1954 Isle of Man TT

  1954 Isle of Man TT

Race details
Race 2 of 9 races in the 1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date	14–19 June 1954
Official name	Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
Location	Snaefell Mountain Course Clypse Course (Ultra Lightweight and Sidecars)
Course	Public roads Mountain Course – 60.72 km (37.73 mi) Clypse Course – 17.63 km (10.92 mi)
500 cc
Fastest lap
Rider	Ray Amm	Norton
Podium
First	Ray Amm	Norton
Second	Geoff Duke	Gilera
Third	Jack Brett	Norton
350 cc
Fastest lap
Rider	Ray Amm	Norton
Podium
First	Rod Coleman	AJS
Second	Derek Farrant	AJS
Third	Bob Keeler	Norton
250 cc
Fastest lap
Rider	Werner Haas	NSU
Podium
First	Werner Haas	NSU
Second	Rupert Hollaus	NSU
Third	Reg Armstrong	NSU
125 cc
Fastest lap
Rider	Rupert Hollaus	NSU
Podium
First	Rupert Hollaus	NSU
Second	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta
Third	Cecil Sandford	MV Agusta
Sidecars
Fastest lap
Rider	Eric Oliver	Norton
Passenger	Les Nutt
Podium
First	Eric Oliver	Norton
	Les Nutt
Second	Fritz Hillebrand	BMW
	Manfred Grunwald
Third	Willi Noll	BMW
	Fritz Cron

The 1954 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the second race in the 1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season and proved highly controversial for course and race changes. The 1954 Junior TT was the first race where the official race distance was reduced from 7 laps to 5 laps. The 1954 Senior TT Race was stopped at half distance due to the weather conditions on the Mountain Section of the course.

The first world championship event for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races was the 350cc Junior TT Race. The race was led on lap 1 by Fergus Anderson from Gilera team-mate Ken Kavanagh by 10 seconds and Ray Amm riding for Norton a further 6 seconds adrift in 3rd place. On lap 2, Fergus Anderson retired at Kirk Michael with an engine problem and Ken Kavanagh retired at the pits with an engine mis-fire on lap 3. The race was then led by Ray Amm by 24 seconds from Rod Coleman riding for AJS motor-cycles. However, Ray Amm retired at Barregarrow on lap 5 allowing Rod Coleman to become the first New Zealander to win an Isle of Man TT Race at an average race speed of 91.54 mpg.^[1]

The new 10 lap (107.90 miles) Side-Car TT held on the Clypse Course was led from start to finish by Eric Oliver and passenger Les Nutt riding a Norton side-car outfit with a "dust-bin"^[2] fairing at an average speed of 68.87 mph. The Norton outfit of Bill Boddice/J.Pirie hit a bank at Creg-ny-Baa and flipped over on lap 7, but continued on to finish the race in 6th place.^[3] The winner of the 1954 Lightweight TT race, Werner Haas crashed at Governor's Bridge on lap 1 of the 1954 Ultra-Lightweight TT Race, also held on the Clypse Course.^[3] This allowed Rupert Hollaus to win the race in 1 hour, 33 minutes and 3.4 seconds at an average race speed of 69.57 mph. His victory was notable because he was one of only seven riders to have won an Isle of Man TT race in their first attempt.^[4]

In deteriorating weather conditions and with reduced visibility on the Mountain Section of the course the 1954 Senior TT Race was held after a short delay and started at midday. Despite the conditions, Geoff Duke riding the works Gilera set a time of 25 minutes and 41 seconds an average speed of 81.18 mph and led Ray Amm riding for Norton by 14 seconds on lap 1.^[5] On the second lap, Geoff Duke lapped in 26 minutes and 23 seconds at an average speed of 86.97 mph and Ray Amm lapped at an average speed of 86.49 to reduce the lead to just 2 seconds.^[6] Further heavy rain and low cloud on the Mountain Section reduced speed further and the conditions caused John Grace and Ted Frend to retire at the TT Grandstand on lap 2 and Ray Amm used "feet-down"^[3] tactics on the slower corners. The leader, Geoff Duke decided to refuel on lap 3. Ray Amm in second place went straight through without stopping and lapped in 25 minutes and 28 seconds at an average speed of 88.93 mph and now led Geoff Duke by 32 seconds.^[6] At the Windy Corner on lap 4, the visibility was down to 20 yards and a decision was made to stop the race because of the conditions. This allowed Ray Amm, due to refueling at the TT Grandstand on lap 4, to win the 1954 Senior TT Race in 1 hour, 42 minutes and 46.8 seconds at an average race speed of 88.12 mph. The controversial decision by race organisers to stop the 1954 Senior TT Race on lap 4, just as the weather started to improve, was protested by the Gilera management.^[6] This was on the grounds that the works Norton team were told of the decision allowing Ray Amm to lead the race on lap 3, but the official protest was rejected by the race organisers.^[7] During lap 1 of the 1954 Senior TT Race, Simon Sandys-Winsch riding a Junior Velocette crashed at the Highlander and died in hospital a few days later.^[3]

