1920 Isle of Man TT

The 1920 Isle of Man TT races was the first races to take place following the end of World War I. Official practice sessions started on 31 May with the races taking place on 15 and 17 June 1920.^[1]

The 350cc Junior TT race was won by Cyril Williams riding an AJS motor-cycle and the 250cc Lightweight class by R. O. Clark with a Levis machine.^[2] The first post-war Senior TT was won by Tommy de la Hay with a 500c Sunbeam bike.^[3]

The Junior TT race was initially led by Eric Williams, the winner of the 1914 Junior TT race riding an AJS and set a new Junior lap record of 44 minutes and 6 seconds, an average speed of 51.36 mph. A mechanical retirement for Eric Williams allowed Cyril Williams also riding an AJS to build up an impressive lead of 20 minutes. However, Cyril Williams hit gear-box problems at the Creg-ny-Baa corner on the last lap and free-wheeled and pushed to the finish-line located at the Nobles Park playing fields in the town of Douglas.^[4] The winning margin for Williams was 9 minutes and 50 seconds from Jack Watson-Bourne, riding for Blackburne motorcycles in 4 hours, 37 minutes and 57 seconds, at an average race speed of 40.74 mph.

The Lightweight class within Junior TT race was won by R. O. Clark riding a Levis and he may have won the event overall but was thrown from his Levis motor-cycle at the Creg-ny-Baa after a puncture on the last lap. After completing the race on a bent front wheel-rim he was detained in Nobles Hospital after the race with physical exhaustion.^[5]

The Senior TT race was won by Tommy de la Hay riding a Sunbeam at an average race speed of 51.79 mph from local Isle of Man competitor Duggie Brown riding a Norton. A new lap record was set by George Dance riding a Sunbeam of 40 minutes and 43 seconds, an average speed of 55.62 mph. AJS thought they could repeat the success of the 1914 Junior TT with a newly developed 2.75 hp (2.05 kW) ohv-engined machine.^[6] While Cyril Williams won the Junior race for AJS, H. R. Davies, also on the AJS team, retired from both races with engine trouble.^[7]

The 1920 Junior TT race included for the first time a new Lightweight TT class for motorcycles of 250 cc engine capacity. R. O. Clark riding for the Levis marque finished in 4th place overall and was within the 30 minute limit for The Motor Cycle Cup Trophy for the smaller 250cc motor-cycles.^[8]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Held on 15 June 1920, at 9:30 am over a distance of 188.75  miles (5 laps of 37.75 miles each)^{[additional citation(s) needed]}, limited to machines of cylinder capacity not exceeding 350cc., with a class for 250 cc. engines run concurrently for The Motor Cycle cup.^[9] Out of 32 entries, comprising 8 two-strokes, 16 four-stroke Singles, 7 Flat Twins and 1 V Twin, twenty-four started the race and only eleven finished.

Held on June 15, at 9:31 am over a distance of 188.75  miles (5 laps of 37.75 miles each), limited to machines of cylinder capacity not exceeding 350cc., with a class for 250 cc. engines run concurrently for The Motor Cycle cup.^[10] Out of 32 entries, comprising 8 two-strokes, 16 four-stroke Singles, 7 Flat Twins and 1 V Twin, twenty-four started the race and only eleven finished.

The 9th International Isle of Man Tourist Trophy[11]

