Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

In and out: The Dell'Or to cams (above) and theIr matchin g quartet of open megaph ones (left). ance that rewarded lems, he reaJly set the world on its ear with a blistering perform record of 99.58 mph. him with fastest lap and a new Honda works The 1961 250cc TT was forecast by the press to be a doosy. in practice. Mike Hailwood, Tom Phillis and Mcintyre led the leaderboard riders Hocking trailing in fourth place. with MV's Gary a At the drop of the flag, Mcintyre set a blistering pace to establish d lead of 52 seconds over Gary Hocking. Lap two at 99.58 increase the the pace and Mac's lead while also setting a new lap record. By he fifth and final go-around, Mcintyre 's victory seemed set, since 40 seconds in front of second place Hailwood, but fate was over struck a foul blow and Bob retired with engine trouble at Quarry Bends, some 18 miles from the finish line. For 1961 Honda changed perforoil-cooli ng system to dry sump, but with Mcintyre 's superhuman the the wailing Honda on full throttle longer than the other mance, which kept and leaked riders, the oil temperature exceeded the boiling point, frothed, cornering out of the tank breather onto the left side of the rear tire. making the engine more treacherous. On the last lap, the oil tank ran dry and even first 100 mph lap seized. This robbed Mcintyre of victory and quite probabl y the by a 250cc machine. 350cc class, but In 1962 Mcintyre got to ride a slightly improve d Honda in the year the teamma te Tom Phillis, retired with mechan ical problems. That along with d from five laps (189 miles) to six (226 miles). Here, Bob 250cc race was increase the opening standMac again set the mercurial pace with a 99.06 mph average for Jim Redman, and the ing-star t lap. His lead was a huge 34 seconds over teamma te 250 would lap at over whole grandstand was electrified at the thought that finally a to add his honor to his Gilera accomp lishmen ts. Finally 100 mph. But Mac was not electronic misfire that the sound of the 14,000 rpm screamer came to a halt with an had plagued this model of Honda in the first half of the season. "p and looked likely to llaclntr r'e at Quarte r Bridge In 1 Hi. He set the hi_at lits oil and 100 mph "p for a 250cc bike, bu1 his Honda 4 spewec Nt the flm seized on the final lap. 13 0.1.. me IKly Jte: Ho ur Re co rd Ho ld er as a last hurrah for the Gilera never entered an official race team after 1957, but almost stood was asked to challenge Ram Amm's World one-hour record, which Gilera factory, Mac Bob was to ride the 350cc four-cyli nder Gilera. He had only at 133 miles on a 500cc Norton. mph. It was not easy. Banked been to Monza once before, but he shattered the record by 8 on the footpegs and with at over 150 mph, fighting the notoriou sly bumpy oval by riding over magneto handlebars, Scott showed his stuff for 15 minutes before the a death grip on the Mac was off and running again. At the end of the hour, failed. With a new magneto fitted, . they very nearly had to lift the cramped Mac from the machine fan, but when Hailwood The greatness of this achieve ment might be lost on the ordinary "There was record at Daytona in 1964 on the 500cc MV Agusta, he said, finally broke Mac's that made by Bob on the Monza track in 1957. Only ridnever a more magnific ent ride than sheer guts and brilliant riding ers who have attempted that circuit can truly appreciate the which made Bob's attempt possible .· was very patchy. He retired Between 1957 and his !fonda rides in 1961, Mac's TT record finished first in the 1959 Formula-One race coupled with a in the 350 and 500 races in 1958, AJS. In 1960 he retired in both fifth in the Senior on a Norton and retired in the Junior on his 500cc..(ace on his Joe Pottsthe 350 and 500cc races. In 1961 he finished second in tF>e year that Mac but retired in the 350cc race on the Italian Bianchi. That was the tuned Norton, Honda, and although he failed to finish due to mechanical prob· got to ride the works 250cc .. U ..... n e vv s MARCH 1. 2000 33

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