Motor Cycle Race
Motor Cycle Race is an article published in The Courier (Dundee) on 1 june 1905.
Motor Cycle Race
START ON TRIALS AT BREAK OF DAY.
ACCIDENTS AT DOUGLAS.
Exciting Scenes.
Douglas (Isle of Man), Wednesday.
It its safe to say that the half of Douglas did not sleep last night. The echoes of the snorting motors engaged in their trials for the Gordon Bennett trophy had hardly subsided when people made preparation to again visit Quarter Bridge. This time, at three o'clock in the morning the autocycles were to start on their struggle for selection as competitors in the International Cup race, which is held at Dourdan, in France, in about a month hence. Thousands of Manx men and women remained up all night in order to participate as spectators in the trials, which were to decide who the British cyclists shall be to meet their Continental rival, The reason the trials were timed to commence so early was that the House of Keys were not prepared to give over to zealous wheelmen another day's exclusive use of the principal thoroughfares in the island. Between one and three o'clock this morning Douglas was nearly as much alive as at noonday. The course originally marked out for the race was the same as that which did service for the Gordon Bennett racers on Tuesday, but later more prudent counsels prevailed, and it was decided that the Snaefell portion of the track should be left out. The circuit of the motor course was 51 miles, that of the cycle track 24 miles. It stretched south to Castletown on to Foxdale and Ballacrane, then to Crosby Braddon, and back to the starting point at Quarter Bridge. The idea was that a total of 168 miles (seven times round) should be covered, but not even those of the selected trio who did best were able to complete more than five circuits in the allotted time. The trials were entirely under the jurisdiction of the Autocycle Club. Practically it was a race pure and simple, though the judges reserved the right in making the selections to consider the skill and suitability of the drivers and the condition of the cycles at the termination of the trial.
THE ORDER OF STARTING.
Seventeen of the swiftest riders which the British Isles were supposed to possess figured on he card, but of these only seven did battle in the preliminary to the international contest. Their order of running was:—
- 6 h.p. J.A.P. Entered by Mr Chas. Jarrett. Driver — Mr W. Hodgkinson.
- 6 h.p. Matchless. Entered by Mr H. Collier. Driver — Mr C. R. Collier.
- 6 h.p. Matchless. Entered by Mr H. Collier. Driver — Mr H. A. Collier.
- 8 h.p. Rignold. Entered by and driven by Mr H. Rignold.
- 6 h.p. J.A.P. Entered by and driven by Mr C. B. Franklin.
- 6 h.p. Ariel. Entered by Mr. A. A. Hay. Driver — Mr. J. S. Campbell.
- 10 h.p. Barnes. Entered by and driven by Mr G. A. Barnes.
The absentees not unnaturally deprived the race of a large slice of its importance. Many of the machines which did not put in an appearance were owned by amateurs. Amongst them was the 9 horse-power Roc, entered by Sir A. Conan Doyle, who had engaged the famous rider, T. Tessier. Tessier had been practising on the island for the last fortnight, but his negotiations of the awkward ins and outs and hills of the track had apparently not left him in a mind to try conclusions to-day. However that may be, his abstention from taking part robbed the trials of an interesting feature. The rider of Mr E. F Johnson's Humber (J. F. Cundeff) was unable to compete through an accident in practising on the Snaefell Mountain road, and that, again, was the occasion of disappointment.
THE INCENTIVE.
