Bothwell is left gutted by tough Irish Open exit
PETER Bothwell’s dream of a second successive AIG Irish Open men’s singles title was shattered at the quarter-final stage in Dublin yesterday.
The Hillsborough man went down 7-6 4-6 6-3 to Davis Cup team-mate Simon Carr after a marathon tussle with the Westmeath native.
Bothwell had his chances but was unable to convert against an opponent who had been in ominously good form, with five straight wins in the recent international campaign in San Marino.
The Ulsterman had also impressed in the Davis Cup with a series of fine performances, playing at No.1 singles, so something had to give yesterday.
Bothwell, who had lifted the coveted trophy for the first time last August, was naturally disappointed.
He said: “I’m obviously gutted to have lost, having felt like I was playing pretty well and making lots of chances for myself.
“I felt like it was there to be won so, hopefully, next time I’ll come through and take a few more of the opportunities I create.”
IN February 1922, Co Down-born Harry Ferguson, famed for his role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor, proposed an event on the 20.5-mile Clady Circuit in Co Antrim with its unique seven-mile straight, the intention being to run a motorcycle race in the morning followed by a car race in the afternoon.
Antrim Co Council agreed to contact the newly-formed Northern Ireland Government for permission to close the public roads. But, in fact, it was then Editor of the Belfast Telegraph, Thomas Moles MP, a keen motorcyclist, who was credited with being responsible for the Road Races Act reaching the Statute Book in 1922.
Thus the Ulster Grand Prix was born and first run by the Ulster Motorcycle Club on Saturday, October 14, 1922.
Seventy-two riders started the seven-lap handicap race with Hubert Hassall on a works Norton winning by 45 seconds at an average speed of 60.57mph, the first time a race anywhere had been won at over 60mph.
The race survived the Great Depression in the Thirties and was boosted by being awarded the title ‘Grand Prix of Europe’ in 1935.
Speeds were on the increase, Jimmie Guthrie lapping at 95.97mph in practice, 32 seconds inside the lap record, so it was decided to paint five feet wide yellow lines every 30 feet at 10 corners to warn riders of the bends ahead. Nowadays we have marker boards.
The UGP was fastest road race in the world from 1923 until 1937 and from 1938 until 1952 despite a number of financial crises and but for Billy McMaster, who approached the Ulster Centre governing body for assistance, and ordinary club members raising £200, the race could have been lost.
Winners in the pre-war era included Stanley Woods (six times), Walter Rusk, Ernie Nott, Jock West, Johnny Lockett, Doriano Serafin, who set the first 100mph lap of the Clady Circuit on his Gilera, and Freddie Frith, riding machines like Norton, Rudge, Velocette, Cotton, Rex-Acme, New Imperial, Enfield, New Imperial, DKW, BMW, AJS and Sunbeam.
After the Second World War, the ‘Prix’ was back in 1947, but on a shorter 16.5-mile circuit as a new airfield had been constructed at Nutts Corner.
From 1949, the Prix became part of the newly introduced World Championships until 1973 when the status was removed.
The year 1950 saw the legendary Geoff Duke ride a new 500cc Featherbed Norton and record the first sub 10-minute lap of the new circuit and first 100mph lap at 101.77mph.
In 1951, tragedy struck prior to
the race when Italian Moto Guzzi team mates Lorenzetti, Leoni and Geminiani were practicing unofficially.
Lorenzetti and Geminiani stopped at the pits while Leoni carried on until Ballyhill where he realised his team-mates were not behind him. He turned and proceeded back towards the pits unaware that his team-mates had set off from the pits again.
They collided head on with Leoni killed instantly and Geminiani dying later in hospital while Lorenzetti escaped uninjured, but badly shaken.
Duke became the first double winner in 1951, taking the 350cc and 500cc races on Nortons.
September 1950 then saw the Belfast & District Club run a race on a new circuit at Dundrod, replacing the Carrowdore 100 with the Dundrod 100.
A bombshell came in 1953 when Antrim Co Council decided it could not maintain two circuits and made it known they would not grant the use of the Clady Circuit for the UGP, but would permit it to run at the new 7.416-mile Dundrod venue.
Protests proved futile and, although unpopular at first, the inaugural Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod was held on Saturday, August 15, 1953.
Famous names of the Fifties and Sixties included John Surtees winning five out of six 350/500cc races from 1958 to 1960 — it would have been six out of six but for a broken gear lever in the 1960 500cc race — and Mike Hailwood won his first Grand Prix riding a Ducati in the 125cc race, beating the MZ of Gary Hocking in the 1959 UGP.
In a memorable 1960 350cc race, Alan Shepherd on his Geoff Monty AJS tailed the MV Agusta of Surtees for five laps before sweeping into the lead past the grandstand.
A split timing pin forced Shepherd to retire, but MV still lodged a protest about the engine capacity of the AJS and, embarrassingly for the mighty Italians, all was found to be legal.
Honda made their UGP debut in 1960 and a year later Bob McIntyre (250) and Kunimitsu Takahashi (125) gave the Japanese giant their first wins around Dundrod.
The Ulster Grand Prix Supporters Club was formed in 1963 when the Tourist Board withdrew their support and the event looked financially doomed. Since then the club have provided over £1million in financial support
Hailwood set the first 100mph
❝ Joey Dunlop won a record 24 UGP races and clinched five successive World Championships