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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]
| 1920 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy | |
|---|---|
| Date | 15 & 17 June 1920 |
| Location | Douglas, Isle of Man |
| Course | Isle of Man TT Mountain Course 37.75 miles (60.75 km) |
| Organiser | Auto-Cycle Union |
| Secretary | T.W. Loughborough |
| Junior TT | |
| First | Cyril Williams, AJS |
| Second | J. A. Watson-Bourne, Blackburne |
| Third | J. Holroyd, Blackburne |
| Fastest lap | |
| Eric Williams 44min. 6sec. 51.36 mph New record | |
| Lightweight class | |
| First | R. O. Clark, Levis |
| Second | Gus Kuhn, Levis |
| Third | Frank W. Applebee, Levis |
| Senior TT | |
| First | Tommy de la Hay, Sunbeam |
| Second | Duggie Brown, Norton |
| Third | R. Brown, Sunbeam |
| Fastest lap | |
| George Dance 40min. 43sec. 55.62 mph New record | |
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]
Junior TT 350cc race
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.
Lightweight TT 250cc race
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]
Senior TT 500 race
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]
Race awards and classes
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]
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Junior TT 350cc
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2020) |
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.
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Junior TT 350cc
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.
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Senior TT 500cc final standings
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.
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- 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.
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