It was just breaking day when the competitors assembled at Quarter Bridge. Mr Orde, in detailing the necessary instructions, also explained that silver medals would be awarded to those who accomplished the distance in 31 hours, and a bronze medal to all who finished within four hour& Owing to the lateness of the competitors the first man — Hodgkinson — did not get away till half-past three. At this time several thousand spectators, including quite a large proportion of females, had Mastered outside the little Quarter House Hotel, at which a thriving "early morning" trade was being done. Hodgkinson was sent off with a cheer, and was soon shooting along at a furious rate in the direction of Castletown. In another minute C. R. Collier on his Matchless was on his way, succeeded within the prescribed time of a minute by H. Collier. Rignold started slowly, and was followed by Franklin and Campbell. Barnes turned up twenty minutes later, but the initial stage of his career did not give much promise of ultimate success, as for some time he could not get his machine to work. When at length he did his chances wore but short-lived, as he failed to finish the first circuit. H. Collier was the first round in 37 minutes 50 2-5 seconds, despite the fact that in turning the double corner at Kirk Braddon he ran into a wall, did damage to his front wheel and was rather badly cut and bruised himself. He, however, brought his machine into the control at Quarter Bridge, where it was repaired. He was soon upon the track again amidst the cheers of the crowd. The shortest time in this lap was accomplished by Franklin in 36 minutes 9 3-5 seconds. Hodgkinson met with a mishap at Castletown by his cycle coming into contact with a rope that had been suspended overhead across the road. He, however, remounted and continued in the race.
PROGRESS OF THE RACE.
In the second round Hodgkinson had a puncture, which again considerably impeded him, and C. H. Collier dropped out with a seized piston. Franklin, H. Collier, and Campbell were at this stage going strong. Owing to his hard luck Hodgkinson was nowhere, and the only effective four remaining for the third round were Franklin, H. Collier, Campbell, and Rignold. In the fourth circuit Campbell advanced to the second place. H, Collier running out of petrol some miles beyond the starting point. The fifth round — owing to the time fixed for the opening of the roads at eight o'clock — proved opening be the last. Franklin was going ahead, but when at Foxdale his gearing went wrong, and he was unable to finish, and the race lay between Campbell and H. Collier. Campbell continued to maintain his advantage. and got through the 120 miles in 4 hours 9 minutes and 36 seconds, and H. Collier was the only other who stayed the distance, and his gross time was 4 hours 10 minutes 52 secs.
THE RESULTS.
Appended are the detailed results:—
- HODGKINSON — First round, 1 hour 3-5 secs.; second round, 2 hours 10 min. 49 secs; third round, 1 hour 2 mins. 11 4-5 secs.
- C. R. COLLIER — First round, 49 mins. 39 secs.
- H. COLLIER — First round, 37 mins. 50 2-5 secs.; second round, 47 mins. 27 1-5 secs.; third round, 40 mins. 35 2-5 secs.; fourth round, 1 how 29 mi.. 15 2-5 sees.; fifth rolled, 37 alias. 45 2-5 secs.
- H. RIGNOLD — First round, 44 mins. 3 secs; second mood, 48 mins. 18 1-5 secs: third round, 2 hours 14 mins. 5 2-5
- FRANKIN — First round, 36 mins. 9 3-5 secs.; second round, 34 mins. 43 1-5 third round, 40 mins. 3 4-5 secs.; fourth round. 51 mins. 41 2-5 secs.
- CAMPBELL — First round, 43 mins. 57 secs.; second round, 44 mins. 0 2-5 secs.; third round, 54 mins. 6 secs; fourth round, 58 mins. 27 2-5 secs.; fifth round, 49 mins. 46 1-5 secs.
- BARNES did not complete his first round.
OFFICIAL FINDING.
At the headquarters of the club later in the day the official return was made. This showed that an allowance was made to H. Collier for a compulsory stoppage at the Quarter Bridge, reducing his actual time to 4 hours 9 minutes 52 seconds, as against Campbell's 4 hours 9 minutes 36 seconds. Accordingly Campbell takes the first place in the team, and wins the Auto Club gold medal and the motor cup. H. Collier takes second place and the silver medal, whilst the third position in the team goes to Franklin, as his stoppage was not due to a defective machine. Franklin covered the course the quickest, his time in the round being 34 minutes 43 1-5 seconds. Rignold is a reserve man in the event of one of the other three not being able to compete in France.
