Isle of Man Tt Practice
ISLE OF MAN TT PRACTICE
The Week It All Happens
ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED for the first two weeks in June, the Isle of Man TT races were postponed because of the British seamen’s strike. Through great efforts on the part of Isle of Man authorities and the A-CU, they were eventually held at the end of August. Fortunately, the FIM bent its own rules to enable the races to count toward the world championships.
The original record entry of 499 competitors was reduced to 473 for the later meeting, although the sidecar entry actually went up by two. Biggest tragedy of the delay was that Team Cycle World was unable to compete at the later date. This seemed the more unfortunate on 250cc race day, when riders were falling out like the 10 green bottles. But it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good and this was realized when early morning practice was started at 5:50 instead of the usual 4:45.
Two whole sessions were lost because of the Ulster Grand Prix and competitors from that meeting w'ere taken by a special ferry from Belfast to Douglas, but not without some anxious moments going aboard at Belfast for the special loading ramp had been left behind at Douglas. However, all was set early Monday and the first two riders to be dispatched were Tom Holdsworth and Peter Darvill.
Damp patches here and’ there caused anxious moments for a few riders; but, generally, they were taking things easily and times were slow.
Italian star Giacomo Agostini was fastest on a 500cc MV-4, naturally, but second quickest of the session, which was for all solo classes except 50cc, was Ralph Bryans’ 125cc Honda-5 with a lap at 91.97 mph to Agostini's 92.91. Derek Minter headed the 350 class on his Norton at 88 mph, which, in turn, was slower than the best 250 time turned by Peter Inchley, Villiers, at 88.04. No works Yamaha riders turned out and Hailwood retired on the mountain with a silent 250 Honda.
The same classes were out on Monday evening and with perfect weather, it was obvious that times were going to be quick. Agostini had the MV three-cylinder machines for both the 500 and 350 classes, setting fastest lap times in both with 103.32 and 97.96, respectively. Hailwood, on the Hondas, trailed at 101.52 and 94.09. Great things were expected of Derek Minter out on the Güera, but with the wee folk playing tunes somewhere in the engine he just cruised around. The sun was proving tricky in places and special warning lights designed by Lucas were in operation.
Byron Black, a language professor from Austin, Texas, was taking it nice and steady on his Matchless with lap times around the 31 minute mark. He got a mention in the TT Special for scraping his fairing at the Gooseneck, but we won't mention that, as his practice times show a consistency that marks a good TT beginner. His recorded times over seven laps from the beginning of the week read: 31 mins., 47 secs., 31:30.2, 30:53.2, 29:53.8, 29:02.4, 28:57.6 and 29:31. The lap time italicized was his only one under the qualifying time of 29 minutes and represents a speed under 79 mph, but in the race, he went to town to average fractionally over 82 mph.
B. R. NICHOLLS
Phil Read's 125 Yamaha went round at 94.75 to beat Franta Stastny on the 250 Jawa-CZ at 94.60. Ralph Bryans’ session on the 125 Honda came to an abrupt halt when it caught fire near Kirkmichael and burned itself out. A similar fate later in the week befell Griff Jenkins on a Dunstall Dominator at Greeba Bridge. Selwyn Griffiths had the duplex primary chain of the Royal Enfield break and this locked the rear wheel, sending him down the road at Glentramman for a few hundred yards, damaging his wrist.
Tuesday morning was reserved for 50, 125 and 250 classes. Hugh Anderson went out and broke the 50cc lap record. Tarquinio Provini appeared for the first time on the Benelli and lapped out 92.54 to take second place in the 250 class behind Mike Duff, out on a Yamaha twin at 94.22.
The evening session really warmed up, for Hailwood took the 500 Honda 'round at 106.33, just below the record figure of 106.41 he set on the MV in 1963. But, the following morning, when out on the 250, he stepped off at Braddan Bridge with a spot of gearbox trouble. More serious was the crash that befell Franta Stastny when the 250 Jawa-CZ seized on the right hander into Quarry Bends, putting him into hospital for a couple of days. He is a tough character, however, and went on to race (though in pain) the following week.
Wednesday evening saw sidecars out for the first time, with Max Deubel, BMW, at 90.66, over 3 mph faster than second-place Georg Auerbacher, BMW.
