THREE MILLION PLUS MILES, OF PURE ROAD RACING

Professional and Amateur sportsmen in motorcycle sport go back to the beginnings of the twentieth century.  The Isle of Man TT Races, first held in 1907, had a mixture of both in the entries, the professionals becoming more prominent as the years passed.

This had not gone unnoticed by the Manx Motor Cycle Club, whose members' provided the vast majority of Officials and Marshals for the TT, then as now.

The 'Club' progressed the idea of holding a similar race meeting, over the Mountain Course, which had been brought into use in 1911, for the 'Amateur' riders, as they were being outclassed by the 'works' teams,  even then.
 
Add to this,  the threat by the TT organisers,  the Auto Cycle Union,  in 1921,  to move the annual races,  to the continent of Europe,  the following year,  the decision was made to organise the "Manx Amateur Road Race Championship."

The A.C.U., saw the advantages of running the TT in the Isle of Man, and withdrew their threat.

Undaunted, the members of the Manx Motor Cycle Club, continued with their resolve to run a meeting, which came to fruition on Thursday, 20th September, 1923.

The Entry Fee for the race was £5.00 compared to £21.00 for the TT

The 'Amateur TT' as the race became known, was run over five laps, a distance of 188.65 miles.  The winner Len Randles, riding a two-year old side-valve Sunbeam, which he used to travel to and from work everyday, received a magnificent trophy, donated by a past mayor of Douglas, Alderman A.B. Crookall, M.H.K., JP.  It was described at the time, as the most magnificent trophy in motorcycle sport, and it has been awarded to the winner of the Senior race ever since.  Its original description is still valid today.   "The Motor Cycle” also donated a trophy for the first 350cc machine to finish.
 
The following year, 1925, the regulations were changed to allow any type of machine, in place of the standard stock models only permitted previously. 

1926, and the weather was described as the worst ever experienced in the Isle of Man for racing, saw the race distance increased to six laps, then in 1927, the regulations reverted back to stock models only.  Pit Attendants were also restricted to 'amateurs only'.  No one connected in any way with the 'trade' being allowed in Pit Lane! 

More developments occurred in 1928, Tuesday and Thursday were adopted as race days, with the Junior class being run as a separate race.  "The Motor Cycle” once again donated a trophy, a subtle replica of the Senior Trophy, to be awarded to the Junior M.A.R.R.C. winner.  It was Harry Meageen's name which was first inscribed on the new trophy.

Whilst 1929 was to be a year of discontent, resulting in the winners of both races being disqualified.  The second man to finish each race, being declared the winner.  Eric N. Lea of Crewe. Cheshire, finished runner up in the Junior and Senior, thus becoming the first 'double' winner.  In all there were 21 disqualifications, during and after the 1929 races, all based on the definition of the word 'amateur'.
It was the last Amateur TT!

Discussions took place between the Auto Cycle Union and the Manx Motor Cycle Club, the result being the birth of the Manx Grand Prix, in 1930, which celebrates its 80th Anniversary this year.

The race programme continued as previously, with Junior and Senior races, over six laps. The 250cc machines were allowed in the Junior race for the first time in 1933, with a Lightweight Grand Prix being included in the programme from 1934, the race being run concurrently with the six lap Junior.
The present Lightweight Manx Grand Prix Trophy was donated to the Club, by the family of Doug Pirie, who during his Manx career won three races.
1936 also provided the first Manx Grand Prix "double" victory, the winner of both races being Austin Munks from Boston in Lincolnshire.

1938 was to be the last 'Manx' before the second world war; but not before Denis Parkinson became the first Lightweight Grand Prix winner, to also gain a Junior Grand Prix replica, and complete the first hat-trick of wins.

The late Norman G Brown, MBE, past President of the Manx Motor Cycle Club, and former Press Secretary said,  "Many of the competitors went to fight a far greater, and less friendly battle, during 1939 - 1945, some regretfully failed to return, others returned to take up the challenge of the Mountain Course again.  Those that didn't return are still fondly remembered."

