From the archives of Bob Montgomery, motoring historian
THE ARDS TT RACES: The RAC Tourist Trophy Race, first held in the Isle of Man in 1905, remained for more many years Britain's premier motor race: from 1905 to 1908, in 1914 and then again in 1922. A gap of six years followed before Harry Ferguson approached the RAC with a view to reviving the race over closed public roads in Ulster. Originally, it was intended, like the Le Mans classic, to be a 24-hour race, but this was dropped in the face of opposition by the Northern Ireland Government. The course chosen was around Newtownards and was described by Sammy Davis, the editor of The Autocar, as "fascinating with every sort of curve a man could devise".
The 13 2/3 miles' Ards circuit became the home to the Tourist Trophy Race from 1928 until 1936 and was regarded by many as the best road-racing circuit ever used in these islands. Its length included every conceivable type of corner and natural hazards ranging from level crossings and the famous butcher's shop at Comber to the difficult Town Hall corner in Newtownards and a first gear hairpin.
The first race, in 1928, began with a Le Mans-type start, the drivers and mechanics running across the road at the drop of the starter's flag, raising the hood - these were internationally recognised "Touring cars" - complete two laps, lower the hood and then race on. Englishman Kaye Don, driving a Lea-Francis, won by just 13 seconds from the Alvis of Leon Cushman, the race being declared a tremendous success by all concerned.
Seventy-two entries were received for the 1929 race, including works Alfa and Mercedes teams. In wet conditions that should have favoured the smaller cars, the young German Reinmeister, Rudolf Caracciola, demonstrated his great ability by driving his white 7-litre supercharged Mercedes to a fine win over Campari's Alfa Romeo. Caracciola's drive was described by the Clerk-of-the-Course as that of "A dreamy-looking fellow sliding round the corners without slackening". The race was marred, however, by a fatal accident at Ballystockart which claimed the life of a driver and a member of the breakdown crew.
In the 1930 race, Mussolini famously ordered the Alfa-Romeo team to win, which they duly did, coming home in first, second and third places. The winner was the great Tazio Nuvolari, followed by Guiseppi Campari and Achille Varzi. 1931 was Norman Black's year in his MG, just as it was in the Irish International Grand Prix at Phoenix Park, while 1932 saw the Riley of CR Whitcroft come home first.
1933 was memorable for one of the greatest battles in the history of the Tourist Trophy Race. Nuvolari's MG fought tooth and nail with the MG of Ulsterman Hugh Hamilton. After 400 miles there were only seconds between them but the matter was decided on the penultimate lap, when the Irishman had no choice but to stop for fuel, letting Nuvolari into a lead he kept to the finish. Sadly, this perhaps greatest of Irish drivers was to die in the Swiss Grand Prix only 10 months later. In 1934 CP Dodson was triumphant in his MG, while in 1935 it was the turn of the irrepressible Freddie Dixon to win.
In 1936 the Ards series of Tourist Trophy races came to an end with a fatal accident. J Chambers, in an old 1100cc Riley, lost control on the way into the fast left-hander leading into Regent Street, going on to the pavement, killing eight spectators and seriously injuring fifteen more. That Freddie Dixon again triumphed seemed inconsequential in the aftermath of such a tragedy. Court action followed and the series of races at Ards came to an end, switching to Donington in 1937 and 1938 before returning to Dundrod in 1950.
A long overdue project is underway by Ards Borough Council and the Ulster Vintage Car Club to erect a memorial to the cars and their crews and those who lost their lives in the Ards TT Races between 1928 and 1936.