Thursday morning was marred by a nasty crash in which Tarquinio Provini, blinded by the low early morning sun, hit a bank near the 16th milestone and was thrown across the road, breaking his back and sustaining leg burns where his leathers were torn from him. The Benelli broke up and littered the road.
With an afternoon session for the smaller solos, Hailwood was soon hitting the (Continued on page 104) high spots with a fastest lap in the 125s at 93.67, followed by an incredible 103.12 on the 250 Honda. Not to be outdone, Bryans took a baby Honda round at over 87 mph to break the 50cc class record. Immediately after the solos, the chairs had a session, but no one broke 90 mph and it became obvious that newcomer Klaus Enders, BMW, is a star of the future, for he took third place and followed the next morning with second on the leaderboard. Friday evening saw Bill Ivy lap at 99.36 on the 250cc Yamaha. The real surprise was the sight of Derek Minier out on a Benelli, but he reverted later to his Cotton. Taveri and Bryans on Hondas and Anscheidt and Degner, Suzukis, all broke the existing 50cc lap record, with Taveri best at 85 mph. Suzuki teamster Yoshima Katayama crashed on the mountain, breaking an ankle.
More serious was the accident involving Toshio Fuji, who had missed most of practice waiting for parts for his Kawasaki. On the difficult right hander at Cruickshanks he went off line, passing a slower man and crashed heavily, sustaining injuries from which he died in the hospital. American Bill Boyd, riding Al Fergoda’s Yamaha in the 250 race, had done two slow laps a couple of days earlier, but easily qualified in this session with three laps at 28:50.2. 28:15.6 and 28:12, the last two being the right side of 80 mph, and all well inside qualifying time of 33 minutes.
Saturday morning saw the last sidecar practice, and with it, disaster for Maurice Candy, for. after a lap at 32:12, he found chipped bevels and therefore dared not risk racing his beautiful special engine which had cost over $9,000 in patterns, castings and machining. It is a twin double overhead-camshaft device with twin Amal GP 1-1/4-inch carbs, 69.5 x 64 bore and stroke. The head is machined from the solid and the two-bearing narrow crankshaft is forged. Maurice intends to change the bevel gear cam drive to spiral. The machine has a cannibalized Honda/Lucas coil ignition system. For the race, a BSA engine was fitted and there is no doubt that this late change of engine cost Candy a bronze replica. His two quick laps during Thursday practice of 30:09 and 30:06.6. were well within the times required. that is three laps at 30:20. Jacques Dupont was in the chair for Maurice. Dupont also had a solo Yamaha in 250 practice but struck engine troubles, was unable to get spares and so did not race.
And now we come to Saturday evening and the last practice session for 350 and 500s only. Publisher Parkhurst, enroute to the Six Days Trial, took station at Quarter Bridge and was soon diving for cover when Bill Smith threw his Matchless down the road in his direction. It proved somewhat ironic that with all the rude things Smith said about his Bultaco for the 250 race, it took him into sixth place. Disaster lurked for the Güera during this session, for Minter crashed on a damp road accelerating out of Brandish and now nurses a broken wrist. All the single bangers could look forward to one place higher in the Senior race with Minter out. And this was the session when Jenkins' device caught fire, so there was more than enough excitement. All the riders were supposed to be doing was scuffing in new tires!
So the shortened practice week had come to an end during which some 1,809 laps had been completed covering 63.424 miles, compared to the figure of 73,004 miles in 1965. A look at the leaderboard positions of the first six in each class made it clear that given good conditions on race days there would be new record speeds. In only one place was this due to course alterations and that was a resurfacing of the stretch from the waterworks to Gooseneck. saving just over a second a lap.
Speeds in practice do not count as records. BMW completely dominated the sidecar class and works machines comprised all positions of the 50, 125, 250 and 350 classes. But behind the MV and Honda in the 500 class, all the private runners got a chance and the best of them was last year's double Manx Grand Prix winner Malcolm Uphill.
Both Fred Stevens. 500 Paton, and Chris Conn on Mike Duff's 350 Paton, failed to complete a lap. the latter due to oil starvation to the crankshaft. So Conn's first ride was not a happy one. No doubt he was glad it happened in practice; all the more so. in view of the ride he had in the race on his Norton.
