorcycles competitively.