Pos # Rider Bike Cyl. Junior TT and Lightweight class race classification Laps Time Speed Prizes & Remarks 1 4 Cyril Williams 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 5 4:37.57 40.74 mph 1st Prize - Winner of Junior Trophy, £40 and a gold medal. 2 15 Jack Watson-Bourne 2¾ hp Blackburne 348cc 1 5 4:47.07 39.44 mph 2nd Prize - £20 and a gold medal. 3 17 Jack Holroyd 2¾ hp Blackburne 348cc 1 5 4:47.37 39.37 mph 2nd Prize - £10 and a gold medal. 4 25 Ronald Clark 2¼ hp Levis 247cc 1 5 4:55.37 38.31 mph 1st in Lightweight class - Winner of The Motor Cycle Trophy and a gold medal. 5 32 Eric Longden 2¾ hp DOT (348cc JAP) 2 5 5:11.02 36.41 mph First twin-cylinder. 6 27 R.W. Loughton 2¾ hp Douglas 348cc 2 5 5:15.52 36.34 mph 7 14 Gus Kuhn 2¼ hp Levis 247cc 1 5 5:19.35 35.43 mph 2nd in Lightweight class and a gold medal 8 20 Harry Prescott 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 5 5:55.46 31.83 mph 9 13 Frank W. Applebee 2¼ hp Levis 247cc 1 5 6:05.21 30.99 mph 3rd in Lightweight class. The Nesbit trophy for pluck and endurance. 10 1 Sidney Haden 2½ hp New Comet (293cc Climax) 1 5 6:11.31 30.48 mph 11 9 Percy Dallison 3 hp Ivy 349cc 1 5 6:17.32 29.99 mph DNF 12 A.E. Wills 2¾ hp Douglas 348cc 2 3 Crashed on lap 4 at Creg-ny-Baa without doing himself any damage. DNF 3 Harry Harris 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 2 Retired on lap 3 at Ramsey Hairpin. DNF 6 Howard R. Davies 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 2 Retired on lap 3 due to broken exhaust valve just below the Bungalow. DNF 7 Eric Williams 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 2 Retired on lap 3, while leading the race, due to broken mainshaft 500 yards from the Bungalow.[12] DNF 11 A.F. Houlberg 2¾ hp Wooler 350cc 2 2 Retired on lap 3 near Ballacraine due to broken connecting rod.[13] DNF 23 Phil Pike 2¼ hp Diamond 249cc 1 2 Retired on lap 3 at Creg-ny-Baa due to broken exhaust valve. DNF 19 Stan Marks 2¾ hp Diamond 349cc 1 1 Retired on lap 2 between Braddan and Union Mills, bearings gave out. DNF 2 Ossie Wade 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 0 Retired on first lap at Ballaugh due to engine trouble. DNF 5 Tom Sheard 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 0 Retired on first lap at Sulby with valve trouble. DNF 16 P.J. Enticknapp 2¾ hp Blackburne 348cc 1 0 Retired on first lap due to sheared key on the flywheel.[14] DNF 18 Norman Sclater, jun. 3 hp Aurora (331cc Dalm)[15] 1 0 Retired on first lap at Hillberry due to broken release valve. DNF 21 Albert Milner 2¾ hp Diamond 349cc 1 0 Retired on first lap at Kirkmichael due to a broken valve cup. DNF 28 Alfie Alexander 2¾ hp Douglas 348cc 2 0 Retired on first lap due to engine trouble near Glen Helen DNS 1 L.W. Clement 2½ hp New Comet (293cc Climax) 1 Was replaced by Sidney Haden. DNS 4 N.C. Heath 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 Collided with marshals during practice, as taken to a hospital and was replaced by the eventual race winner Cyril Williams. DNS 5 T.H. Haddock 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 Crashed during practice at Keppel Gate was taken to hospital. Suffered head injuries. DNS 8 George Cowley, Senr. 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 Skidded at Governor's Bridge during practicing. DNS 10 J.H. Dowell 2¾ hp Wooler 350cc 2 DNS 22 Bert Houlding 2¾ hp Diamond 349cc 1 DNS 24 F.J. Price 2¾ hp Diamond 349cc 1 DNS 26 Jimmy Oates 3 hp Aurora (331cc Dalm) 1 DNS 29 E. Greenwood 2¾ hp Douglas 348cc 2 DNS 30 J.S. Clayton 2¾ hp Wooler 350cc 2 DNS 31 T.P. Lewis 2¼ hp Levis 247cc 1 Fastest lap: Eric Williams, 44min. 6sec. 51.36 mph (New record)[16]

Held on June 17, at 9:30 am over a distance of 226.50  miles (6 laps of 37.75 miles each), limited to machines of cylinder capacity not exceeding 500cc.^[17] Out of 29 entries, comprising 21 four-stroke singles, 5 V Twins, 3 Flat Twins and no two-strokes. Twenty-seven riders started the race and fourteen finished.