The Manx Grand Prix, in 1946, were the first races over the Mountain Course, after the conclusion of the hostilities. 

The Silver Jubilee of the 'Manx' races was celebrated in 1948: Denis Parkinson, taking the Junior race, his fourth win.  Don Crossley took the Senior honours, and Dickie Dale, won the Lightweight Grand Prix.
The Lightweight class was dropped in 1949, the reason given, was the lack of competitive machinery.

1954 saw a Manxman win the Grand Prix for the first time, Derek Ennett, winning the Junior, followed, two days later, by fellow Manxman George (Sparrow) Costain, taking the Senior Race.

Competitors wishing to enter the races had grown to such an extent, that in 1957, the 'Club' introduced the Newcomers' Races, for 350cc and 500cc machines.  Also in 1957, Manxman, Alan Holmes, completed the first 'Manx' double.
Entries were still oversubscribed in 1958, so the Snaefell race was organised, again for
competitors who had not ridden in the 'Manx' before.  350cc and 500cc machines were permitted, and like the Newcomer's the previous year, over four laps. It should be mentioned, that in both the Newcomer's and Snaefell races, the top finishers, were allocated starts in the Junior and Senior Grands Prix.
The largest ever entry for a race was accepted for the 1959 Junior, 129 being accepted, 122 started the race, whilst 80 finished the course and 41 replicas were awarded.  1959 also saw what must have been the largest number of machines provided by one sponsor on the Island, as long time sponsor and supporter of the races; Reg Dearden had twenty-two Nortons to look after!
 
1960 brought a change in the regulations, preventing winners from entering the Manx Grand Prix again.

Riders were given extra weather protection in 1962, fairings being permitted for the first time!

1963 saw a major improvement to the already excellent medical services provided at the ‘Manx’ with the introduction of a Rescue Helicopter to aid injured riders.

With the popularity, and availability of 250cc machines, the Lightweight Manx Grand Prix was reintroduced in 1964.  The race was won by Gordon Keith, riding a British built Greeves, the first time a two-stroke machine had won a 'Manx' Race. Sponsors names were permitted to be shown on the machines for the first time.

Nine years later, in 1973, the races celebrated their Golden Jubilee, during which, the first 100 miles per hour lap in a "Manx race" was achieved, Phil Haslam on a Yamaha lapped at 103.15 mph, on his way to victory in the Junior.  It was to be 1974, before the Senior 'ton' lap fell, and 1976 when the Lightweight 100 mile lap fell. With so many past riders, present at the celebrations, the Manx Grand Prix Rider's Association was formed and came into existence in 1974.

Once again the pressure on the organisers, by competitors applying for a ride in the "Manx", necessitated the inclusion of a Newcomer's Race into the programme in 1978; three classes were catered for, 500cc, 350cc and 250cc, running concurrently over three laps.  With capacity variations, these races have been included ever since, the race distance being increased to four laps, in 1979, Millennium Year, which was also the 50th meeting in the "Manx Series".

The sixtieth anniversary of the "Manx Races", the Diamond Jubilee, took place in 1983.  As part of the celebrations, 'Classic' races were introduced, bringing back to the Mountain course, the sounds and smells of the heyday of British machinery.  The 'standard' capacity classes were catered for, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc.  The race was over three laps of the course.  All machines had to be at least twenty-five years vintage to qualify.

1986 created another first for the record books, a father and son 'double'.  Ralph Sutcliffe won the Lightweight race, riding a Cowles Armstrong; seventeen years previously, Ralph's father, Roger, won the Senior race, on a Cowles Matchless.

Major developments of another kind came about in 1988. What had been the traditional race days, Tuesday and Thursday, since 1928, were replaced with Monday, Wednesday and Friday, similar to the June races. 
The Classic races were split, with the Lightweight class being included once again.  The races were increased from three to four laps.

The Senior Manx Grand Prix engine limit was increased to 1300cc.  The rescheduled programme was: Monday, Newcomers Race, followed by the Junior/Lightweight Classic.  Wednesday, Senior Classic and Junior Manx Grand Prix.  Friday had the Lightweight and Senior Races.

