F. A. LONGMAN (O.K. SUPREME) BEING FLAGGED IN AFTER WINNING THE LIGHTWEIGHT TOURIST TROPHY.

Author

admin

PURSUING the meal-time analogy, the 250 c.c. race should, perhaps, 13′.! described as the” soup” of T.T. week, though this year it would have been more appropriate if the Junior race were described as ” cocktails,” the lightweight as the hors d’oeuvres, and the Senior as the soup—in which element the riders were certainly involved! The lightweight entry list promised a fierce tussle between Handley (Rex-Acme) and Bennett (O.K. Supreme), but during practice it became apparent that Frank Longman was seriously to be reckoned with, whereas Handley seemed to be treating this year’s races with considerable diffidence. ,

As the starting hour approached, it was realised that a large part of the course was thickly covered with mist—a state of affairs familiar to ” amateur ” competitors, but strange to ” pukka ” T.T. riders. However, mist or no mist, the twenty-five riders were sent off on their race with time and each other. During lap one the clocks showed that Handley, who elected to return to a Blackburne engine for this race, Porter, and Longman, were making good progress, each having overhauled one or more earlier starters. Handley completed the first lap first in just over 36 minutes, which seemed adequate in view of the poor conditions. However, when the whole field had passed, it-was found that Frank Longman was actually nearly

minute ahead of the Rex-Acme, while another O.K.(Vie Anstice) was running third. Barrow (Royal Enfield), Meageen (Rex Acme) and E. Twemlow (Dot) completed the leading sextet.

Alec Bennett had evidently experienced trouble as he was not in the leading dozen, and after a very slow second lap, he retired with baffling ignition trouble.

Thus, the issue was simplified, and for five laps Longman drew steadily away from Handley who, in turn, drew slowly ahead of the field, led by the consistent Hampshire rider, C. S. Barrow.

Anstice, Twemlow, Meageen and Himing (O.K.) were the other riders in the picture while Handley was fighting his losing battle, all of whom were riding steadily at about 59 m.p.h.

A little rain fell during lap two, but in spite of this, Longman put in a record lap at 64.45 m.p.h., and from that time onwards the weather conditions steadily improved until visibility and road adhesion became practically normal. Somewhere on the Mountain during the sixth lap Handley’s motor ceased, and he coasted home to retire,

thus leaving Longman with the substantial lead of 14 minutes over Twemlow, who, for the moment, was ahead of Barrow, whose engine was misfiring slightly.

C. T. Ashby on his four-speed O.K. was now fifth, while Anstice who had run out of petrol at Governors Bridge yet managed to keep in the first six.

During the last lap, Longman still further increased his lead and Barrow’s Enfield recovered sufficiently to repass Twemlow and finish second–by 25 seconds only. Thus, Longman at last reaped his deserved and longoverdue victory by an almost unprecedented margin. The performance of the O.K.-Supreme was altogether remarkable, and but for Bennett’s unfortunate retire ment they would have won the team prize. Eleven finished, the following nine gaining replicas 1. F. A. Longman (246 O.K.-Supreme) 2. C. S. Barrow (246 Royal Enfield) ••• 3. E. Twemlow (246 Dot) 4. G. E. Himing (246 O.K.-Supreme) 5. C. T. Ashby (246 O.K.-Supreme) 6. V. C. Anstice (246 O.K.-Supreme) 7. S. H. Jones (246 New Imperial) 8. J. A. Porter (246 New Gerrard) 9. S. Cleave (246 New Imperial)

… ••• •••

••.

m.p.h. 62.90 58.92 ••• 58.83 ••• ••• 58.4 ••• ••• ••• 57.9 ••• ••• ••• 57.7 ••• 57.1 56.8 ••• 56.4