Three and two at the TT? It has happened twice before!
Dear CR, I’ve become aware recently of a lot of talk regarding the current darling of the Isle of MANTT brigade, Michael Dunlop and the possibility that he will take on the sidecar TT races as well as racing in the other outings. Again and again I have seen that this would be a first for racing on the Island (not from Michael, but from those who write about such things) but the truth is that it isn’t the first time that someone has competed on both three wheels and two at the event. In the 1920s it was Freddie Dixon who first managed it and in 1986 Nigel Rollason and Donnie Williams crossed the line first in the second sidecar TT of that year. What some might not know though is that the outfit that Rollason drove so well on that day was powered by the 750cc Barton Phoenix engine, which was the motor that did a lot of legwork in the Silver Dream Racer film. Thinking about that engine and Dunlop got me onto the subject of the return of Norton to thett in 2009 and when the then 21-year-old Dunlop was announced to be riding the motorcycle (appropriately enough tagged the Silver Dream Racer because of the unpainted petrol tank) which, in turn, I found to remind me of Nick Collis, the Norton manager of some ventures past I believe, who may have been the manager of the Nortons back in 1988 or maybe 1989 along with Mr Barry Simmons. I wonder if any of the Classic Racer readers know of Mr Collis’ story and what happened to him following those Norton years? I’d like to know more about Mr Collis and the subsequent time after those heady days of the Nortons during that period so if anybody can shed any light on the subject then I’d be very grateful. Sincerely, Barry Huntley Hello Barry, thanks for the letter. You’re quite right about those who made it on both two and three wheels on the Island, aand as a fascinating sidebar we could all so add in the father and son who did the same in Conrad and Dean Harrison – Conrad in the outfit and Dean on the solos. Michael has come very close to this happening before and even headed out for some quick miles in an outfit a few years ago. If it happens this year then it’s going to be taking a lot of headlines around the world, that’s for sure. Let’s hope that those who write about such a thing remember the likes of Rollason and Dixon. If anyone contacts us regarding your enquiry about Mr Collis, we’ll pass it on. Tony