1958 Isle of Man TT

The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races have a long (hundred-year plus) history thanks in part to the demanding 37 mile high-speed track plus Mountain Course (with a seemingly never-ending series of bends, bumps, jumps, stone walls, manhole covers and telegraph poles) which - needless to say - requires high levels of skill and concentration. Held annually in the last week of May for practice and the first week of June for racing week with many supporting attractions, gatherings and other events taking place.

For many years regarded as the most prestigious and oldest motorcycle race in the world, it has been reported as the most dangerous motorcycle road-race in the world. (From 1949–1976 the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was part of the FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship prior to transfer to UK mainland over safety concerns.)

1958 was marked by MV's total domination of all four solo classes, a classic Junior and Senior double by John Surtees and the first appearance in the TT of Mike Hailwood; the Lightweight race was an all-Italian contest between Tarquinio Provini and Carlo Ubbiali, riding MV four-strokes that included a neck-and-neck round the demanding Clypse Course, with Ubbiali leading in the early stages. At the end of the fourth lap they were side by side as they crossed the line, but Provini slowly pulled away to win by 8.2 seconds, establishing new race and lap records.

Mike Hailwood finished third, followed by NSU teammate Bob Brown .

In the Ultra-Lightweight race. Luigi Taveri, riding one of the Italian Ducati's, harried the MV team and led at the end of the second lap before Provini snatched the initiative but crashed at the Nursery on lap four. When Taveri retired with engine trouble at Creg-ny-Baa, Ubbiali took the flag.

Mike Hailwood on a Paton was seventh, completing a memorable debut and finished 12th in the Junior, 13th in the Senior, and third in the Lightweight.

BMW dominated the Sidecar class with Walter Schneider winning comfortably, followed by teammate Florian Camathias with British driver Jack Beeton in third, but former World Champion Eric Oliver coaxed a standard Norton Dominator, fitted with the standard Watsonian Monaco sports sidecar into tenth place. With Mrs Pat Wise in the car they averaged 59.95 mph and gained a bronze replica.

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Wikipedia