Ulster Grand Prix

ULSTER GRAND PRIX

B. R. NICHOLLS

THF 35TH ULSTER Grand Prix meeting was held over the seven-and-a-halfmile Dundrod circuit near Belfast, despite the numerous troubles which beset the organizing club earlier in the season when at one time it looked doubtful if the meeting would be held at all. This was because the Tourist Board who financed the races wanted the date changed to September in an endeavour to extend the holiday season. From the motorcycling angle this was not practicable as the date available would have sandwiched it between the Italian and Finnish Grands Prix, making it impossible for riders to get to the circuit in time for practice. But despite the setbacks and reduced financial support there was a good entry for the races, albeit a small one. Quality before quantity seemed to be the order of the day with riders of the calibre of Minter, Hailwood, Redman, Provini and Anderson amongst those present with works machinery.

Last year Mike Hailwood, in conditions far from ideal, took the big M.V. round at a speed of 99.99 mph and in practice for this year’s races thoroughly demoralized the opposition by lapping three times at over the ton with a best of 101.28 mph. Comparable with this was Hugh Anderson’s 125cc lap at 91.06 mph. With Hailwood also best 350 with a lap at 96.10 and Provini on the Morini heading the 250’s at 92.51 mph, the stage was set for a good day’s racing provided that the weather did not interfere. But Dundrod is often unkind to the racing fraternity . . .

125CC RACE

The roads were wet but the rain had stopped when Hugh Anderson streaked into an immediate lead with his team mate Ernst Degner in close attendance. Frank Perris was a lone third but the fourth Suzuki in the hands of Bert Schneider was getting involved with the Hondas of Luigi Taveri, Tommy Robb and Kunimitsu Takahashi — it is small wonder the racing boys call this lone Japanese in the Honda team Takso.” With six of the eleven laps completed, Degner disappeared with a broken crankshaft. Then Perris struck carburetion trouble but managed to limp home sixth. Taveri got in front of Schneider for a brief while to leave Robb and Takso fighting for fourth place and it was this battle which enlivened the race with Robb finally getting the verdict. Schneider put in the fastest lap of the race at 87.99 mph and in so doing gained second place, over a minute behind Anderson.

350CC RACE

By the time the 350 race started there were welcome patches of blue in the sky and the roads were starting to dry. From the drop of the flag it was Jim Redman (Honda) versus Mike Hailwood (M.V.). Redman on the faster machine was outcornered by Hailwood on the slower and heavier machine and was still feeling some effects from a broken collar bone sustained six weeks earlier. But he asked no quarter and none was given. Slowly and as surely as the tide must turn Redman opened up the gap in front. Fifty, seventy and then a hundred yards until, with the conditions almost perfect, Redman went round at 95.83 mph to break the lap record and take a substantial lead at the half-way stage. But the local crowd could not have cared less for Ralph Bryans, the twenty-one-year-old,?lad from Belfast, had nipped past Taveri on the 350cc production Honda to take third place. The moment of glory was short lived, however, for his gear lever broke off when he grounded it two laps later and was forced to retire. So Taveri was a secure third and Hailwood had given up the chase, content with second place not knowing that Redman was having brake trouble. Alan Shepherd (A.J.S.) lost a certain fourth place when forced to change a plug. This let in Mike Duff (A.J.S.) and Fred Stevens (Norton) who were later destined to have a big scrap in the 500cc race.

250CC RACE

This was expected to be the race of the day for only two points separated Redman from Tarquinio Provini on his Morini. Provini was fastest in practice; Redman was anxious to increase his lead and gain a double Ulster Grand win. As they lined up on the grid the clouds grew darker and seemed to sink a little lower. From the start it was Redman and Robb, last year’s winner, way out in front on Honda fours, followed by Taveri and Takso on Honda production twins, with Provini fifth. Then Redman gained a freak advantage by getting through the difficult Leathemstown section before a deluge of rain that slowed the remainder of the field. At this stage he had something like twenty seconds in hand over the second man, Robb, but as the roads started to dry out after the rain Provini piled on the pressure and took second place when Robb found an extra neutral and whistled up a slip road for safety. But try as he did Provini could not catch Redman, who won by seven seconds with Provini putting in the fastest lap at 89.23 mph.

500CC RACE

Mike Hailwood had won this race before it started for he had put up the best practice times and the Gilera team of Scuderia Duke did not look capable of matching his skill; John Hartle had crashed twice the previous Monday during the British Championship meeting, Derek Minter (still recovering from a broken back) did not like the bumpy circuit and Phil Read’s lack of Gilera experience reduced his opposition potential.

Hartle made a perfect start but Hailwood headed him at the end of the pit area; he lost the lead only briefly to Hartle during the opening lap at the end of which Hailwood led by a few lengths. Read, third, led Minter who had Alan Shepherd right behind him on his Matchless. But Read crashed on the second lap and as Hailwood started drawing away it was Shepherd who had the crowd cheering as he kept with Minter by out-riding him on the swervery, but every time the Gilera rider pulled away on the straight by virtue of superior top speed. With the roads much drier after four laps Mike Hailwood reeled off three at over the ton to assert a big lead over the hard riding Hartle who was second. Once again Ralph Bryans was using his local knowledge to advantage, maintaining a safe fifth place on his Norton. Then on the eleventh lap Hailwood set the lap record at his practice best of 101.28 mph, any further speed increase then being foiled by further rain. Shepherd lost his duel with Minter when he had to make a precautionary fuel stop whilst Bryans was so secure in fifth spot that he too made a stop without losing his position. Mike Duff (Matchless) finally got the better of Fred Stevens (Norton) after a thrilling scrap that lasted for almost the whole race.*

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ULSTER GRAND PRIX — RESULTS