Late News From England
LATE NEWS FROM ENGLAND
B. R. NICHOLLS
PRESS dates being what they are it was not possible for an appraisal of the situation after this year’s races in the Isle of Man. The most notable and serious slant is that the races are in danger of losing their status as the “world’s finest”. The reasons are twofold but both are signs of the times in which we now live. The first is the question of competitors finding the money to spend fourteen days in the Isle of Man, the first seven being spent practising at race speeds. Second, and to my mind more serious, are the continual alterations that are being made to the course itself.
On the first count, all overseas competitors get assistance from the A-C.U. in the form of start money, but this is denied the British runners; their only support comes from the oil and accessory companies, plus prize money—assuming they finish high on the result list. There is a move afoot to get start money for all riders and also free boat passages to the Island but the Isle of Man authorities already give substantial assistance to the A-C.U. in order that the races may be held. It is a difficult problem but the riders make the races and an answer must be found to ensure that the highest level of competition is maintained in the world’s finest races.
Course alterations going on year by year make it impossible to compare performances season by season as corners are eased and bumpy surfaces made smooth. Whilst these alterations in some way helped Gary Hocking put up that meteoric lap at 105.75 mph it should in no way detract from his performance. Psychologically he was on the wrong foot when the flag fell for the Senior race. He had crashed at well over 100 mph in practice, he had been beaten into second place in the 350 race in which his friend had been killed and yet took complete command of the situation to win at record speed. But we shall never know what went on in his mind after that race for Gary has now retired to his home in Rhodesia, his ambitions fulfilled, inasmuch as he was a doilble world champion and this year won the Senior T.T.—pinnacle of achievement in the road racing game.
Gary’s ride in the Senior was bound to overshadow the most significant ride of the week, that of Ernst Degner on his Suzuki in the 50cc race. To lap at and have a race average for two laps of over 75 mph had everyone wondering, and the descent of any of the first dozen finishers down Bray Hill was fantastic, with the riders being bumped out of the saddle just like the big boys. With his subsequent class win in the Dutch T.T. Degner is a hot favourite for the world title. Just consider this point; a 500cc laps at 105 mph and a 50cc—one tenth the size—laps at 75. Now suppose Suzuki increased the cc to 62, put four of them in a row and water cooled the finished product—that really would be a racer. The Dutch T.T. showed that the 250 class still
has plenty of scope and the 250 Honda could well have been beaten in the Island by the Benelli four or the Morini single with the fabulous Provini riding it.
Still on road racing but let’s change the tempo a little and have a look at some production racing—that laid on specially for the over-the-counter model that the enthusiast buys from his dealer. There have been two such events recently, the Silverstone 1000 kilometre race and the Thruxton 500 mile race, the latter counting toward the F.I.M. Coupe d’Endurance. The winners of both races, which require two-man teams to each machine, were Phil Read and Brian Setchell riding a Norton 646cc 650SS. Read won the Junior T.T. last year and Setchell was sixth in this year’s Senior.
The Silverstone meeting was held on a cold, blustery, rainy day with only one brief glimpse of the sun whilst Thruxton had fine weather, so in widely differing conditions the Norton proved itself the real high speed mile eater. These races are really a cat and mouse game where some let the leaders go, saying they won’t be able to last the pace, but this year the Norton did and to run salt into the wound did it twice and also took the 500 class as well as overall best performance. In the 250 class Hondas were supreme with 250cc T.T. winner Derek Minter one of the winning riderá at Thruxton.
Forecasting, as has been mentioned before in this column, is a tricky business; in fact, like backing horses, it seems to be a mug’s game. Remember the 500cc World Moto Cross championship piece? Lundin and Nilsson to fight out the Championship? Not on your life, thought Rolf Tibblin, the brilliant Swedish Husqvarna rider who has won four out of the six meetings so far held, finished second in another and broke his frame in the remaining one. Winner of the two meetings that Rolf missed out on was “outside chance” Gunnar Johansson, the Lito rider. Tibblin was supreme at the British round of this championship. Riding with a consummate ease and skill that made other world class riders look like novices, he won both races to take maximum points and place himself at the head of the table with 38 points gained. Second is Johansson with 30 and third Lundin, 18. To underline their supremacy, Swedes fill the first six championship places.
In the 250 class of this branch of the sport another Husqvarna challenge is mounting in the form of Torsten Hallman. He may be a little late to pinch the title that Jef Smith seems likely to win on his B.S.A. but nevertheless is only ten points behind Smith (52 points) with four rounds to complete the championship. Third at the moment is Arthur Lampkin (B.S.A.) with 40; the only other man in the hunt is Vlastimil Valek of Czechoslovakia who rides a CZ machine, 23 points.
A feature of the smaller class is that it much more truly represents the International angle with competitors from England, Sweden, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, France, Holland, Spain, Norway and Russia having gained points at one or more meetings so far. As far as the road racing championships are concerned, the 125 and 250 classes are tightly held by Honda with Taveri and Redman being the relative class leaders, but the other capacities are still wide open, especially the 350 and 500 as only two rounds of their classes have been run. •