Race results

1954 Clubmans Senior Results

10 June 1954 – Mountain Course (4 laps – 150.92 miles)

Rank	Rider	Team	Speed	Time
1	Alistair King	BSA	85.76 mph	1:45.36.0
2	J Ben Denton	BSA	85.69 mph	1:45.41.6
3	Ewan Haldane	BSA	85.26 mph	1:46.12.2
4	Tony A Ovens	Triumph	84.47 mph	1:46.42.2
5	M R Baigent	BSA	84.74 mph	1:46.51.8
6	Percy Tait	BSA	84.58 mph	1:47.05.0
7	Dave Chadwick	Norton	83.20 mph	1:47.05.0
8	Eric Cheers	Triumph	76.53 mph	1:58.20.0
9	Len R King	Triumph	82.92 mph	1:50.17.2
10	Eddie Dow	BSA	81.40 mph	1:50.33.0

1954 Clubmans Junior Results

10 June 1954 – Mountain Course (4 laps – 150.92 miles)

Rank	Rider	Team	Speed	Time
1	Phillip Palmer	BSA	81.83 mph	1:50.39.4
2	Des A Wright	BSA	81.68 mph	1:51.50.8
3	Jimmy W Davie	BSA	81.66 mph	1:50.54.4
4	A Sandy Bowie	BSA	81.56 mph	1:51.06.0
5	Geoff Tanner	Norton	81.54 mph	1:51.04.0
6	George E Arnold	BSA	81.20 mph	1:51.30.8
7	Jimmy Buchan	BSA	80.75 mph	1:52.08.6
8	Willie Gibson	BSA	80.05 mph	1:53.08.0
9	J Muir	Norton	79.70 mph	1:53.08.0
10	Bill Robertson	BSA	78.37 mph	1:55.33.0

1954 Isle of Man Junior TT 350cc final standings

14 June 1954 – 5 Laps (188.56 Miles) Mountain Course.

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Speed	Time	Points
1	Rod Coleman		New Zealand	AJS	91.51 mph	2:03.41.8	8
2	Derek Farrant		Britain	AJS	90.14 mph	2:05.35.0	6
3	Bob Keeler		Britain	Norton	90.03 mph	2:04.43.6	4
4	Leo T Simpson		New Zealand	AJS	89.17 mph	2:06.58.8	3
5	Peter A Davey		Britain	Norton	88.13 mph	2:08.26.4	2
6	John R Clark		Britain	AJS	90.49 mph	2:08.26.4	1

1954 Isle of Man Lightweight TT 250cc final standings

14 June 1954 – 3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Speed	Time	Points
1	Werner Haas		Germany	NSU	90.88 mph	1:14.44.4	8
2	Rupert Hollaus		Austria	NSU	89.99 mph	1:15.28.6	6
3	Reg Armstrong		Britain	NSU	89.92 mph	1:15.31.8	4
4	Hermann Paul Müller		Germany	NSU	88.87 mph	1:16.25.6	3
5	Fergus Anderson		Britain	Moto Guzzi	86.48 mph	1:18.32.2	2
6	Hans Baltisberger		Germany	NSU	86.46 mph	1:18.33.6	1

1954 Isle of Man Ultra-Lightweight TT 125cc final standings

16 June 1954 – 10 Laps (107.90 miles) Clypse Course.

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Speed	Time	Points
1	Rupert Hollaus		Austria	NSU	69.57 mph	1:33.03.4	8
2	Carlo Ubbiali		Italy	MV Agusta	69.52 mph	1:37.07.4	6
3	Cecil Sandford		Britain	MV Agusta	66.35 mph	1:37.35.8	4
4	Hans Baltisberger		Germany	NSU	65.78 mph	1:38.25.2	3
5	Ivor Lloyd		Canada	MV Agusta	62.68 mph	1:43.16.6	2
6	Brian Purslow		Britain	MV Agusta	60.84 mph	1:46.24.6	1

