Manx Grand Prix Latest
Posted by: Geoff Cannell Chief Press Officer at 14:48 From:
The final call-over of foreign entries for the Manx Grand Prix
reveals that 22 competitors are coming from countries other than the
United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. There are nine from Eire: Declan
Lynch, Liam McAleer, David Murtagh, Raymond Porter, Ian Forristal,
Alan Connor, Les Hart, Keith Tiernan and Godfrey Shaw; five from
Germany: Jochen Trockel, Reiner Trockel, Reinhard Numair and Ray
King; four from Switzerland: Franz Glauser, Thomas Wyss, Luzi Grest
and Iwan Spicher; two from Italy: Mariello Marturiello and Guiseppe
Barachetti; and one each from France, Australia and the United States
of America: Bruno Leroy, Brian Donovan and Karl Smolenski.
Brian is down as being from Mansfield, but actually lives in
Riverton, Western Australia. At one time, he was an optometrist in
Douglas, Isle of Man, and did some sponsorship at the Manx.

400cc machines dominate the two classes where they are paired with
125 cc bikes. In the Newcomers' Race there are 13 400s and only five
125s. In the Ultra-Lightweight there are 50 400s and only 13 125s.
Since being introduced in 1998, the 125s have won the Newcomers'
once - Ricky McCready the first year. In 1999 Martin Sharpe won on a
400, as did Chris Dowling in 2000. In the main races, the 125s have
also won once - Darren Lindsay in the first year. In 1999 Sharpe and
in 2000 Dowling rode 400s to win. At the 2002 TT, Richard Quayle's
400cc winning Honda averaged 109.27mph with a fastest lap at
110.57mph. Ian Lougher's winning 125 Yamaha averaged 108.65mph with a
fastest lap at 110.21mph. There were only four seconds between the
two fastest laps! At the Manx, the 400cc record is by Dowling at
105.96mph. The fastest 125cc is Lindsay at 104.06mph. The difference
is that at the TT the two classes are separate races, whereas at the
Manx they run as a combined
class.

From the first Manx Grand Prix - or Manx Amateur Road Race
Championship as it was originally known in 1923 - lap times have more
than halved. R.O. Lowe (Norton) set the bench-mark at 40 minutes 8
seconds, 56.42mph that first year, but didn't win the race. In 1999
Colin Breeze (Kawasaki) established the current mark of 19 minutes
16.1 seconds, 117.48mph winning the Senior.
The 60 mark was reached by W.L. Birch (Sunbeam) in 1924, 70 by E.R.
Merrill (Rudge) in 1930, 80 by Crasher White in 1934. Ninety mph was
passed in 1953 by Denis Parkinson (Norton), 95 by Tom Dickie
(Matchless) in 1966.
The first 100mph lap was by Phil Haslam (350 Yamaha) in 1973, 105mph
by Kev Riley in 1977, 110 by Mike Seward (Honda) in 1986, and 115mph
by Tom Knight (Honda) in 1991. Will 2002 see the first 120mph lap?

Is there a more faithful Manx Grand Prix supporter than Neil
Cudworth? The unassuming 48-year-old motor mechanic from Bidworth-on-
Avon, Warwickshire, has been riding in the Manx and the Southern 100
for ages, yet modestly says he just still enjoys coming to the Island
and was satisfied with his 15th place in the 1999 Lightweight, with a
best lap at 107mph. He is making a comeback after an injury lay-off.
Big Bill Rice from Maghaberry, Moira, Northern Ireland, is another
who epitomises the Spirit of the Manx by again returning with the
750cc RC30 Anderton Honda. Surely this time he will achieve his
ambition of a 100mph lap, having done 99.99mph last time.

The marvellous sound of the Rotary Norton is again set to delight
spectators, ridden by Huw Hughes from North Wales. He has ridden the
bike at every Manx since 1992 and done more laps on the Wankel-
engined machine than any other rider. With backing from
Pierc/Startright he follows in the rotary footsteps of Trevor Nation,
Steve Cull, Robert Dunlop, Steve Hislop, Simon Buckmaster and Co.,
who rode such bikes in the TT.