The 9th International Isle of Man Tourist Trophy[18]

Pos # Rider Bike Cyl. Senior TT race classification Laps Time Speed Prizes & Remarks 1 66 Tommy de la Hay 3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc 1 6 4:22.23 51.79 mph 1st Prize - Winner of Senior Trophy, £50 and a gold medal. 2 56 Douglas Brown 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 4:26.13 51.05 mph 2nd Prize - £25 and a medal from Manx Motor-Cycle Club. 3 70 Reg Brown 3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc 1 6 4:32.27 49.88 mph 3rd Prize - £15 and a medal from Manx Motor-Cycle Club. 1st Private entry.'' 4 67 Norman Sclater. jun. 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 4:39.47 48.57 mph Gold medal. 5 53 Reuben Harveyson 3½ hp Indian Scout 496.8cc 2 6 4:40.25 48.46 mph Gold medal. 1st Twin-cylinder machine. 6 51 Douglas Alexander 3½ hp Indian Scout 496.8cc 2 6 4:41.25 48.30 mph Gold medal. 2nd twin-cylinder machine. 7 57 Jimmy Shaw 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 4:51.46 46.57 mph Gold medal. 8 58 Noel H. Brown 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 4:54.24 46.16 mph 9 64 Frank Townshend 3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc 1 6 4:54.29 46.148 mph 10 63 Lieut. Charlie North 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 5:01.05 45.13 mph Broken saddle delayed him in the first lap. 11 79 Norman Black 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 5:08.26 44.06 mph Suffered multiple punctured and belt-stops. Rode last 30 miles with no bearings in the back hub. 12 52 Freddie Dixon 3½ hp Indian Scout 496.8cc 2 6 5:17.12 42.84 mph 13 59 Graham Walker 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 5:24.50 41.83 mph 14 76 Jack Thomas 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 6 5:53.21 38.463 mph DNF 75 Capt. Alexander Lindsay, M.B. 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 4 Retired on lap 5 near Ballaugh. Engine trouble. DNF 69 Bert le Vack 3½ hp Duzmo 496cc 1 4 Fell on lap 5 near Bungalow. Escaped unhurt. DNF 61 Harold Petty 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 3 Dry-skidded on lap 4 at Ramsey. Damaged front fork. DNF 74 Alfred Alexander 3½ hp Douglas 494cc 2 3 Retired at the end of lap 4 in pits, with belt fastener trouble, after taking 1½ hours for lap 3. DNF 54 Bert Houlding 3½ hp Indian Scout 496.8cc 2 3 Retired on lap 4. Tyre trouble at Union Mills. DNF 65 George Dance 3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc 1 2 Retired on lap 3 near Creg-ny-Baa due to broken inlet valve. DNF 62 Victor Horsman 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 2 Toured in at the end lap 3 due to partial engine seizure at Bungalow DNF 55 Vivian Olsson 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 2 Crashed on lap 3 at Windy Corner, brake gear fouled chain. DNF 68 Tom Simister 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 2 Retired on lap 3 at Hillberry due to broken piston. DNF 68 Eric Williams 3½ hp Sunbeam 499cc 1 2 Dry-skidded on lap 3 into a wooden gate at Quarterbridge due to jammed brake. Escaped unhurt. DNF 72 E.S. Abram 3 hp ABC 400cc 2 1 Retired on lap 2. Valve trouble at Crosby. DNF 60 Howard R. Davies 2¾ hp AJS 349cc 1 1 Retired on lap 2. Engine trouble at Kirkmichael. DNF 78 Reg. Lucas 3 hp ABC 400cc 2 0 Retired on first lap at Ramsey with broken valve DNS 77 S.J. Redmond 3½ hp Indian Scout 496.8cc 2 Withdraw during preliminary stages. DNS 73 A.J. Moffat 3½ hp Norton 490cc 1 Damaged his machine in practice and was unable to find another. Fastest lap: George Dance, 40min. 43sec. 53.62 mph (New record)[19]

• During the first practice session, T.H. Haddock riding an AJS in the Junior race crashed at Keppel Gate.^[20] George Cowley crashed at Governor's Bridge and Graham Walker, riding for Norton in the Senior class, hit sheep in the mist on the Snaefell Mountain section.^[21]
• During the Saturday practice D.S. Alexander riding an Indian Scout at number 51 in the Senior turned off the course at Braddan Bridge and rejoined at Hillberry and set a time of 39 minutes and 10 seconds!
• Prize Money awarded for the Junior race was: 1st place £40, 2nd place £20 and 3rd place £10. A gold finisher's award was made for each competitor completing the race within 30 minutes of the winner. The Motor Cycle magazine Gold Cup was awarded to Eric Williams for setting the fastest lap of 44 minutes and 6 seconds.
• Prize Money awarded for the Senior race was: 1st place £50, 2nd place £25 and 3rd place £15.

^[22]

• Detailed race results
• Isle of Man TT winners