Nineteen eighty-nine also saw the organising committee relax the 'men only' rule for competitors, accepting entries from the fairer sex. 
Liz Skinner from Chester was the first to enter and commence practice, although Gloria Clark from Carshalton, Surrey, was the first to come under starter’s orders, riding in the Newcomers' 1300cc race, on her Ducati.

1991 provided a further change in the race programme, the Senior (500) Classic moving forward from the Wednesday morning, to the Monday afternoon, changing places with the Junior/Lightweight Classic. 

Richard Swallow became the second man in the history of the races to win five.  Winning the 350cc Junior Classic between 1987 and 1991.

The second father/son double was achieved.  Selwyn Griffiths had won the 1964 Senior Manx, on a Cowles Matchless. His son Jason, followed in his fathers tyre treads, winning the Newcomer's 750cc race, on a Honda, supplied by Senior Classic winner, Bob Heath.

If 1991 went down in the history books of the Manx Grand Prix as being the hottest ever, weather wise, with riders' being warned of melting tar on the roads, 1992 was definitely the hottest race wise, with just 0.02 of a second separating Bob Heath and Bill Swallow, after 150.92 miles of racing, riding no more than a machines length apart most of the time, during the Classic 500cc race!

It was announced at the Annual General Meeting, in 1993, that the "blue-riband" race, the Senior Manx Grand Prix, would in future be run over four laps of the course and not six, as it had been since 1926, when it was increased from five to six laps. 

The seventieth anniversary meeting of the Manx Club’s races were held in 1993, and in the main the weather was kind and the racing close and exciting.

Nineteen Ninety-nine saw the introduction of the Ultra Lightweight Class into the Newcomer’s Class and also as a Manx Grand Prix Race of its own.

Somewhat unique in that the ‘traditional’ 125cc class had 400cc twin cylinder four-stroke machines in the ‘class’ and now also includes 650cc SuperTwins.

Everyone remembers 2001 for the lack of ‘pure’ road racing due to the foot & mouth epidemic in the UK.

2006 saw the first Senior – Junior Manx Grand Prix double since 1996. Craig Atkinson who became only the 14th rider to achieve the Junior – Senior double in the same year

Weather conditions prevented the running of the 2007 Senior Manx Grand Prix on the Friday, and due to circumstances, the organising club had to cancel the race altogether as it was not possible to run the ‘blue-riband’ event on the Saturday, a very sad day for the Manx Grand Prix.

2008 saw the first triple winner in one year at the Manx Grand Prix Races. Manxman Dan Kneen won the Newcomers Lightweight Race on the Monday, the Junior Manx Grand Prix on the Wednesday and the Ultra Lightweight Manx Grand Prix on the Friday!

2009 also saw history being made when Carolynn Sells became the first lady rider to win a race on the Snaefell Mountain Course, when she took the chequered flag in the Ultra Lightweight Manx Grand Prix on the Friday morning.

On Thursday 20th September, 1923, Kenneth Twemlow, created history in the annals of motorcycling, being the first man to come under Starters Orders, in a race organised by the Manx Motor Cycle Club.  Since then, four-thousand two hundred and fifty other competitors have faced "Mr. Starter” in the 363 races which have been held up to and including 2009.

Norton machines achieved fifty victories between 1925 and 1968.  Yamaha equalled that number between 1969 and 1985, continuing to add to them through to 2009, making a total of 86.
Yamaha have won all three of the main races, 1969 - Lightweight; 1971 - Senior and 1973 - Junior.

So far, 1923 to 2009 a total of 385 ‘Manx Grand Prix’ races have been held, with 26,688 competitors having entered the various races, of which 22,814 have come under starter’s orders.

14,869 riders have taken the chequered flag after completing 83,480 racing laps – a mileage of 3,149,700.90 miles, with 6100 unique Manx Grand Prix Replicas having been awarded.