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Lightweight race 6 laps next, rain intermittent even on differing parts of the winding track, gloomy rumbling weather graced a bleak darkening arena. S Austin of Tring was to ride the sleeved Triumph LEF Special for Lewis Ellis and Foster. 20 entries contained 15 different Specials plus outright marques. C A H Robert from Moss Side to ride RMW Special. Webster of Crewe to ride a Pike-Rudge. H William of Wildmoor and Kenny Dixon of Liverpool listed to ride Excelsiors. Ron Jones of Nobold, Triumph, as was E W Tinkler of Mowbray. Cecil Sandford, now to be very shortly a World Champion for MV Agusta was simply Velocette mounted as was K Taylor of Rhyl. Fron Purslow was to ride a Norton that had been prepared by R J A Petty. Gordon Knight of Carmarthen plus F Hayward of Guildford were simply Rudge mounted, whereas self preparation tweaks certainly meant J Bottomley should be entitled to list his as a J B Rudge. Couple all this with E Pantlin of Iver, Buckinghamshire with his mysteriously named Lucas machine. D Sides of Wirral’s J S Special machine then add E A Barratt’s Moto Guzzi along with Wilmott Evans’s AJS 7R of reduced capacity brings that race to start at 1.20 pm with a unique and far more interesting starting line-up. This was the year Roland Pike moved to BSA. Ron Jones 249 Triumph, he was at last on something to match most things in this field, weather would soon bring others to a level he could cope with. Lap one he snatched the lead soon after his middle of the field grid position was dispensed with. 1948 and 1950 winner Wilmott Evans had the disappointment of seeing a Triumph single bettering his modern AJS in a tussle lasting throughout the race. Ron Jones I know wanted and deserved that win against all comers, underestimated by far too many racers that did not consider the quality of machinery Ron could afford to use. Ron was up against a wily old maestro he revered too, few folk could gather what a respectfully honourable battle the two combatants had fought. Ken Dixon initially contested their lead to finally bring his Excelsior home in third after sliding several times and falling back. Only when bikes were taken into the paddock could a copious amount of oil covering the rear of Dixon’s machine and rear tyre could be see, to this day Ken regrets not having the great Ronny Mead to prepare it. Rainfall settled in to become heavier, colder, more daunting and imposing. Lightweight Race 6 laps.
Winners speed 59.62 mph. Fastest lap. Ron Jones 249 Triumph 60.54 mph. |
1952 pt6. The Lightweight race