About the MGP

The idea of a race for young motorcycling amateurs and private entrants, on the world famous TT Course, was first mooted in the early twenties; indeed a request was made by the Manx Motor Cycle Club to hold a one-lap race for amateurs in the 1921 TT meeting, but this was dismissed out of hand by the ACU. It would appear that the Motor Cycle Trade Society was a strong voice in arguing against an amateur race.

Another reason was that in 1921 the Auto-Cycle Union (organisers of the TT Races in the Island since 1907) announced the possibility of the 1922 TT Races being held in Belgium. This bombshell was met by the Manx Motor Cycle Club, who realised the importance of motorcycle road racing to the Island. The course was ready to use and all the facilities provided but it was still a mammoth task to be faced. As it happened, the TT did not move to Belgium, but the amateur race went ahead.

One problem facing the organisers was how to define an amateur.

Long and complicated rules were drawn up including “a person who is not at the time of making entry, or has not been since the first day of January 1923, engaged in the manufacture for sale, or sale or repair, or the exhibition of motor cars or motorcycles, their parts or accessories; has not since the 1st of January 1921 accepted, and undertakes not to accept, any monetary benefit or consideration, or the equivalent thereof, from any person or firm engaged or directly interested in the manufacture for sale, or the sale of motor cars or motorcycles, their parts or their accessories”.

These were just two of the lengthy paragraphs in the rules to try to define an amateur. Not ideal, perhaps, but at least a basis to go ahead with the races. And so the first Manx Amateur Road race Championship was set to be held on the 20th September 1923. In that first year, and indeed until 1929, there was just one class, 500cc, with a special award for the best performance by a 350cc machine. Councilor A B Crookall, then Mayor of Douglas, presented the club with the principal trophy and the “Motor Cycle” magazine donated the trophy for the best 350. Five laps of the course, one less than the TT, had to be covered - 188.65 miles.

In 1930 came the birth of the Manx Grand Prix. New regulations had been drawn up and it was no longer a race for amateurs, but with experts barred. The rules included: “All entrants, who shall be the drivers, must be British or Irish subjects resident in the British Isles or the Irish Free State, and must hold open competition licences. They must not, since 1920, have been entered as a competitor in any international road race or have held any world motorcycling record. The race to be for machines of up to 350cc and 500cc, and to be over six laps of the TT Course, the meeting to be known as the Manx Grand Prix”.

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