1954 Sidecar TT final standings

16 June 1954 – 10 Laps (107.90 miles) Clypse Course.

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Speed	Time	Points
1	Eric Oliver/Les Nutt		Britain	Norton	68.87 mph	1:34.00.2	8
2	Fritz Hillebrand/M.Grünwald		Germany	BMW	67.48 mph	1:35.56.2	6
3	Willi Noll/Fritz Cron		Germany	BMW	65.22 mph	1:39.16.4	4
4	Walter Schneider/H.Strauss		Germany	BMW	64.45 mph	1:40.27.4	3
5	Jacques Drion/Inge Stoll		France	Norton	61.91 mph	1:41.18.8	2
6	Bill Boddice/J.Pirie		Britain	Norton	62.28 mph	1:43.22.8	1

1954 Isle of Man Senior TT 500cc final standings

Friday 18 June 1954 – 4 Laps (150.74 Miles) Mountain Course. (Reduced Race Distance)

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Speed	Time	Points
1	Ray Amm	93	Rhodesia	Norton	88.12 mph	1:42.46.8	8
2	Geoff Duke	76	Britain	Gilera	87.19 mph	1:43.52.6	6
3	Jack Brett	56	Britain	Norton	86.04 mph	1:45.15.2	4
4	Reg Armstrong	53	Britain	Gilera	86.63 mph	1:45.45.6	3
5	Rudy Allison	64	South Africa	Norton	83.85 mph	1:48.06.6	2
6	Gordon Laing	22	Australia	Norton	83.85 mph	1:48.37.2	1

Notes

• The 1954 World Championship season was used to re-introduce the Ultra-Lightweight TT and Side-Car TT Race to the Isle of Man TT Races. A new race circuit for racing in the Isle of Man, the Clypse Course, was used for these new races.
• To facilitate racing on the Clypse Course, during the winter of 1953/54 road widening occurred on the Snaefell mountain course at Creg-ny-Baa, Signpost Corner, Cronk-ny-Mona and the approach to Governor's Bridge. Other major course alterations for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races included the removal of a cottage at Appledene, road widening at Handley's Corner, Barregarrow, Ballaugh Bridge and Kerrowmoar.^[8]
• The course alterations were disputed by leading TT competitor Ray Amm describing the situation as a "Lot of trash to say the machines are beyond control..." and "To keep altering the course like this which has been going for 50 years is pure sacrilege they are wrecking it....It will finish-up like a racing bowl with all the character gone."^[9]
• The re-introduction of the Side-Car TT Race for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Race was controversial and the motor-cycle manufacturers "declare themselves as appalled"^[10] by the inclusion of a sidecar race. It was also opposed by the motor-cycle manufacturers for the inclusion of the first female competitor, Inge Stol at an Isle of Man TT race. The matter of female competitors was raised in the Isle of Man Parliament, however "Tynwald refused to ban the Fräulein."^[11]
• A first-time visitor to the Isle of Man TT Races is Soichiro Honda the founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd and returns with a works Honda team to compete in the 1959 Isle of Man TT.^[3]
• Practice for the 1954 TT races was dominated by a number of accidents. At Sarah's Cottage, during Wednesday evening practice, Bob McIntyre riding an AJS motor-cycle suffers a cut-chin and concussion after a crash and is detained in Nobles Hospital. Also, Keith Campbell suffers a broken right foot and Bob Cooper a broken collar bone at incidents at Sarah's Cottage, both riding AJS motor-cycles in the Junior class. During Monday evening practice, R.J.Ashford riding an AJS motor-cycle is killed instantly after crashing at Laurel Bank.^[12]
• Lap 1 of the 1954 Junior TT Race, Jack Brett riding for Norton retires at Ramsey with engine problem. At Sulby, Bob McIntyre retires with an engine problem riding an AJS motor-cycle. Riding a Norton motor-cycle, Maurice Qunicey, pushes in from Governor's Bridge and retires.^[3]
• At the Quarterbridge on lap 1 of the 1954 Senior TT, Derek Farrant riding for AJS crashes along with E. Houseley also riding an AJS motor-cycle. On lap 2, Fergus Anderson riding for Moto Guzzi retires at Barregarrow after falling-off. At the Stonebreakers Hut the Norton of E.W.L.Hunt hits the bank and retires.^[3]

Sources

External links

• Detailed race results
• Isle of Man TT winners
• Mountain Course map