1955 Clubman Senior TT

Course name: Clypse

Course length: 97 miles (9 laps)

Description: 1955 Clubman Senior TT
Race report from the TT Special 10 June 1955 (p.3), below which is a full list of competitors:

EDDIE DOW WINS SENIOR CLUBMAN’S

Finely Judged and Steady Race

Drysdale’s Hard Luck

ATKINSON SECOND, AND RAYMOND KELLY THIRD

Riding a beautifully judged, steady race, 30-year-old Eddie Dow, a Captain in the Regular Army, on Saturday won the Senior Clubman’s Trophy race at 70.73 m.p.h., in 1 hr. 22 mins. 23 secs.

Dow, who was B.S.A. mounted, took over the lead on Lap 3 and held it comfortably for the remainder of the race.

Second was Ian Atkinson (Triumph), a 28-year-old weaving overlooker, from Keighley, Yorks., at 69.77 m.p.h., 1 min. 18 secs. behind Dow, and in third place was Manxman Raymond Kelly (Triumph), in 1 hr. 24 mins. 32 secs., a speed of 68.93 m.p.h., 61 secs. behind the second man.

It was a magnificent performance by red-haired Raymond (21), a Port Erin plumber, riding in his first big road race.

After Dow had established himself in the lead, spectators’ attention focussed on No. 16, Jimmy Drysdale, the man who made the fastest lap in practice and who was hot favourite for the race.

Point trouble in the magneto delayed Jimmy for several minutes at the end of Lap 1 – his growing time for two laps was 24 mins. 13 secs., as against 18 mins. 43 secs. for leader Dow.

DRYSDALE’S 72.53 M.P.H.
But if the smiling 6 ft. distillery chemist from Clackmannan had no hope of winning, he was determined to come away with the record lap.

Sparks flew in showers as he heeled his B.S.A. through the Nursery bends on Lap 4, completed in 8 mins. 56 secs. – 72.53 m.p.h. Jimmy’s fifth circuit was just two seconds slower, 72.23 m.p.h.; his sixth was 72.53 m.p.h. again and on Lap 8 it was 72.23 m.p.h. once more.

Even this exhibition of class riding could not make up a deficit of 5½ minutes in seven laps. He finished in 16th place, in 1 hr. 36 mins. 32 secs., at 60.36 m.p.h.

At the end of the first lap, Atkinson led on his Triumph by seven seconds from Kelly (Triumph), who in turn headed Dow (B.S.A.) by four seconds, Drysdale’s machine was firing erratically, but he held seventh place.

On Lap 2 Atkinson still held his lead – five seconds – from Dow, who headed Kelly by 17 seconds.

KELLY’S FINE RIDING
By the end of the third circuit, Dow had slipped into a four second lead, while Atkinson led comfortably from Kelly by 34 seconds. Kelly’s lead over the fourth man was equally comfortable.

On to the leader board at the close of Lap 6 came Peter Ferbrache (B.S.A.), the 30-year-old Enfield, Middlesex engine fitter, who had taken third place in the earlier Junior race. Ferbrache was tying with D. Andrews for fifth place at 67.85 m.p.h. A lap later he had nosed ahead of F. Wallis to take fourth position, increasing his average speed to 68.15 m.p.h., 43 seconds behind Kelly.

With the race comfortably in his grasp, Dow continued to increase his average speed, drawing further ahead of the field.

In the 1953 Senior race (on the T.T. course), Eddie was lying a good second to Bob Keeler when a spill at Laurel Bank put him out of the race and into hospital for several weeks. On Saturday he made a great comeback.

Said Eddie, “I had a very pleasant ride, with no nasty moments. The course was in excellent condition and I take back what I said when I first came over about the Clypse Circuit – it is a fine little circuit.”

Competitors

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