1930 Isle of Man TT. Race #19 "Rudge domination"

The TT was now gaining great international media attention: for the first time the BBC broadcast part of a race (the Senior), and entries were received from 19 countries, no doubt attracted by the new prize and start money fund.

The 1930 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was dominated by the Rudge marque. Despite problems in practice for Rudge and the new George Hicks designed four-valve over-head valve motor-cycles.

New machines dominated both racing and practice in a style that had not been seen before, winning both the Senior and the Junior events and also smashing the lap and race records. Rudge was the British make everybody was talking about at the 1930 races. (I will make another post about it).

?Senior TT

The 1930 Senior TT Race was again a closely contested race between Rudge and the other manufacturers and also Wal Handley and Tyrell Smith. This time on the first lap Wal Handley led Tyrell Smith also riding for the Rudge marque by 39 seconds. Despite the poor weather conditions and heavy rain in the last two laps, the 1930 Senior TT Race was again won by Rudge motor-cycles with Wal Handley becoming the first TT rider to win in all three major TT Race classes at an average race speed of 74.24 mph (119.48 km/h) and having to hold top-gear in place with his toe. Also, Wal Handley set a new overall lap record of 29 minutes and 41 seconds an average speed of 76.28 mph (122.76 km/h), the first lap under 30 minutes of the Snaefell mountain course.

Wal Handley, 18th June 1930

?Junior TT

The 1930 Junior TT was a closely contested race. At the end of the first lap, Charlie Dodson riding for Sunbeam led the Rudge of H. G. Tyrell Smith by only 4 seconds. On lap 2, a dead-heat was posted between Dodson and Tyrell Smith both completing the Snaefell mountain course in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 32 seconds. At Kirk Michael on lap 3, Charlie Dodson retires with valve problems, leaving Tyrell Smith to win the 7 lap race at an average speed of 71.08 mph (114.39 km/h) from Rudge team-mates Ernie Nott and Graham Walker.

Graham Walker, Rudge, 3rd in the 1930 Junior TT, hatted is John Pugh, MD & Director of Rudge-1

?Lightweight TT

The 1930 Lightweight TT was initially led by the South African rider Joe Sarkis riding an OK-Supreme motor-cycle and on lap 1 set a time of 33 minutes and 55 seconds to lead Wal Handley riding for Rex-Acme motor-cycles by 39 seconds. At Union Mills on lap 2, Joe Sarkis stops to make adjustments and Wal Handley retires with oil-tank problems at Braddan Bridge. This hands the lead to Jimmie Guthrie riding an AJS motor-cycle and leads Joe Sarkis by 21 seconds on lap 3. At the East Mountain Gate on lap 4, Joe Sarkis stops a second time and retires and the 1930 Lightweight TT Race provided a first-time win for Jimmie Guthrie riding an AJS motor-cycle in 4 hours, 4 minutes and 56 seconds at average race speed of 64.71 mph (104.14 km/h).

More pics:

Jack Leslie on his Levis at the Isle of Mann TT 1930

Bray Hill Isle of Man TT Motorcycle Race 1930's

1930 Senior TT - Seymour-Cockran on a Sunbeam at Bray Hill

One of the Sunbeam team in the 1930 Senior TT

Junior TT Rudge Team 1930 with Tyrell Smith and Graham Walker

Tim Hunt gets under way at the 1930 Junior TT in which he finished 9th. Of the other two works runners, Stanley Woods finished 6th and Jimmie Simpson retired.

Jimmy Guthrie was always associated with the Norton Racing Team, in the 1930 Lwt. IOM TT he rode an AJS, winning the event....he pictured to the left.

#race #tt #iomtt #tt1930 #Rudge
Credit: imuseum, wikipedia, mortonsarchive, iomtt.